Beyond the Hustle: Rethinking Work, Wellness, and What Truly Drives Performance in India Inc.


 

In boardrooms across India, the word “productivity” is whispered like a mantra—and shouted like a KPI. We've equated late hours with loyalty, and "hustle" with high performance. But in today’s fast-evolving world of work, we must ask: Are we chasing the right outcomes, or just clocking more hours?

Recently, Narayana Murthy stirred public debate when he suggested Indian youth should work 70 hours a week to lift the nation. This sentiment, though rooted in patriotism and passion, opens up a Pandora’s box. Where do we draw the line between dedication and deterioration?

It’s time we address the elephant in the boardroom: India’s unhealthy relationship with work.

The Culture of Constant Connectivity

From Mumbai’s towering finance firms to Bengaluru’s buzzing tech startups, a silent epidemic is brewing—the ‘always-on’ culture.
Our inboxes never sleep. Our phones never rest. And unfortunately, neither do we.

  • In India’s IT sector, working across time zones is standard—often at the expense of family time and sleep.
  • In traditional sectors like BFSI and logistics, “face time” still trumps “output.”
  • In startups, the glorification of 16-hour workdays is often mistaken for entrepreneurial spirit.

But let’s be honest—this culture isn’t building empires. It’s breeding burnout.

A 2023 Deloitte India survey revealed that 80% of Indian employees experienced burnout in the last year, and only 39% felt their workplace supported mental wellbeing.
The numbers don’t lie—but we often lie to ourselves, wearing exhaustion as a badge of honour.

The Trade-Off: Short-Term Gains vs. Long-Term Losses

Let’s break this down:

  • Yes, overworking may produce short-term spikes in output.
  • But it kills creativity, increases errors, drives attrition, and impairs decision-making over time.

Consider the very public crises at BYJU’S and BharatPe—two of India’s most celebrated startups. Culture issues weren’t footnotes; they were front-page headlines. Talent attrition, toxic leadership behaviours, and mental health meltdowns became cautionary tales.

On the flip side, companies like Tata Steel, Zerodha, and Tech Mahindra have proactively embedded employee well-being and flexibility into their HR DNA. The result? Higher retention, better engagement scores, and brand equity that attracts the right talent without needing to run LinkedIn ads every week.

Startups, MSMEs & the Middle Path

Let’s not pretend this is only a corporate problem. MSMEs—India’s economic backbone—often run lean and hard.
Owners double as CEOs, HR, and admin heads. Employees juggle multiple roles with little downtime. Mental health is rarely discussed, let alone prioritised.

Yet, even small changes yield big results:

  • A Vadodara-based textile MSME we consulted at RH Factor saw absenteeism fall by 28% after introducing a weekly well-being check-in and paid mental health day once a month.
  • A Gurugram logistics startup shifted from a 6-day week to alternate Saturdays off—and retention improved dramatically among junior staff. Next step is to have 5 days work week – it's about a mindset change amongst start-up owners.
  • Productivity and employee morale went up in two large Indian BFSI companies when we implemented a flexible hours policy, plus introducing a 5-day working policy from a 6-day and a rigid 9 am start time with no concessions for late / more than 10-12 hrs working… Flexi timing ensured that commute time was reduced and employees had the flexibility to choose their 9 hrs from an 8 am to 11 am window… This was in pre-COVID era – 2010 -2013.
  • Flexi Comp & Ben Structure introduced at Sodexo in 2004-05 by way of a flexi salary basket is still in use. Having a competency-defined Career and Succession Plan is also something MSMEs and other companies can adapt.

Culture is not about budget. It’s about belief.

Can AI Be the Saviour? Not Quite—But It Can Help.

While artificial intelligence may not cure burnout, it can help prevent it.

  • AI can automate repetitive admin work, freeing up time for high-value thinking.
  • Smart dashboards can predict burnout risk by tracking overwork patterns, missed breaks, and emotional tone in team communications.
  • Chatbots can offer 24x7 mental health check-ins and redirect employees to real help—confidentially.

But let’s be clear: Technology is only a tool. Compassionate leadership and empathetic policies are what truly shift the needle.

Work Smarter, Live Better: What We Must Do Next

1. Move from Time to Trust
Stop rewarding hours. Start measuring outcomes. Empower employees with flexibility and autonomy.

2. Redefine Leadership KPIs
A manager’s success should not just be delivery—it should include team health, engagement scores, and attrition rates.

3. Build Human-Centric Policies
From paternity leave to digital detox, from mental health stipends to hybrid roles—offer benefits that resonate with real life.

4. Educate the Ecosystem
Just as we train teams in tech tools, train them in mental health first aid, emotional resilience, and mindfulness.

5. Lead by Example
If leadership sends emails at midnight, don’t be surprised if the culture mirrors that. Walk the talk. Log off when you expect your teams to.

The Final Word: Balance is not Laziness. It’s Leadership.

It’s tempting to treat work-life balance and mental wellness as buzzwords. But in truth, they are the bedrock of sustainable performance.
As someone who has served in both the Indian Army and India Inc., I can say this with conviction: Discipline is essential—but even the best soldiers must rest between battles.

The future of work in India will not be about who grinds the longest, but about who creates environments where people can perform, grow, and thrive.

Let’s build that future—not through burnout, but through balance.

Capt. Rahul Sharma
Founder & CEO, RH Factor | Former CHRO | Executive Coach
Transforming HR. Elevating Leadership. Enabling Wellbeing.

Would you like to co-host a webinar or workshop on building sustainable high-performance cultures in your organisation? Let’s connect.

📧 capt.rahulsharma@rhfactor.in
🔗 LinkedIn.com/in/captainrahulsharma

#Leadership #WorkLifeBalance #MentalHealth #IndiaInc #StartupCulture #AIinHR #RHFactor #EmployeeExperience #FutureOfWork #ProductivityWithPurpose

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