90 hours work a week is detrimental to both health and productivity | IDPD

Indian Doctors for Peace and Development (IDPD)

139-E, Kitchlu Nagar,
Ludhiana – 141001
M: 9417000360
Email: idpd2001[at]hotmail.com

Date: 10.01.2025

Press Note

IDPD takes strong exception to SN Subrahmanyan’s statement on 90 hours work a week —It is detrimental to both health and productivity

The chairman of Larsen & Toubro (L&T), SN Subrahmanyan suggested that employees should work 90 hours a week. It is a well-accepted fact that productivity increases if workers are healthy and happy. An exhausted person can never give better production. They are also liable to have more accidents and make mistakes. Due to circadian rhythm, that is to say, our daily biological cycles our organism is unable to be productive for 8 consecutive hours. How our body reacts during the day depends on many factors: our hormones, our diet, our exposure to daylight. Scientists studying these issues have found that we have a very specific biological rhythm. Thus, we are more productive at certain times of the day, intellectually and physically speaking. So this affects all working manually or on the screens as many young people are doing these days.

Being in the office for more than 8 hours a day is associated with poorer overall health and with a 40% higher risk of developing heart disease or stress related diseases. Scientists generally agree that the ideal daily working time is around 6 hours, and more concentrated in the morning.

According to a study published by Insurance Journal, overworking increases the risk of being injured by 61%. They are also at higher risk of having chronic diseases like Diabetes, Arthritis, and Cancer.

Research also reveals the damage to our physical health that overwork can cause. A study from the World Health Organization (WHO) found that working an average of 55 hours or more each week increases your risk of stroke by 35% and your risk of dying from heart disease by 17%, compared to averaging a 35-40 hour workweek. People who work long hours are twice as likely to have a major depressive episode, according to a study, especially if they work more than 11 hours per day.

Mr. Subrahmanyan’s thoughts are totally unscientific and against the health of the workers.

Dr Arun Mitra

President IDPD

M: 9417000360