STRETCHING WORKDAYS WOULD INVITE MORE TROUBLE THAN REWARD

THE Karnataka government's recent announcements on work have set off a churn among professionals, especially in the tech workforce.

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While the jobs-for-locals quota proposal ran into considerable opposition and was put on hold, the IT industry has mooted a 14-hour workday and is pressuring the government to allow it. The change from a 48-hour workweek to a 70-hour one would be a nod to Infosys founder N Narayana Murthy, who floated the idea a few months ago. The traditional 9-5 shift would be history, and 9-11 the new normal. Techies fear 14-hour shifts will lead to one of the three daily shifts being scrapped, and consequent job losses. The government and IT companies must carefully weigh the pros and cons, as this can heap trouble on an already-stagnant job market.