Namita Thapar Critiques Corporate Culture Glorifying 70-Hour Workweek in Debate with Anupam Mittal

In a candid exchange of views on work-life balance, Namita Thapar and Anupam Mittal, entrepreneurs and judges on the popular reality show Shark Tank India, expressed contrasting opinions about the culture of long work hours in today’s corporate world.

Thapar, the Executive Director of Emcure Pharmaceuticals, sharply criticized the glorification of 70-hour workweeks, calling it “a crock of bull****” in a discussion with Humans of Bombay. She vehemently disagreed with Mittal’s perspective, which suggested that achieving extraordinary success requires long, relentless hours. Thapar pointed out that while founders like Mittal may benefit from their hard work through financial gains, salaried employees don’t share the same rewards, making the long work hours unsustainable for them. She stressed that such expectations could lead to significant physical and mental health problems for workers, with no compensatory benefits.

“Don’t get married and have children if you can’t be present. The next generation is suffering due to absentee parents,” Thapar added, highlighting the negative impact of overwork on family life. She argued that employees deserve defined work hours to maintain their health and personal lives, with occasional overtime during peak work periods but not as a regular expectation.

On the other hand, Mittal, the founder and CEO of Shaadi.com, presented a starkly different viewpoint. He referred to work-life balance as a “big lie” that is being sold to the younger generation. Mittal argued that extraordinary success comes from dedication and hard work, often extending to 16-hour days. He emphasized the importance of sacrificing personal time in the early stages of one’s career to build something meaningful. “Success builds ego, but struggle builds character,” Mittal remarked, suggesting that those striving for remarkable achievements need to be all-in and not focus on the number of hours they work.

The debate between Mittal and Thapar illustrates the philosophical divide among entrepreneurs regarding the pursuit of success. Mittal’s approach reflects a belief in relentless effort and sacrifice, while Thapar advocates for a more balanced and humane approach, particularly for employees who do not share the same financial stakes in the business.

The discussion touches on a broader issue in corporate culture today—how to find a sustainable balance between hard work and personal well-being. While some see long hours as a necessary sacrifice for success, others, like Thapar, argue that such practices often come at a cost to both health and family life.

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