Genpact clarifies 9-hour workday amid employee concern
Bengaluru: Amid online backlash over reports of a 10-hour workday, Genpact has clarified to TOI that it follows a 9-hour workday—not 10, as previously speculated. Genpact, however, declined to clarify additional details on the policy and didn't respond to TOI's emailed queries.
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Meanwhile, Accenture has officially extended its workday from 8 to 9 hours for its corporate function (marketing, HR and other functions) effective June 1. However, Accenture's work week is capped at 45 hours a week aligned with all the state government's policies.
Infosys requires employees to clock in for 9 hours and 15 minutes each day, while HCL follows a standard 9-hour workday.
The 10-hour workday has reignited conversations around work-life balance, productivity expectations, and incentive models within India's IT sectors.
Sanketh Chengappa KG, director and business head – professional staffing, Adecco India, said, "Under Indian labour regulations, the standard workweek is capped at 48 hours, with any additional hours qualifying for overtime compensation at double the regular rate. While these provisions are not always stringently applied to white-collar roles, the recent push toward extended working hours has reignited critical discourse around employee rights, mental well-being, and equitable remuneration, particularly when productivity benchmarks are already being met.
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Krishna Vij, business head at Teamlease Digital, said, across the tech industry, there is a noticeable shift toward extended work hours, tighter timelines, and evolving boundaries between work and personal time. "While some organizations view this to enhance flexibility and drive productivity, there are also growing conversations around the need to manage workload, maintain employee well-being, and ensure sustainable performance.
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Recently, the Karnataka government has proposed labour reforms that would extend daily working hours to 10, while keeping the weekly cap at 48 hours. Last year, Karnataka labour minister Santhosh Lad stated that the state government was facing pressure from the IT industry to enact legislation permitting software professionals to work up to 14 hours a day.
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