Staring Into A Dystopian Work-Life Balance: SN Subrahmanyan’s Vision For Corporate Bliss Or Corporate Abyss?

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Staring into a Dystopian Work-Life Balance: SN Subrahmanyan's Vision for Corporate Bliss or Corporate Abyss?

At a time when the entire world is advocating for mental health awareness and work-life balance, a statement has taken social media by storm. In a recent statement, SN Subrahmanyan, Chairman of Larsen & Toubro (L&T), made remarks that have ignited a storm of criticism and debate.

His comments—“What do you do sitting at home? How long can you stare at your wife? How long can wives stare at their husbands? Go to the office and start working,” and, “Honestly, I am sorry that I am not able to make you work on Sundays. I will be happier if I can make you work on Sundays because I work on Sundays, too.” This statement is not merely insensitive towards the employees but also reflective of deep-rooted issues within corporate culture and societal dynamics.

The remarks were widely criticised for their sexist undertones, disregard for work-life balance, and implicit promotion of exploitative labour practices. These comments highlight a troubling perspective that prioritises corporate gains over fundamental human needs, perpetuates outdated gender roles, and dismisses the importance of personal and familial well-being. This broader discourse reveals deep-rooted issues within workplace ethics, societal expectations, and the dynamics between corporate leadership and employees.

  • Sexist and Reductionist View of Relationships

SN Subrahmanyan’s statement reinforces archaic gender roles by reducing men and women to the roles of husbands and wives, ignoring their other significant identities as children, parents, individuals, and contributors to society. The remarks dismiss the value of familial relationships, personal hobbies, and non-work-related pursuits by framing the home as a space of boredom and workplace attendance as the sole avenue of meaningful engagement.

Such a perspective undermines the dignity and purpose of life beyond the professional sphere. India is a society where men, for a very long time, are expected to be the breadwinner, and women are expected to stay confined to domestic roles and look after their children. Despite this, women are trying to match their male counterparts and build a space for themselves while balancing their personal lives, and males are trying to create balance and contribute at home.

Now, this statement or rather a mindset, does not work much in favour of the progress that society has made towards equality and diverse roles for all genders. However, it works well for the age-old stereotypes to achieve success and “extraordinary outcomes.” 

Encouraging work on Sundays disregards parents’ critical role in their children’s upbringing. Weekends are often the only time working parents bond with their children, engage in recreational activities, and create cherished memories. Forcing parents into perpetual work not only leaves children isolated, fostering emotional detachment and impacting their development, but also places a disproportionate burden on women.

Traditionally expected to shoulder caregiving responsibilities, many women might find themselves compelled to leave the workforce to look after their children without shared family time. This regression would undo decades of progress in gender equality and professional inclusivity, further entrenching stereotypes that confine women to domestic roles while limiting their career growth and financial independence. A society that sacrifices family time for corporate gains neglects its future and its strides toward equality.

  • Promotion of Exploitation and Employee Burnout

Following the regressive stance that sacrifices personal time for corporate gains, SN Subrahmanyan’s remarks implicitly endorse a culture of overwork, equating excessive working hours with productivity and success.

However, studies have consistently shown that overworking leads to burnout, declining mental and physical health, and diminished long-term productivity. Chronic overwork contributes to stress, anxiety, depression, and other mental health disorders, creating a workforce that is physically present but mentally and emotionally depleted. Employees are not machines; they require adequate rest and mental recovery to function effectively. The belief that longer working hours lead to better outcomes is fundamentally flawed.

Overworked Employees

Companies like Google and Meta have demonstrated that fostering a healthy work-life balance and focusing on productive working hours yields better results. Employees perform better when they are well-rested, motivated, and feel valued. Instead of demanding excessive hours, leaders should prioritise creating environments that promote efficiency, creativity, and well-being.

By being in the top position of the company, promoting unhealthy work environments and holding an exploitative mindset, corporate leaders risk alienating their workforce, fostering a toxic work environment, and perpetuating a culture where mental health is undervalued. This undermines not only individual well-being but also organisational sustainability and long-term success.

  • The Economic Divide: Privilege vs. Reality

The gap between corporate leaders and employees becomes even more glaring when considering the stark economic divide between them. While high-level executives earning multi-crore annual salaries can comfortably afford domestic help, luxurious amenities, and other conveniences, the reality for middle-class employees is entirely different.

These workers must juggle demanding job responsibilities with various household tasks like cooking, cleaning, grocery shopping, and childcare—a balance that leaves little room for personal rejuvenation. For them, weekends are not a luxury but an absolute necessity to catch up on life beyond work.

The stark economic divide between corporate stakeholders and employees adds another criticism to the Chairman’s remarks. High-level executives earning multi-crore annual salaries can afford domestic help, luxurious amenities, and other services that ease their daily lives. Middle-class employees, on the other hand, juggle work with household responsibilities such as cooking, cleaning, grocery shopping, and childcare. For them, weekends are not a luxury but a necessity to manage their lives outside work.

SN Subrahmanyan’s remarks starkly disregard these struggles, reflecting a profound lack of empathy for the workforce that upholds the organisation’s operations. By dismissing the critical importance of personal time, he overlooks how essential rest and family interaction is to an employee’s mental and physical well-being.

This attitude perpetuates a culture of inequality, where the comforts of the privileged are maintained at the expense of an overburdened workforce. It creates a growing chasm between corporate leadership and the employees who form the backbone of success. This disconnect highlights how corporate elites often fail to understand the ground realities of their workforce, further widening the gap between leadership and employees.

  • Filling Stakeholders’ Pockets at the Expense of Employees

The drive to increase working hours often stems from a desire to maximise profits for stakeholders, a sentiment that further exacerbates the disconnect between corporate leadership and employees. While executives enjoy lucrative payouts, employees are pressured to deliver extraordinary results without corresponding compensation or benefits.

In 2014, at L&T, the median salary of employees was rupees 5L; in 2024, it grew to 9.77L. On the other hand, in 2014, SN Subrahmanyan’s median salary was rupee 13.36cr, which bloomed to rupee 51.05cr in 2024. 

This relentless demand often leaves employees grappling with financial instability, struggling to meet basic needs, and sacrificing personal time. Such an imbalance is unethical and unsustainable in the long run. It fosters resentment, erodes morale, and diminishes loyalty, as workers feel increasingly undervalued and exploited in a system designed to disproportionately reward those at the top.

  • Criticism and Public Backlash

The widening divide between corporate leadership and employees has inevitably drawn widespread condemnation of the Chairman’s comments. These remarks, seen as emblematic of a deeper disconnect, were sharply criticised by Harsh Goenka, Chairperson of the RPG Group, who remarked, “90 hours a week? Why not rename Sunday to ‘Sun-duty’ and make ‘day off’ a mythical concept! Working hard and smart is what I believe in, but turning life into a perpetual office shift? That’s a recipe for burnout, not success. Work-life balance isn’t optional, it’s essential.”

Goenka’s statement reflects a growing frustration with corporate attitudes that prioritise profit over human well-being, highlighting the urgent need for a balanced approach to work and life in today’s demanding professional environments.

Deepika Padukone also criticised the statement, emphasising the importance of work-life balance and the dangers of glorifying overwork. Social media users joined the chorus, and the backlash underscores a growing recognition of employees’ rights and the need for ethical leadership in corporate India.

  • Weekends: A Necessity, Not a Luxury

As criticism of corporate indifference to employee well-being mounts, it becomes essential to challenge statements like SN Subrahmanyan. Contrary to his assertion, people do not need weekends to stare at their partners. Weekends are a cornerstone of personal and family stability, providing crucial opportunities for growth, bonding, and balance.

For middle-class employees, weekends are not a luxury but an indispensable time to catch up on life’s demands—whether managing household chores, spending quality time with children, or simply recuperating from the week’s stress.

To dismiss this necessity as laziness trivialises the lived realities of countless workers who juggle professional and personal responsibilities with limited resources. This is not about idleness but about life management, a concept that corporate leaders must respect to foster truly supportive and productive work environments.

  • The Way Forward: Ethical Leadership and Employee Well-being

Ethical leadership is more than driving results—it involves cultivating a workplace culture where work-life balance is seen as an essential pillar of success. Leaders must understand that employee well-being is not a fringe benefit but a core driver of productivity, innovation, and loyalty. Companies create spaces where talent can flourish by prioritising mental health, fostering supportive environments, and respecting personal boundaries.

Employees who feel valued and supported are more likely to contribute meaningfully, driving immediate success and sustainable growth for the organisation. When leaders invest in these aspects, they build not just better workplaces but better futures for their workforce and themselves.

If the top management believes that working on Sundays is how India will progress fast, the preachers should become practitioners. They should execute this with the same resources and luxuries the employees have. They should live the exact life their employees are living and must work on the same amount of salaries their employees are getting.  

SN Subrahmanyan’s remarks expose a troubling detachment from the realities of a modern workforce and an outdated corporate philosophy that disregards employees’ fundamental rights and dignity. Beyond fostering a toxic work culture, such rhetoric sets a dangerous precedent where pursuing corporate profits justifies the erosion of employee well-being.

It ignores mounting evidence that workplace stress and overwork lead to a significant rise in mental health issues, lower productivity, and high attrition rates. Additionally, Subrahmanyan’s remark reveals a disregard for the socio-economic realities faced by middle-class workers who lack the privileges corporate elites enjoy—such as access to domestic help, financial security, and flexible schedules.

Rather than leading with empathy and forward-thinking strategies, these remarks reflect a regressive workplace vision that has no place in today’s progressive and inclusive corporate environments. Leaders should focus on empowering employees, fostering innovation, and championing a work-life balance that ensures long-term growth for both the individual and the organisation. SN Subrahmanyan’s remarks are a stark reminder of the urgent need for a paradigm shift in corporate leadership, where the leaders are not living in their luxury bubble while making such absurd remarks.

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