14 Hours Of Desktop Death In K'taka IT Industry Could Be The New Pandemic

The recent announcement by the Karnataka government’s cabinet to increase IT sector work hours from 10 to 14 hours a day has been put on hold. The decision came amid significant pushback from industry leaders and associations. But the truth remains that employees working in the IT sector are already doing these gruelling hours. 

14-Hour Work Day Will Be The New Pandemic If It Becomes Applicable In Karnataka

Most work is 14 hours plus which is never taken into account. This is already a given. With this proposal, it basically now means that the IT professionals will be “officially” working 14 hours but unofficially which is maybe 18 hours or more. This may also include a few weekends. 

The life of an IT professional begins not with yoga and taking in the morning quiet, but by logging into their laptops, checking emails, and answering the important ones immediately, that need urgent attention. Post this, for women employees, it is the start of the chores at home. Cooking, getting children ready for school, fitting in an exercise routine if lucky, and then rushing into work. The day is spent between meetings, that happen with people in different time zones. In all this, management has a work culture where employees are pitted against one another. Plus repayment of personal loans and the hope for a salary raise, companies keep raising the bar for performance among employees. 

In this environment, all are trying to constantly prove their mettle, to be the coveted one to get the raise or the better project. Post this tussle of fighting for space, they head home, to again start the routine of their personal life. Which is an unending cycle of undone chores, children’s school projects, and husbands and in-laws to look after. After they are done with dinner, dessert is not on the menu. They are tuned to relax again by logging in to see if all the emails have been answered. 

What the Karnataka government is not taking into account is the pathetic conditions of traffic in the city. If the infrastructure is addressed then employees can cut the travel time to get home. But here the situation is grim and normally if you can reach a place in 20 minutes, during peak hours or during the rains, you will reach your 20-minute destination in an hour or 45 minutes. The airport is also very far, from the city centre. Therefore, employees who need to travel to work will have to forfeit an entire day in the commute to the airport and back. 

Physical ailments and mental health issues are on the rise with the already demanding stress levels at work. These professional problems, in turn, lead to family interpersonal relationship issues, a sense of isolation, various sorts of addictions, chronic pain, financial distress, etc.

Data reveals that Karnataka alone recorded 13,056 suicide cases in 2021, which is 8 percent of total suicide cases in the country. The rate of suicides has increased by 6.2 percent with professional frustration being one of the major reasons behind the alarming number of death by suicide in India.

This is a chicken and egg situation as unfortunately for the majority, monetary success is viewed as the barometer of a human being’s respect and standing in society. People covet this the most. But to get there in terms of financial growth, people are willing to sacrifice the most important part of their family and emotional lives. 

Therefore, if the Karnataka government puts forth an increase in working hours, it will become a more dystopian and dysfunctional society. It will resemble Batman’s Gotham City, where evil and greed rule. Slavery will be the accepted norm of life. The invisible golden noose will be hanging over every employee’s head and each one will see how well it fits their neck to be hung by the collar for a little better opportunity under the bloodied red skies of an overflowing robotic cityscape.

Views expressed are the author's own.

Mohua Chinappa is a poet, and author and runs two podcasts, called The Mohua Show and The Literature Lounge. She is also part of an award-winning, non-profit, London-based think tank called Bridge India.