Last Updated:
Zoho CEO Sridhar Vembu says he does not want India to replicate China’s economic success if the price is China’s steep demographic decline.
Zoho CEO Sridhar Vembu suggests that only a small percentage — perhaps 2-5% — of highly driven individuals could drive themselves hard to propel the nation forward. (Photo Credits: X)
In the ongoing debate sparked by Infosys founder Narayana Murthy’s call for a 70-hour work week, Zoho CEO Sridhar Vembu has offered his broad perspective. Vembu’s stance, shared in a post on X, emphasises the importance of economic development without compromising work-life balance or demographic sustainability.
The 70-Hour Work Week Debate
The discussion began when Narayana Murthy recently urged young Indians to work 70 hours a week to accelerate the country’s economic progress. He cited examples from nations like Japan, South Korea, and China, where extreme dedication to work has historically driven rapid industrial and economic growth. However, critics have argued that such expectations can lead to burnout, reduced quality of life, and declining fertility rates—issues that these same nations are now grappling with.
Vembu’s Perspective
Vembu acknowledged the economic achievements of East Asian countries but highlighted the human cost of such relentless work cultures. “Japan, South Korea, Taiwan, and China have all developed through extreme hard work, often imposing punitive levels of work on their own people,” he wrote.
The rationale behind the 70 hour work week is “it is necessary for economic development”. If you look at East Asia – Japan, South Korea, Taiwan and China have all developed through extreme hard work, often imposing punitive levels of work on their own people.These very…
— Sridhar Vembu (@svembu) December 27, 2024
He pointed to the unintended consequences of these practices, particularly steep demographic declines and governments struggling to reverse low birth rates. “Is such hard work necessary for economic development? And is such a development even worth the price of a lonely old age for a large mass of people?” he questioned.
A Balanced Alternative
Vembu argued that broad-based economic development does not require the entire population to adopt a gruelling work schedule. Instead, he suggested that only a small percentage — perhaps 2-5% — of highly driven individuals could “drive themselves hard” to propel the nation forward.
“Some percentage of the population will drive themselves hard. I am in that camp but I am not willing to prescribe this to anyone else,” he wrote. He emphasised that the majority should maintain a healthy work-life balance to ensure long-term social and demographic stability.
A Warning Against Demographic Decline
India’s fertility rate has already reached replacement levels, with southern states experiencing even lower rates. Vembu expressed concern that replicating China’s economic success might lead India down a similar path of demographic decline. “I don’t want India to replicate China’s economic success if the price is China’s steep demographic decline,” he cautioned.
