Infosys co-founder Narayana Murthy made it clear at the CNBC Global Leadership Summit that he’s no fan of the 5-day work week. In fact, he was disappointed when India made the switch from a 6-day work week to a 5-day work week. Murthy has always emphasized hard work and dedication towards the office, famously stating that he doesn’t believe in work-life balance – a belief he’s determined to hold onto till his last breath.
Wipro’s Executive Chairman, Rishad Premji, believes differently. Speaking at the Bengaluru Tech Summit, Premji emphasized the importance of work-life balance – a lesson he learned early in his career, reported TOI.
However, he believes that it’s not up to organizations to create balance; it’s up to individuals to define what that balance means for them and set boundaries accordingly and suggesting that employees need to take charge of their own well-being.
“Work-life balance is incredibly important. I learned this very early on in my early days before COVID-19, which is work life is something that you have to define for yourself; organizations are never going to work at it for you. So you have to define what it means and draw boundaries,” Mint quoted him saying.
Rishad Premji’s approach highlights a generational shift. While Narayana Murthy represents a time when commitment to work was synonymous with long hours and sacrifices, Premji’s views align with a newer mindset that values flexibility and personal time.
The COVID-19 pandemic further accelerated this shift, with companies like TCS, Infosys, and Wipro embracing hybrid work models. Employees can now spend part of their week working from the office and the rest remotely – a change that supports a healthier work-life balance.
“The one model that IT industry has adopted, and I think the government has been supportive of is a more hybrid model of work. It is a controversial subject. But we, as a company, have said, we won’t be able to come three days a week, but we want you to have the flexibility of having two days on your work place. That certainly helps with the workforce,” said Premji.
Narayana Murthy and Rishad Premji might both be giants in the Indian IT industry, but their perspectives on work are worlds apart. But one thing is for sure – work-life balance, once a novel concept in India, is here to stay.