He worked at Larsen & Toubro, leading the quality control department. It was a tough job because projects like high-pressure boilers were only cleared after his approval. Mistakes could have caused major accidents.

He worked six days a week, leaving at 7 AM and returning by 9 PM on a good day. Sundays often included half-day shifts. Growing up, meeting my dad felt like a privilege.

There’s been talk lately about how today’s generation doesn’t work such long hours. But before judging, let’s look at what made it possible for my dad:
1️⃣ Housing: L&T provided company homes or leased houses. We never had to look for a place or deal with moving—everything was handled by the company.
2️⃣ Medical Support: My mom had four major surgeries, and L&T covered every expense. Sometimes, we didn’t even see the bills—just a letter to the hospital took care of it. They even approved expensive medicines that cost 20% of my dad’s salary for five years.
3️⃣ Education: Moving every 2-3 years meant changing schools, but a letter from L&T ensured I got into good schools, as long as I had the grades.
4️⃣ Community: L&T created a family environment. We had company buses for weekend trips, and lifelong friendships formed in these communities.

I can go on and on.

My uncle worked at BHEL, and the story was quite similar there. Since the company took care of essential needs, both my dad and uncle had the peace of mind to focus entirely on their work. This support made it easier for them to willingly put in long hours and handle the demands of their roles.

Things are not the same anymore. Today, the cost of living is so high that both husband and wife need to work. Housing, medical expenses, and children’s education require a lot of effort and time.

How can anyone find the time to secure all these needs and still work 70 hours a week? Leaders need to think about this.

What worked in the past won’t work today. Times have changed, and as leaders, we need to look at the whole picture to create a fair balance

I firmly believe that we should work hard and smart to achieve meaningful outcomes. What truly matters is defining those outcomes clearly and holding people accountable for them—not for arbitrary metrics.