‘14-hour workday will drive Bengaluru talent Hyderabad’s way’

HYDERABAD: Karnataka govt's proposed amendment to increase the working hours of IT/ITeS sector employees to 14 hours-a-day from the existing 10 hours daily has failed to find any takers in Hyderabad's IT sector.

Even as apex IT/ITeS body Nasscom gave the proposal a big thumbs down and came out in strong support for sticking to a 48-hour work week, top IT honchos in Hyderabad questioned the logic behind such an impractical move that would prove to be detrimental to the health of employees.

"The general thumb rule across all labour laws is a maximum of six days work a week and nine-hour workday with a one-hour lunch break. I'm not sure if this will even pass muster constitutionally and legally. However, it is not sustainable," said HYSEA vice president Bipin Chandra Pendyala. Some even pointed out that, if indeed implemented, the move could end up driving Bengaluru's famed talent pool into the waiting arms of competing states like Telangana.

"This is a heavily talent dependent industry. If they push such laws, Bengaluru will no longer have the talent it currently boasts of as they will all move out," said Bharani Aroll, president, TechTriad, and former HYSEA president.

Forum for IT Professionals (ForIT) founder chairman Kiran Chandra said IT/ITeS employees were already slogging beyond work hours with a legal limit in place and questioned the plight of employees in a 14-hour workday scenario. "There will be nothing like a social or personal life especially since most metros are plagued by traffic snarls, resulting in long, punishing commutes."

Krishna Vij, vice-president, TeamLease Digital, said the proposal, aimed at boosting productivity, risks employee burnout, health issues, and diminished work-life balance. "Extending work hours could also lead to demands for higher salaries and benefits to compensate for longer hours, increasing labour costs for firms and straining employee morale and overall job satisfaction."


Stay updated with the latest news on Times of India. Don't miss daily games like Crossword, Sudoku, and Mini Crossword.