Amid 90-Hour Work Debate, Infosys Employee Quits Citing 'Toxic' Culture, Alleges Language Bias

Bengaluru: Amid the ongoing 90-hour work debate, Bhupendra Vishwakarma, a former Infosys employee, has openly shared the reasons for his decision to leave the organization, despite being the sole earner in his family and having no alternative job lined up. 

In a LinkedIn post, Vishwakarma revealed that he struggled with the lack of financial growth at Infosys, even after being promoted from System Engineer to Senior System Engineer. Despite his hard work and contributions, he received no salary hike for three years, leaving him demotivated and disheartened.

He wrote on his LinkedIn post about unrealistic demands of clients that created a high-pressure, “toxic” environment in Narayana Murthy ’s company. Frequent escalations over trivial issues increased stress at every level, leaving no space for personal well-being.

What Did He Allege Infosys of? 

• The team size at his workplace was reduced from 50 to 30 due to attrition. Instead of hiring replacements, management redistributed the additional workload among the remaining employees, according to him. This “overburdening” was done without any compensation or recognition. 
• Vishwakarma wrote on his profile, “Instead of hiring replacements or providing support, the management took the easy route—overburdening the existing team without compensation or even recognition,” Assigned to a loss-making account, as acknowledged by his manager, Vishwakarma found himself in a role with minimal salary increases and no clear career growth prospects. This lack of direction left his professional future looking uncertain.
• In his LinkedIn post, Vishwakarma also accused Infosys of regional biases in onsite opportunities. “Employees speaking Telugu, Tamil, and Malayalam were frequently prioritized for such roles, while Hindi-speaking employees like me were overlooked, regardless of our performance,” Vishwakarma wrote.
• "Despite consistent efforts and recognition from my peers and seniors, none of it translated into tangible rewards—be it financial growth, promotions, or career advancements. Hard work felt like it was being taken for granted." Vishwakarma wrote.

Ongoing 90-Hour Work Debate

After Infosys co-founder Narayana Murthy advocated a 70-hour workweek, L&T Chairman S.N. Subrahmanyan took it further, suggesting 90-hour weeks, even on Sundays, to boost productivity. His remarks have sparked widespread criticism on social media.

In the video, Subrahmanyan said, “I regret I am not able to make you work on Sundays, to be honest. If I can make you work on Sundays, I will be happier because I work on Sundays too.”  

Vishwakarma Quits Infosys

Bhupendra ultimately chose to quit Infosys, prioritizing his self-respect and mental health over staying in a workplace that neglected basic issues. He urged corporate leaders to address these concerns.

He concluded his post by writing, “If such toxic practices continue unchecked, organizations risk losing not only their talent but also their credibility,”