Adam Broda, ex-Amazon senior manager, sparked debate on LinkedIn by highlighting Bengaluru's technical team, where many reportedly felt satisfied working 60+ hours weekly. His post fueled discussions on workplace culture and long hours, drawing attention to the demanding work environment and its acceptance among employees in certain global regions.
AgenciesBroda included a visual ‘heatmap’ in his post, showcasing global trends in average work hours. The heatmap identified India as having the longest workweeks, with employees averaging 56 hours per week.
As conversations about workplace culture and extended work hours continue to unfold, Adam Broda, a former senior manager at Amazon, took to LinkedIn on Saturday to share his thoughts. He highlighted the technical team based in Bengaluru, stating that many team members seemed content working over 60 hours per week.
“At Amazon, I worked hard; some weeks I’d work 60+ hours—but never as many as our team members in India.” Brody wrote on LinkedIn
Broda included a visual ‘heatmap’ in his post, showcasing global trends in average work hours. The heatmap identified India as having the longest workweeks, with employees averaging 56 hours per week.
The ex-Amazon executive also pointed out that the Indian team exhibited consistent online activity throughout the day. Whether it was early morning at 7 a.m., a team meeting at 10 a.m., or a late afternoon review call at 4 p.m., the team’s availability was notable. " Most of them were happy to do it. As if 60+ hours were normal, and the opportunity was worth taking. In my 5 years there, I witnessed multiple leaders asking, Why were they on calls at 3 am Bangalore time??"
Agencies
Broda used this observation to urge managers to proactively check on employees working in different regions, asking about their schedules and exploring ways to better align workloads across time zones.
“Even if employees are eager to put in extra hours, it doesn’t necessarily mean they should,” Broda emphasized.
His comments triggered widespread discussions on social media about why India is a preferred destination for hiring and the realities of working conditions in the country.
The heatmap data, reportedly sourced from the International Labour Organization, ranked India at the top for long workweeks, followed by Bhutan, Bangladesh, Uganda, and Cambodia. On the other hand, countries like the Netherlands, Rwanda, Iraq, Austria, and Denmark had the shortest average work hours globally.
Social Media Backlash
Broda’s post sparked backlash online, with many criticizing the normalization of an over-60-hour workweek. Alan Stein, who has previously worked at Google, Salesforce, and Meta, chimed in, attributing the preference for hiring Indian talent to cost advantages.
“Hire talent in India because they cost us 25% of the cost of US labor. And those employees would indeed work hard. Damn hard. And not complain like some of the employees he knew in our US offices, Stein commented on Broda’s post.
Anil Batra, CEO of Optizent, offered a more contextual perspective, stressing the importance of understanding the underlying circumstances of Indian employees.
“They wanted to be there or they thought you wanted to hear that and that’s why they said it? You have to look at the financial condition, background of those people, age/family and the context of work culture in India to fully understand it,”” Batra explained in his response.
The conversation has reignited debates about global work practices and the disparities in labor expectations between different nations.
Agencies
Agencies
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