Narayana Murthy Implores Infra Industry To Work 3 Shifts And Accelerated Project Completion

* During a fireside chat in Bengaluru, Murthy stressed on the need for extended work hours and accelerated project completion to boost India’s economic growth.

N.R. Narayana Murthy, co-founder and retired chairman of Infosys, on Wednesday called for a paradigm shift in India's work culture, particularly in the infrastructure industry. In an impassioned statement during a fireside chat at the Bengaluru Tech Summit (BTS), Murthy stressed on the need for extended work hours and accelerated project completion to boost the nation's economic growth.

Speaking on the completion of vital infrastructure projects in Bengaluru, Murthy stressed the urgency of prioritising initiatives such as the Electronic City Metro (Bengaluru) and expanding metro services to areas densely populated with companies. He said, "All these have to be taken up on a priority. The people in the infrastructure industry must work three shifts."

Murthy drew attention to the disparities in work hours, pointing out that while he had observed people working diligently in other nations with ‘high aspirations’, the norm in India seemed to be a single shift. He proposed a change and said, "They should not work just one shift, come at 11:00 AM… then go at 5:00 PM."

The veteran businessman urged Indian leaders to take a proactive role in shaping this change. He said, "Why don't we say ‘our people will work three shifts?’ Ask them (other countries) what are the requirements for them to complete that thing (important infrastructure projects) by their workers working three shifts and provide our workers that." He expressed confidence that such a shift in work culture could propel India's growth faster than even China.

Recently, Murthy sparked a nationwide discussion by proposing, during a podcast, that enhancing productivity in India requires young individuals to commit to a 70-hour workweek.

During the fireside chat at BTS 2023, Murthy also highlighted the importance of quick decision-making and entrepreneur-friendly policies. He said, "But that requires taking quick decisions, making sure that all hurdles for entrepreneurs like you and others are removed as if there is no tomorrow." 

He further emphasised the need for India to catch up with China, not just in terms of growth but also in providing a conducive environment for business.