Narayana Murthy Wanted 70-Hour Work Week. Infosys Now Has Work-Life Balance Policy

Infosys co-founder Narayana Murthy has long advocated for a 70-hour workweek, but his company is encouraging employees to avoid overworking. In a new internal initiative, the Bengaluru-based IT giant is asking staff to maintain a healthy work-life balance and has flagged the health risks associated with extended work hours, particularly in remote settings.

The company has begun sending individual emails to employees whose logged hours exceeded the standard while working from home. These messages include a detailed summary of the employee's remote working days, total hours worked, and average daily time spent, discouraging sustained overwork.

"We must work for 9.15 hours a day for five days a week, and if we overshoot this while working remotely, it prompts a trigger," an Infosys employee told The Economic Times.

The internal campaign comes amid increasing awareness of the health impacts of erratic work schedules, especially within the technology sector. With many employees clocking extended hours remotely, Infosys' HR teams have begun actively monitoring work durations to help promote better work-life habits.

One of the emails by the HR team reviewed by ET says, "While we appreciate your commitment, we also believe that maintaining a healthy work-life balance is crucial for both your well-being and long-term professional success."

Another email read, "We understand that work demands and deadlines can sometimes lead to longer hours. However, it is important to maintain a balanced work-life schedule to enhance productivity and overall happiness."

Employees are also being encouraged to manage workloads effectively and take conscious breaks. "Take regular breaks during your workday; Let your manager know if you are feeling overwhelmed or need support with reviewing priorities. Speak to your manager about delegating tasks or redistributing some responsibilities as appropriate; Take time to recharge during off hours, minimising work-related interactions whenever possible," the advisory said.

The campaign follows the rollout of Infosys' hybrid work policy in November 2023, which mandates a minimum of 10 in-office days per month. Since then, HR has been actively tracking time logged by employees while working from home.

One Infosys employee said the practice was new in their experience. "This is the first time I've received such a mail," the employee said, adding that earlier, work-related insights were primarily collected through the annual Pulse survey.

Infosys currently employs over 3.23 lakh people.