The debate between hard work and smart work has taken a partisan turn on internet after IT billionaire Narayana Murthy's candid remarks about the work culture in India. He said that if India is to match up its better-developed peers in the world, the youth must consider working 70 hours a week.&nbsp;

First, Murthy has ended up painting the entire mass of Indian youth with one singular brush: a non-productive bunch compared to their global peers.

Neither every youngster can nor most of them intend to put 70 hours of work; and the underpaid nature of many jobs even during formative years discourages the ones who are in it to put more of their energies into work.&nbsp;

But then there are creatures of passion who do what they do because they love it, and that's why they often do not work by clock.&nbsp;

What seems like sacrifice to the outer world — losing on dates, time with family, friends, vacations — comes across as legitimate price of their minor-to-major accomplishments in their field of interest.&nbsp;

Accomplishing a task related to their passion gives them a high.&nbsp;

It's for these creatures of passion who work with a sense of purpose in and out of the corporate world that the current hard work vs smart work debate on internet appears vile.&nbsp;

Also read |&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/business-economy/it-billionaire-narayana-murthy-suggests-70-hour-work-week-for-indian-youth-and-internet-has-this-to-say-651689">IT billionaire Narayana Murthy suggests 70-hour work week for Indian youth, and internet has this to say</a>

While Murthy's comments have opened the floodgates of chaotic talk over jobs that are remarkably underpaid and a kind of work culture that operates as a matter of imposition and not as a choice, the biproduct of such conversations is the description of hard work as some ridiculous attribute of the corporate world.&nbsp;

That, certainly, is where the problem begins.

During the formative years of career, a fresher may not necessarily be as erudite as her senior with several years of experience. One is still learning the craft and it is during this exact phase that the sheer willingness to excel may make one put in extra hours at work.&nbsp;

Also watch |&nbsp;More than half of Indian employees are logging off from work exhausted

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Again, this should be a matter of choice driven by the interest of an individual and not necessarily a compulsion imposed by the interest of a corporate. You should have the choice to go home by completing what you're supposed to do or choose to stay back to be industrious in an attempt to master the field you have chosen.

This is what hard work during formative years of career should be. The time spent post the designated hours at work can be to hone the craft of the business.&nbsp;

<h2>First you work hard, then you work smart</h2>

There is again this widespread misunderstanding that the individuals in their formative years who put in extra hours just do not know the way to work smart. That's imprecise.

My argument is, it's exactly why they put in extra hours. So that they could work smart in the immediate future post their formative times in the career.

<h2>Between privilege and nepotism: Only hard work can make one's passion stand out</h2>

In July 2021, when this author was still a student in Delhi University, the crisis posed by Covid pandemic began to die down and a semblance of normalcy started in and beyond New Delhi. Raihan Vadra, then a 21-year-old, a fifth-generation member of India's Nehru-Gandhi family, ran an exhibition at a gallery in the heart of national capital to launch a book consisting of his showpiece photography.&nbsp;

To give you a brief, it's not easy to get a reservation for an exhibition at an Art Gallery in Delhi.&nbsp;

You ask a director for a reservation, the response usually is that they are booked for many months if not a year or two.

I came to know about Raihan Vadra's work because it was covered in all three top Indian English-language news magazines I had subscribed to back then, off my meagre internship stipend.&nbsp;

Just like back then, I still know a number of my Delhi University friends from humble backgrounds, who remain as passionate photographers but do not have the privilege to show their work at a place where Raihan's work was, partly because they do not come from the kind of background Raihan comes from. &nbsp;

To Raihan Vadra's credit, the work he displayed as a 21-year-old at that exhibition was not ordinary and some of it indeed stood out.&nbsp;

Yet at the onset, there is a show of flamboyant privilege which put him above and beyond &nbsp;most of his artistic peers who do not have that privilege but are, at least in some cases, far more talented.&nbsp;

The coverage Raihan Vadra's work got left me with a realisation. That most of this country's youth has to work doubly-triply hard to break through the glass ceiling of not just legitimate competition but also &nbsp;privilege and nepotism.&nbsp;

We have to read more, learn more, and work far far more to make our ambitions achievable.&nbsp;

Many of us, the less fortunate ones, are already doing it, turning our work weeks into 70 hours, and perhaps even more.

(Disclaimer: The views of the writer do not represent the views of WION or ZMCL. Nor does WION or ZMCL endorse the views of the writer.)

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The debate between hard work and smart work has taken a partisan turn on internet after IT billionaire Narayana Murthy's candid remarks about the work culture in India.

The debate between hard work and smart work has taken a partisan turn on internet after IT billionaire Narayana Murthy's candid remarks about the work culture in India. He said that if India is to match up its better-developed peers in the world, the youth must consider working 70 hours a week. First, Murthy has ended up painting the entire mass of Indian youth with one singular brush: a non-productive bunch compared to their global peers. Neither every youngster can nor most of them intend to put 70 hours of work; and the underpaid nature of many jobs even during formative years discourages the ones who are in it to put more of their energies into work. But then there are creatures of passion who do what they do because they love it, and that's why they often do not work by clock. What seems like sacrifice to the outer world — losing on dates, time with family, friends, vacations — comes across as legitimate price of their minor-to-major accomplishments in their field of interest. Accomplishing a task related to their passion gives them a high. It's for these creatures of passion who work with a sense of purpose in and out of the corporate world that the current hard work vs smart work debate on internet appears vile. Also read | IT billionaire Narayana Murthy suggests 70-hour work week for Indian youth, and internet has this to say While Murthy's comments have opened the floodgates of chaotic talk over jobs that are remarkably underpaid and a kind of work culture that operates as a matter of imposition and not as a choice, the biproduct of such conversations is the description of hard work as some ridiculous attribute of the corporate world. That, certainly, is where the problem begins. During the formative years of career, a fresher may not necessarily be as erudite as her senior with several years of experience. One is still learning the craft and it is during this exact phase that the sheer willingness to excel may make one put in extra hours at work. Also watch | More than half of Indian employees are logging off from work exhausted × Again, this should be a matter of choice driven by the interest of an individual and not necessarily a compulsion imposed by the interest of a corporate. You should have the choice to go home by completing what you're supposed to do or choose to stay back to be industrious in an attempt to master the field you have chosen. This is what hard work during formative years of career should be. The time spent post the designated hours at work can be to hone the craft of the business. First you work hard, then you work smart There is again this widespread misunderstanding that the individuals in their formative years who put in extra hours just do not know the way to work smart. That's imprecise. My argument is, it's exactly why they put in extra hours. So that they could work smart in the immediate future post their formative times in the career. Between privilege and nepotism: Only hard work can make one's passion stand out In July 2021, when this author was still a student in Delhi University, the crisis posed by Covid pandemic began to die down and a semblance of normalcy started in and beyond New Delhi. Raihan Vadra, then a 21-year-old, a fifth-generation member of India's Nehru-Gandhi family, ran an exhibition at a gallery in the heart of national capital to launch a book consisting of his showpiece photography. To give you a brief, it's not easy to get a reservation for an exhibition at an Art Gallery in Delhi. You ask a director for a reservation, the response usually is that they are booked for many months if not a year or two. I came to know about Raihan Vadra's work because it was covered in all three top Indian English-language news magazines I had subscribed to back then, off my meagre internship stipend. Just like back then, I still know a number of my Delhi University friends from humble backgrounds, who remain as passionate photographers but do not have the privilege to show their work at a place where Raihan's work was, partly because they do not come from the kind of background Raihan comes from. To Raihan Vadra's credit, the work he displayed as a 21-year-old at that exhibition was not ordinary and some of it indeed stood out. Yet at the onset, there is a show of flamboyant privilege which put him above and beyond most of his artistic peers who do not have that privilege but are, at least in some cases, far more talented. The coverage Raihan Vadra's work got left me with a realisation. That most of this country's youth has to work doubly-triply hard to break through the glass ceiling of not just legitimate competition but also privilege and nepotism. We have to read more, learn more, and work far far more to make our ambitions achievable. Many of us, the less fortunate ones, are already doing it, turning our work weeks into 70 hours, and perhaps even more. (Disclaimer: The views of the writer do not represent the views of WION or ZMCL. Nor does WION or ZMCL endorse the views of the writer.) WATCH WION LIVE HERE You can now write for wionews.com and be a part of the community. Share your stories and opinions with us here.

A 70-hour work week is nonsense but let's not mock the idea of hard work

Employees of India Inc may be in for a pleasant surprise as prices climb, as many companies plan to offer salary increases that exceed pre-pandemic levels at a time when there is a severe skills shortage and the economy is picking up.

According to a survey by recruiting agency Michael Page India, which covered more than 500 large, medium, and small companies across 13 main industry sectors, the average salary increase this year will be 9%, up from 7% in the pre-pandemic year of 2019.

According to the Michael Page India Salary Report 2022, startups and new-age enterprises, including unicorns and soonicorns, are likely to steal the show with an average predicted salary hike of 12 percent.&nbsp;

According to the research, growth areas include banking and financial services, real estate and construction, and manufacturing.

According to the report, due to the growth of e-commerce and other sectors experiencing digital transformation, senior-level professionals with computer science degrees will be in a strong position to bargain for some of the top paying jobs in India, according to the report.

Watch | Gravitas: Are You Happy With Your Last Salary Hike?

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According to the research, data scientists (particularly those with machine learning experience), web developers, and cloud architects will be in great demand, especially if they have a bachelor's or master's degree from a top-rated university.

It further stated that engineers are projected to earn higher average pay than professionals with identical educational backgrounds in other job areas.

The Michael Page Compensation Report 2022 is based on statistics and facts gleaned from the company's own data and network in India, including job advertisements and placements from 2021, as well as salary forecasts for 2022.&nbsp;

The report further stated that companies are now looking to retain top performers with various offers, including shorter - quarterly or half-yearly) - appraisal cycles, promotions, variable pay-outs, stock incentives, retention bonuses, and mid-term increments.

Large and traditional businesses in IT/IT-enabled services, manufacturing and engineering, healthcare and life sciences, retail, global in-house centres (GICs), fast-moving consumer goods (FMCG), and banking and financial services (BFSI) will see average increases of 8-12 percent.&nbsp;

High-performing individuals and employees with niche skills can expect above-average increments (20-25 per cent or even more on a case-by-case basis) as most organisations have become nimble to retain their top talent, the report added.

The overall mood is positive as there is a general feeling that the pandemic is behind us. The hiring market has seen an impressive rebound, with companies competing against one another to attract and hire the best talent.

"The mega boost results from rising attrition, a huge talent shortage and a dearth of in-demand skills that predominantly drive the salaries higher," Michael Page, Managing Director India Ankit Agarwala, said.

He noted that professionals with niche skills would get higher salary hikes due to a massive shortage of such talent in the market.

"Remuneration may be important, but it is not everything in talent attraction corporations that will focus on people's first strategy from leadership communication. Mental well-being and flexible opportunities will ultimately win the war of talent," he added.

(With inputs from PTI)

Employees of India Inc may be in for a pleasant surprise as prices climb, as many companies plan to offer salary increases that exceed pre-pandemic levels at a time when there is a severe skills shortage and the economy is picking up.

Employees of India Inc may be in for a pleasant surprise as prices climb, as many companies plan to offer salary increases that exceed pre-pandemic levels at a time when there is a severe skills shortage and the economy is picking up. According to a survey by recruiting agency Michael Page India, which covered more than 500 large, medium, and small companies across 13 main industry sectors, the average salary increase this year will be 9%, up from 7% in the pre-pandemic year of 2019. According to the Michael Page India Salary Report 2022, startups and new-age enterprises, including unicorns and soonicorns, are likely to steal the show with an average predicted salary hike of 12 percent. According to the research, growth areas include banking and financial services, real estate and construction, and manufacturing. According to the report, due to the growth of e-commerce and other sectors experiencing digital transformation, senior-level professionals with computer science degrees will be in a strong position to bargain for some of the top paying jobs in India, according to the report. Watch | Gravitas: Are You Happy With Your Last Salary Hike? According to the research, data scientists (particularly those with machine learning experience), web developers, and cloud architects will be in great demand, especially if they have a bachelor's or master's degree from a top-rated university. It further stated that engineers are projected to earn higher average pay than professionals with identical educational backgrounds in other job areas. The Michael Page Compensation Report 2022 is based on statistics and facts gleaned from the company's own data and network in India, including job advertisements and placements from 2021, as well as salary forecasts for 2022. The report further stated that companies are now looking to retain top performers with various offers, including shorter - quarterly or half-yearly) - appraisal cycles, promotions, variable pay-outs, stock incentives, retention bonuses, and mid-term increments. Large and traditional businesses in IT/IT-enabled services, manufacturing and engineering, healthcare and life sciences, retail, global in-house centres (GICs), fast-moving consumer goods (FMCG), and banking and financial services (BFSI) will see average increases of 8-12 percent. High-performing individuals and employees with niche skills can expect above-average increments (20-25 per cent or even more on a case-by-case basis) as most organisations have become nimble to retain their top talent, the report added. The overall mood is positive as there is a general feeling that the pandemic is behind us. The hiring market has seen an impressive rebound, with companies competing against one another to attract and hire the best talent. "The mega boost results from rising attrition, a huge talent shortage and a dearth of in-demand skills that predominantly drive the salaries higher," Michael Page, Managing Director India Ankit Agarwala, said. He noted that professionals with niche skills would get higher salary hikes due to a massive shortage of such talent in the market. "Remuneration may be important, but it is not everything in talent attraction corporations that will focus on people's first strategy from leadership communication. Mental well-being and flexible opportunities will ultimately win the war of talent," he added. (With inputs from PTI)

Indian companies to give an average pay hike of 8-12 per cent in 2022, says report

Corporate India's business confidence sharply deteriorated due to the devastating second COVID-19 wave, with nearly three-fourths of the participants reporting weak demand conditions, according to a leading industry group`s latest survey. 
 
The steep drop from a decade-high reading in the previous round follows a record surge in infections in April and May, which has seen many states reintroduce limited lockdowns and multiple brokerages cutting economic growth expectations. 
 
The overall Business Confidence Index nosedived to 51.5 in the current round compared with 74.2 in the previous round, the Federation of Indian Chambers of Commerce and Industry (FICCI) said on Monday. 
 
"Since a much larger proportion of the population has been impacted in the current wave, measures to support demand revival will be crucial for the economy to recover from the latest pandemic induced shock," FICCI said. 
 
The survey, which gauged expectations of the respondents for the period April to September, drew responses from about 180 companies across a wide array of sectors with a turnover ranging from 10 million rupees to 600 billion rupees ($137,839.78-$8.27 billion). 
 
India`s earnings season for the fourth quarter ended March 31 has been a mixed bag, with only 18 of the 42 Nifty 50 companies that have reported so far beating estimates, according to Refinitiv Eikon data. 
 
However, rating agency Fitch on Monday said it expects the impact of the second wave to be less severe on corporates than in 2020, with most companies` credit profiles being supported by their strong market positions. 
 
India is set to announce gross domestic product data for the January-to-March quarter at 1200 GMT on Monday.

Corporate India's business confidence sharply deteriorated due to the devastating second COVID-19 wave, with nearly three-fourths of the participants reporting weak demand conditions, according to a leading industry group`s latest survey.

Corporate India's business confidence sharply deteriorated due to the devastating second COVID-19 wave, with nearly three-fourths of the participants reporting weak demand conditions, according to a leading industry group`s latest survey. The steep drop from a decade-high reading in the previous round follows a record surge in infections in April and May, which has seen many states reintroduce limited lockdowns and multiple brokerages cutting economic growth expectations. The overall Business Confidence Index nosedived to 51.5 in the current round compared with 74.2 in the previous round, the Federation of Indian Chambers of Commerce and Industry (FICCI) said on Monday. "Since a much larger proportion of the population has been impacted in the current wave, measures to support demand revival will be crucial for the economy to recover from the latest pandemic induced shock," FICCI said. The survey, which gauged expectations of the respondents for the period April to September, drew responses from about 180 companies across a wide array of sectors with a turnover ranging from 10 million rupees to 600 billion rupees ($137,839.78-$8.27 billion). India`s earnings season for the fourth quarter ended March 31 has been a mixed bag, with only 18 of the 42 Nifty 50 companies that have reported so far beating estimates, according to Refinitiv Eikon data. However, rating agency Fitch on Monday said it expects the impact of the second wave to be less severe on corporates than in 2020, with most companies` credit profiles being supported by their strong market positions. India is set to announce gross domestic product data for the January-to-March quarter at 1200 GMT on Monday.

India's second COVID-19 wave rattles business confidence: Survey