Larsen & Toubro (L&T) Chairman SN Subrahmanyan has come under fire over his remark on the 90-hour work week. Following the controversy, it was revealed that his substantial salary for the financial year 2023-24 stood at Rs 51 crore. This figure, reported by The New Indian Express last year, is 534.57 times the median salary of L&T employees, which was Rs 9.55 lakh.
According to the report, Subrahmanyan’s remuneration package included a base salary of Rs 3.6 crore, Rs 1.67 crore prerequisites and a commission of Rs 35.28 crore. Additionally, he received retirement benefits amounting to Rs 10.5 crore, resulting in a large total.
Subrahmanyan’s salary saw a significant increase of 43.11 percent from the previous year, raising questions about the company’s salary structure and work culture, the report said.
90 hour work week
The president’s remarks during a recent interaction with employees sparked a backlash, particularly his suggestion that employees should work 90 hours a week. In a video posted on social media, Subrahmanyan expressed his frustration over the inability to make employees work on Sundays, saying: “If I can make you work on Sundays, I will be happier, because I work on Sundays.” . He further questioned what employees are doing during their time at home, implying that they should work more.
His comments drew widespread criticism, with notable figures such as actress Deepika Padukone and billionaire Harsh Goenka expressing their disapproval. Many social media users echoed the sentiment, pointing out the disparity between Subrahmanyan’s income and the average employee’s salary.
His comments earned him a comparison with Narayana Murthy. Additionally, users also mentioned that the L&T Chairman would never say such a thing about employees working in geographies other than India.
“And here I think L&T is a good company, looks like everyone is following Narayana Murthy’s footsteps,” commented a user. A second user said: “I was there in this town hall yesterday. *** wants us to work 90 hours a week. FOLLOWING NARAYAN MURTHY!!!”
“It’s a shame that we have such business leaders. I think we should call them ‘baby diaper leaders’. I had a few close friends who worked at L&T Madras. About 10 years ago. From what they said about the work culture, I felt like it was like kindergarten for adults (sic),” a third user commented.
Responding to the outcry, an L&T spokesperson said: “At L&T, nation building is at the heart of our mandate. The president’s remarks reflect this broader ambition, emphasizing that extraordinary results require extraordinary efforts. The company reiterated its commitment to fostering a culture focused on passion, purpose and performance.
