L&T Chairman, under fire for 90-hour work week comments, received Rs 51 crore pay in FY24

L&T chairman SN Subrahmanyan, who finds himself in the midst of a big social media backlash following his 90-hour work week comments, received a total compensation of Rs 51 crore in the last financial year, according to L&T's FY24 annual report.

Following the debate sparked by Infosys founder Narayana Murthy's advocacy for a 70-hour work week, Subrahmanyan has further intensified the work-life balance discussion by supporting 90-hour work weeks for employees.

According to an ET report, Subrahmanyan’s compensation package comprised Rs 3.6 crore as base salary, Rs 1.67 crore in prerequisites, Rs 35.28 crore in commission, and Rs 10.5 crore in retirement benefits.


The report indicated that the average salary for male employees at L&T, excluding Board members and Key Managerial Personnel, stood at Rs 9,77,099/-, whilst female employees earned an average of Rs 6,76,867/-.

Also Read | ‘How long can you stare at your wife?’: L&T Chairman advocates 90-hour work week months after Narayana Murthy’s 70 hour pitch

This means that the L&T chairman’s compensation was more than 500 times higher than that of a regular employee at the organisation.

Prior to his appointment as L&T's CMD effective October 1, 2023, Subrahmanyan earned Rs 35.67 crore in FY23.

Recently, a social media video has gone viral showing Subrahmanyan promoting working Sundays. The undated footage, believed to be from an internal gathering, emerged on Reddit and sparked widespread criticism from social media users.

During the recording, responding to a query about compulsory Saturday duties at L&T, Subrahmanyan remarked, "I regret I am not able to make you work on Sundays, to be honest. If I can make you work on Sundays, I will be more happy, because I work on Sundays also."

He continued with comments about domestic life, stating, "What do you do sitting at home? How long can you stare at your wife? How long can the wives stare at their husbands? Get to the office and start working."

Also Read | ‘Work-life balance is controversial but...’: What Wipro’s Rishad Premji has to say days after Narayana Murthy reiterates 70-hour work week

The L&T chairman faced significant social media criticism, with people questioning the expectation for lower-salaried staff to work identical hours as the chairman.

Actress Deepika Padukone contributed to the discussion, expressing disapproval of Subrahmanyan's statements. She shared the content on her Instagram Stories, writing, "Shocking to see people in such senior positions make such statements." She included the hashtag #MentalHealthMatters in her post.

Reacting to the video, L&T issued a statement saying, “At L&T, nation-building is at the core of our mandate. For over eight decades, we have been shaping India's infrastructure, industries, and technological capabilities. We believe this is India’s decade, a time demanding collective dedication and effort to drive progress and realize our shared vision of becoming a developed nation. The Chairman’s remarks reflect this larger ambition, emphasizing that extraordinary outcomes require extraordinary effort. At L&T, we remain committed to fostering a culture where passion, purpose, and performance drive us forward.”

In response to L&T's explanation, Padukone added another comment: "And they just made it worse…"

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