Gujarat, Punjab Lead with 70+ Hour Workweeks; Bihar, Assam at the Bottom
A recent working paper by the Economic Advisory Council to the Prime Minister (EAC-PM) reveals that Gujarat has the highest proportion of people working over 70 hours a week, while Bihar has the lowest. The report highlights significant regional variations in workweek lengths across India, with Gujarat leading in long hours, a trend that contrasts sharply with states like Bihar, where a smaller percentage of the workforce works such extended hours. The findings underscore the diverse work culture across the country and could have implications for labor policy and productivity strategies.
A recent working paper titled ‘Time Spent on Employment-Related Activities in India’ reveals that Gujarat, Punjab, Maharashtra, West Bengal, and Kerala are the top five states where the highest proportion of people work over 70 hours a week (more than 700 minutes per day). In Gujarat, 7.2% of the population worked these long hours, followed closely by Punjab at 7.1% and Maharashtra at 6.6%. On the opposite end of the spectrum, states like Jharkhand, Assam, and Bihar have the lowest percentages, with just 2.1%, 1.6%, and 1.1% of their populations working over 70 hours, respectively. Nationwide, 4.55% of India’s population spends more than 70 hours a week on employment-related activities. The data, analyzed from the Ministry of Statistics and Program Implementation's (MoSPI) 2019 Time Use Survey, sheds light on significant regional disparities in work habits across India.
Work hours put in and state domestic product
The report also highlighted a connection between the number of hours worked and a state’s economic performance, specifically its per capital Net State Domestic Product (NSDP). In large states, a 1% increase in time spent on employment-related activities was linked to a 3.7% rise in per capita NSDP, while smaller states and union territories saw a 1.8% increase for the same amount of additional work hours. The study, which was influenced by corporate leaders' comments on working hours, examined time spent on employment-related activities across various states, sectors, types of enterprises, and other factors. Key findings include that individuals with regular wages or salaries tend to work longer hours than others, urban residents work nearly an hour more per day than rural dwellers, and the self-employed in service sectors typically log more hours compared to those in goods production.
Paras Jasrai, Senior Economic Analyst, India Ratings and Research, says the concentration of 70+ hour workers in high-GDP states reflects structural economic advantage. “States like Gujarat and Maharashtra, which are industrialized states, and Karnataka and Telangana, which are IT-dominated, have high work hours compared to agrarian states like Bihar and UP,”
However, experts caution that working more than 70 hours per week could have significant downsides. Prolonged work hours can lead to burnout, decreased productivity, and adverse health effects, which could ultimately undermine long-term economic performance and workers' well-being. They emphasize the importance of maintaining a balance between work and personal life to ensure sustainable growth and productivity.
