90-Hour Work Week: India’s Work-Life Balance Debate 2026

Table of Contents

• Introduction: How the 90-Hour Debate Reshaped India's Workplace
• New Labour Laws in India 2026: The Four Codes Revolution
• Indian Labor Laws: Understanding Work Hour Regulations
• Company Cultures in 2026: Traditional vs Progressive Models
• Mental Health in the Work Place: The 2026 Breakthrough
• Mandatory Mental Health Benefits Under New Codes
• The Reality Check: What’s Actually Changed in 2026
• Conclusion: Building Sustainable Work Culture for India’s Future
• FAQs

Introduction: How the 90-Hour Debate Reshaped India’s Workplace

A 90 hour work week has entered the public discourse in the last couple of years and has shook the corporate ecosystem of an economy like India. While it is not legally implemented as of yet, this statement has a nationwide debate regarding productivity of an employee, work culture of a company, worklife balance and mental health of the staff. 

In the modern working landscape, this debate has found a serious place in the minds of not only employers and employees but also policymakers. India is probably the only top performing economy that has normalised extreme working hours. There has to be stronger reforms that can protect employees. 

In this blog, we have discussed how structured labour reforms in cultural introspect of India can reshape the working environment. 

New Labour Laws in India 2026: The Four Codes Revolution

Recently, new labour laws have been implemented in India which is seen as a significant transformation. There are four consolidated labour laws that have been implemented between the year 2025 and 2026. These compliance strengthen protection of workers across different sectors. 

From 29 Laws to 4 Codes 

There were 29 fragmented labour laws which has been replaced by the government with the following laws: 

1. Code on Wages
2. Industrial Relations Code
3. Occupational Safety, Health and Working Conditions Code
4. Social Security Code

The aim of these four consolidated laws is to balance the welfare of the workers without harming the economic conditions. 

Mandatory Health Benefits and Worker Protections

The most impactful law that has been put into place under the new labour laws is emphasis on safety of the workers and their occupational health. As per the new laws, employers in India are now required to:

• Provide safe working conditions for the workers
• Disclose full working hours transparently
• Provide health benefits to employees which also includes mental health 

The law has been put to action to counter the negative impacts of excessive long working hours. It reinforces accountability so that employers cannot exploit workers. 

Gig Worker Social Security Provisions

Gig workers were earlier not considered a part of the working economy in India. However, post-pandemic, there are many gig workers that have come into play in the Indian economy. Gig workers are freelancers working in different sectors. It also includes platform workers for example, delivery partners and delivery riders of fast Commerce like blinkit, Swiggy etc. 

With the latest provisions, these gig workers and platform delivery partners are formally recognised. The social security code now mandates: 

• Accidental protection
• Insurance coverage
• Retirement benefits
• Health plans and schemes 

These provisions are worth applauding because India's gig economy is rapidly expanding and there are many gig workers who need protection through a regulated framework. 

Indian Labor Laws: Understanding Work Hour Regulations

Indian labour laws are clear on the working time limits for an employee. This law has always been in place but now it has been made more stringent because in the corporate world, employees are expected to work around long hours. Promotions and increments are often based on how extra an employee has worked, which is very unfair. 

According to the new Indian labour laws: 

• Maximum working hours stands at 48 hours per week
• This is typically capped at 8 to 9 hours of working per day
• Weekly off days are mandatory 

Why 90-Hour Work Week Never Became Legal

90 hour work week is not legal in India because it contradicts:

• Constitutional rights of an Indian Citizen for example, right to health and dignity
• International labour organisation standards of working
• India's occupational safety laws that has been recently introduced 

No organisation can formalise such extreme working hours. If any company forces employees to work for such long hours, then they are bound to face legal and ethical consequences. 

Overtime Rules and Employee Rights

If for any given reason, employees are expected to work extra in a given week, then they have the right to claim overtime compensation. The provisions for overtime are:

• Paid at the rate of twice your regular wage
• Can be claimed daily or weekly
• Even if it is paid, overtime cannot be enforced without consent 

Company Cultures in 2026: Traditional vs Progressive Models

There has been a great divide in corporate India between traditional work cultures and Progressive organisations. 

While traditional companies appreciate if you are present on the work on every day basis and work extra hours to perform better, progressive companies are now majorly focusing on the outcomes. As long as the work is being done in an efficient manner, your presenteeism and working hours doesn't matter for these companies. 

A large pool of talent has been increasingly gravitating towards the progressive model of corporate culture and avoiding the traditional culture because it lacks flexibility and work life balance. 

Hybrid Work, Four-Day Weeks, and Flexibility

Another corporate culture that has been prominently followed, is the hybrid work culture and a four day week working culture. There have also been remote work models and flexible working hours models that are just based on deliverables and not the working hours. 

These models are not only challenging the traditional models of corporate cultures, but also out-dating the belief that the longer you work, more productive outcomes you will get. 

AI’s Impact on Workplace Productivity

Workplace productivity has also been impacted by artificial intelligence at work. With increasing use of AI at the work landscape, manual workload has been reduced by: 

• Lesser time and resources in decision making
• Improved efficiency in overall work
• Automation of repetitive task 

The trend with AI in place now, is that workers have started to be productive in more important aspects of their job instead of wasting time on monotonous and repetitive tasks. Working smarter and not longer has become the motto of today's employees. 

Mental Health in the Work Place: The 2026 Breakthrough

Mental health has become a priority of modern employees. It is no longer a taboo. There have been mandatory mental health benefits under the new labour code. This is called the occupational safety code. It emphasises on: 

• A stressfree environment
• Psychological safety
• Relaxation during the time of burnout
• Due leaves and breaks in between work 

Earlier, workplace safety meant keeping the workers physically safe from any harm or damage. However, with the new labour code, there is a breakthrough as now mental health is a priority too. 

Corporate Wellness Programs and ESI Coverage

With the increasing need for mental well-being of an employee, there are many corporate wellness packages and ESI coverages that have been given to employees as a part of their health benefits. 

Many companies offer the following as a part of the wellness programs:

• Counselling session with the therapist, which is either on board or a third party
• Gym memberships or wellness packages sponsorship 
• Employee Assistance Programs (EAPs)
• Mental health insurance coverage under the ESI scheme

These initiatives are a direct reflection of how employers understand that only if an employee is mentally fit and physically active, then only they will be able to provide the relevant productivity that is required at work. 

Learning from the EY Pune Tragedy

The tragic event of the death of a working professional at EY Pune becomes the turning point for many young professionals who are facing similar traumatic experiences at their workplace. It pacified the debate of India's harsh work culture. It exposes the realities of: 

• Extreme work pressures, even on young professionals who have just begun their career
• Ignoring mental health issues like burnout signals
• Toxic work environment where long hours of working is considered normal 

The incident created a frenzy in the minds of young professionals regarding negative work culture and extreme work pressures. 

The Reality Check: What’s Actually Changed in 2026

With the new labour law in place in 2026, there is a measurable progress such as: 

• Stronger labour compliance and stringent punishment in case of non-compliance
• Inclusion of mental health along with physical health as a part of health benefits, an employee should get from the organisation
• Increased tendency to be sensitive to employees when it comes to extreme work pressures and longer working hours
• Better enforcement of labour laws without any cultural resistance
  
  

Other than these changes, there is also official recognition of the gig economy in India. They also have their own welfare frameworks of insurance and accidental coverage which adds a level of serious accountability. 

Global Best Practices India Is Adopting

India is also learning corporate culture from global influences. A few laws that has been made Indianised are: 

• Right to disconnect law is taken from Europe
• Anti overwork reforms taken from Japan
• The need for worklife balance model taken from Norway 

Though it will take a reasonable amount of time to shift and transit, it is a big step that policymakers are considering these changes as mandatory policy shifts for the Indian workforce. 

Challenges and Success Stories

Challenges:

• Enforcement is not very regulated as there are little to no resources available for an employee
• In the start-up culture, hustle is seen as passion and therefore often ignores long working hours and pressurised environment 
• There is a resistance of change from the upper management which has worked in a traditional model all through their lives

Success Stories:

• Many hybrid and remote working models are now proving to be successful. It reflects that productivity doesn't just come from longer working hours, but can also be achieved through flexibility in working. 
• There has been an improved retention of employees with the progressive work culture
• Employees are feeling more connected to the organisation which creates a stronger employer branding 

Conclusion: Building Sustainable Work Culture for India’s Future

India's work economy is booming and therefore building a sustainable work culture can prove to be very promising. Initiating healthier policies around work productivity, balanced approach to work and life and mental health of an employee can prove to be a catalyst. 

Many cultures around India have already adopted a four days working model and complete remote and hybrid models of working. It is time for India to also create some sustainable company cultures which work best like introduction to robust labour protection laws and a healthy workplace where people love to work and live and not just be consumed by deadlines. 

FAQs

Q1: What are the four new labour codes implemented in India in 2025–2026?

The four labour codes implemented in India, recently are code on wages, occupational safety, industrial relations code and working conditions code, and social security code. 

Q2: What are the current legal working hours under Indian labor laws in 2026?

As per Indian labour laws, the legal working hours as of 2026 is 48 hours per week. This means 8 to 9 hours of working per day. If any employee is working more than this cap, there is a legal provision of overtime being compensated. 

Q3: How do the new labour codes address mental health in the workplace?

The new labour code addresses mental health at the workplace by implementing an occupational safety code, which states that it is the duty of the employer to create a stressfree working environment for the employee and also offer wellness programmes as a part of the entire compensation. 

Q4: How are company cultures changing in India in 2026?

Company cultures are changing in India in 2026. As many companies are now becoming flexible with their work timings, hybrid working and remote working are becoming more prominent. For the first time, the gig economy has also gained recognition. 

Q5: What mandatory employee benefits do employers need to provide in 2026?

In 2026, as per the new labour law codes, employers in India are required to give benefits, for example, fare and minimum wages, provident fund, ESI, paid leaves, maternity benefits, gratuity and workplace safety.