Toxic hustle culture has become a defining yet destructive feature of modern work life, especially in India.
It glorifies relentless overwork, pushing employees to sacrifice their mental and physical well-being for perceived success.
While hustling hard is often praised as a pathway to achievement, this culture undermines true productivity and leads to burnout, deteriorating health, and deep dissatisfaction among workers, especially in the modern day, where companies promote toxic work culture more than ever.
The glorification of long hours
In India, several prominent industry leaders have advocated for extended working hours, reinforcing the message that longer hours equate to greater dedication and success.
Infosys co-founder Narayana Murthy suggested a 70-hour work week as essential for India’s global competitiveness, urging young professionals to “work 70 hours a week” to boost productivity.
These statements echo in startups such as Greptile and Zepto, where CEOs have openly admitted to demanding 80- to 100-hour work weeks, citing passion and startup growth pressure as driving factors.
This culture of overwork is not limited to rhetorical calls. Many Indian companies actively promote or enforce such demanding schedules.
The cost of overwork
Despite the valorization of long working hours, evidence shows that excessive work time often damages productivity and employee health.
India’s recent Economic Survey warns that working over 55 to 60 hours a week significantly harms mental well-being, reducing productivity and increasing stress-related illnesses.
Employees spending 12 or more hours at a desk experience dramatically worse mental health scores compared to those with more balanced workloads.
Smarter work, not endless work
While some business leaders champion longer hours as patriotic and necessary for India’s development, others emphasize productivity over hours worked.
Critics argue that the focus should shift to smarter work strategies rather than longer hours, highlighting global examples where reduced hours yielded higher efficiency.
Experts caution against emulating China’s notorious “996 culture” or Japan’s excessive work hours, as these models have proven unsustainable and harmful.
Who bears the burden
Further complicating the debate is the stark disparity between top executives’ work experiences and those of rank-and-file employees.
Senior managers often have support systems that ease the burden of long hours and receive disproportionate financial rewards, while average workers endure extended hours with little compensation.
Indian labor laws cap workweeks at 48 hours with overtime pay requirements, but exemptions and enforcement loopholes leave many workers unprotected.
Breaking the grip
Breaking free from toxic hustle culture requires a cultural shift at both organizational and societal levels.
Indian companies must prioritize employee well-being, introducing flexibility, reasonable workloads, and respect for personal time.
Leaders must challenge the glorification of burnout and model balanced work habits. Open dialogue about mental health, combined with adherence to labor laws, is essential to protect workers from exploitation.