Saving workers from the tyranny of the clock

The Hindu

2 days ago

The recent controversy over a couple of India Inc leaders' advocacy for a working week of 70-90 hours has once again thrust the question of employee well-being into India's public discourse. This debate has revealed a fundamental misunderstanding at the highest levels: that well-being is merely a function of time spent at one's desk.
The reality, however, is far more nuanced and profound. Employee well-being cannot be reduced to simple arithmetic, adding or subtracting hours from a schedule. It is, instead, an intricate interplay between meaningful work, human dignity, and the cultivation of an environment in which individuals can flourish both professionally and personally. The burden lies not in duration but in the meaningfulness of the work and the conditions under which it is performed. A software engineer debugging code in an environment of constant micromanagement experiences vastly different stress levels from the one collaborating on innovative solutions in a supportive team.
Examining Japanese management approaches offers a path to solve this. Japanese principles of Kaizen and quality circles offer a fundamentally different paradigm for thinking about work and worker engagement. Kaizen emphasises continuous improvement through the active participation of every employee in the enhancement of their work environment and processes. Quality circles are formal groups of employees who regularly meet to solve workplace problems and enhance productivity. Both of these practices create environments in which employees experience both autonomy and collective responsibility. Rather than imposing solutions from the top management, these practices create a sense of ownership and purpose that no number of mandated hours can replicate. Research indicates that companies implementing such approaches see enhanced employee morale, increased job satisfaction, and improved efficiency.
Workplace spirituality
At the core of these outcomes is the concept of workplace spirituality. This involves creating environments for individuals to pursue both material and spiritual development, finding meaning and purpose in their professional lives while maintaining connections with colleagues and the broader organisational mission. When employees experience transcendence through meaningful work and feel connected to their colleagues and organisational purpose, they naturally contribute more effectively and creatively to collective success. This phenomenon occurs not because they are compelled to work longer hours, but because they find intrinsic satisfaction and purpose in their contributions. The psychological contract between employer and employee plays a crucial role in this dynamic. When organisations demonstrate genuine care for employee well-being, through flexible arrangements, mental health support, career development opportunities, and recognition of personal circumstances, and so on, workers respond with increased commitment and performance. This reciprocal relationship creates sustainable productivity based on mutual respect rather than coercion or exhaustion.
Globally, these principles have been well endorsed. The Philadelphia Declaration of 1944 of the International Labour Organization established the fundamental principle that 'labour is not a commodity'. This declaration, adopted in the aftermath of the Second World War, recognised that lasting peace and prosperity depend on social justice and the recognition of workers' inherent human dignity and their right to pursue both their material well-being and their spiritual development.
More recently, the United Nations Sustainable Development Goal 8 (SDG-8), operationalising this vision for the 21st century, says: 'Promote sustained, inclusive and sustainable economic growth, full and productive employment and decent work for all'. Both emphasise that economic development must serve human development rather than treating workers as mere inputs in production processes.
Similar guidelines have been incorporated in the Indian Constitution. Article 42 of the Constitution mandates 'just and humane conditions of work', while Article 43A, inserted by the 42nd Amendment in 1976, calls for 'participation of workers in the management of undertakings, establishments or other organisations engaged in any industry'. These provisions envision workplaces characterised not by authoritarian directives about working hours, but by dignity, fairness, and collaborative governance. Recently, legislative efforts have increased to operationalise Article 43A. The Participation of Workers in Management Bill, 2023, introduced in the Rajya Sabha, seeks to ensure worker representation in industrial decision-making. The Bill proposes to mandate nomination of employee representatives (elected through a secret ballot) to the Board of directors of the organisation. Such measures recognise the need for engaged, empowered workers rather than exhausted, demoralised ones. When employees participate in shaping their work environment and processes, they develop the sense of ownership and commitment that no external mandate can create.
Creative problem-solvers
The Japanese experience with Kaizen and quality circles demonstrates that continuous improvement becomes a natural outcome when workers feel valued and empowered. Rather than viewing employees as potential sources of inefficiency to be controlled through longer hours, this approach recognises them as creative problem-solvers whose insights and dedication drive organisational success. The resulting culture of innovation and engagement creates sustainable competitive advantages that crude time-based approaches cannot match.
The current discourse around working hours reflects a broader crisis in Indian corporate leadership, a failure to understand that sustainable success requires treating workers as whole human beings rather than production units. The recent tragic death of a professional services employee and similar incidents highlight the human cost of approaches that prioritise output over well-being. These cases serve as stark reminders that organisational success built on worker exploitation is neither sustainable nor morally acceptable.
The path forward requires embracing what might be called industrial democracy comprising workplaces where participation, trust, and mutual respect replace authoritarian hierarchy and time-based performance metrics. This vision, rooted in Gandhian principles of trusteeship, envisions organisations as communities of purpose rather than mere production units. The solution requires fundamental shifts in organisational culture, moving from control-based to empowerment-based approaches, from time-focused to outcome-focused metrics, and from extractive to supportive relationships with employees. This transformation demands leadership that understands that genuine productivity emerges from engagement, not exhaustion; from purpose, not pressure; and from dignity, not degradation.
Companies implementing comprehensive well-being programmes report not only improved employee satisfaction but also enhanced financial performance. These organisations understand that investing in employee well-being creates virtuous cycles: supported workers are more creative, collaborative, and committed, leading to better outcomes for all stakeholders. Rather than viewing well-being initiatives as costs, they recognise them as essential investments in sustainable success.
The debate triggered by recent controversial statements about working hours provides an opportunity for Indian corporate leadership to embrace a more enlightened approach. By learning from Japanese management philosophy, implementing constitutional principles of worker dignity and participation, and recognising the profound connection between employee well-being and organisational success, Indian companies can create workplaces that serve both human flourishing and business excellence.
The choice is clear: continue with outdated approaches that extract maximum hours from workers while depleting their creativity and commitment, or embrace models that recognise the full humanity of employees and harness their potential through engagement, empowerment, and respect. The former path leads to burnout, turnover, and ultimately, competitive decline. The latter creates sustainable competitive advantages built on the solid foundation of human dignity and shared purpose.
Milind Kumar Sharma is Professor in the Department of Production & Industrial Engineering at MBM University, Jodhpur; Sharad Sharma works with a 'Big 4' and is an executive Ph.D. scholar at MDI Gurgaon; views expressed are personal