India’s second-largest IT services firm, Infosys, has started warning employees logging excessive work hours. The move contrasts sharply with Infosys Co-founder Narayana Murthy’s call for a 70-hour workweek to spur India’s growth, highlighting a shift in approach.
Infosys has rolled out an automated system that tracks daily work hours, especially during remote work. Employees working over 9 hours 15 minutes regularly receive personalised warning emails from HR, urging better time management.
Infosys introduced the monitoring system after shifting to hybrid work for its 323,500 employees. The system helps track daily work hours and detects excessive workloads under the new work-from-office policy.
When employees exceed daily work-hour limits, HR sends alerts detailing remote workdays, total hours logged and daily averages. Since November 2023, staff are required to work from the office at least 10 days each month.
These monthly reports from Infosys provide a detailed view of remote working days, total hours clocked and daily average work duration. The company acknowledges employee dedication but also emphasises the importance of maintaining a healthy work-life balance.
“Maintaining a healthy work-life balance is crucial for both your well-being and long-term professional success,” the HR email reportedly states.
The policy marks a shift from Narayana Murthy’s call for a 70-hour workweek. It reflects changing priorities in India’s IT sector, where mental health and sustainable productivity now outweigh long work hours.
Cardiologist and MP Dr. CN Manjunath told The Economic Times that 25% of young heart attack cases (2013–2018) had no traditional risk factors—just high stress. He urged professionals to avoid overworking for career goals.
