Silicon Valley's 996 culture: Are 72-hour workweeks the new price of success?

Waking up before sunrise, working late into the night and sacrificing weekends are often seen as signs of ambition in the startup world. But does working longer actually lead to better results, or has overwork become an accepted price of success?

The debate has resurfaced after Indian-origin entrepreneur Hardik Jagda, CEO of Proximity Works, shared his approach to work in an interview with Business Insider. Although he starts his day as early as 3 am and works six days a week, he does not advocate Silicon Valley’s 996 culture as a model for everyone.

His routine highlights a larger debate over the relationship between hard work, productivity and employee well-being. The 996 model refers to working from 9 am to 9 pm, six days a week, amounting to 72 hours. Once associated particularly with China's technology industry, it has become a symbol of workplace cultures that prioritise speed, intense commitment and rapid growth.

THE PRESSURE TO WORK LONGER

Artificial intelligence has intensified competition among technology companies, with startups under pressure to develop products, attract investment and keep pace with rapid advances. However, there is insufficient evidence to suggest that all AI startups are adopting 996 schedules.

The broader concern is whether the race to innovate is encouraging employees to remain constantly available. Long hours may sometimes be necessary to meet critical deadlines, but they do not automatically guarantee better decisions, creativity or productivity.

Microsoft's 2025 Work Trend Index report, Breaking Down the Infinite Workday, highlights how digital communication is extending work beyond conventional office hours. Its analysis found that meetings starting after 8 pm had increased by 16 percent year-on-year. Nearly a third of active workers were returning to their inboxes by 10 pm, while almost 20 percent of employees working on weekends checked emails before noon on Saturdays and Sundays.

The report also found that employees were interrupted by meetings, emails or notifications approximately every two minutes during core working hours. These findings suggest that the problem is not simply the number of scheduled working hours, but also the constant interruptions and digital demands that leave little time for focused work or recovery.

Ashish Dhawan, Managing Director of NGS Global India, says the definition of hard work varies across industries, depending on operational requirements and business demands.

“In manufacturing, six-day weeks and double shifts are often operational necessities. A production line cannot always stop because the calendar says it is Saturday. In sales, global time zones dictate schedules; in executive recruitment, I sometimes get meaningful access to senior candidates only on weekends because their weekdays are packed with meetings,” he explains.

His observation highlights an important distinction: working longer because a job genuinely demands it is different from staying late simply to demonstrate commitment.

FROM SILICON VALLEY'S 996 CULTURE TO INDIA'S 70-HOUR DEBATE

India has witnessed a similar discussion since Infosys co-founder N R Narayana Murthy recommended in October 2023 that young Indians work 70 hours a week to improve the country's productivity and competitiveness.

His remarks triggered a national debate about ambition, economic growth and employee well-being. While supporters emphasised discipline and commitment, critics questioned whether longer working hours were the right way to improve productivity.

The comparison with Silicon Valley's 996 culture is relevant, although Murthy's recommendation was 70 hours a week, rather than 72. Both debates raise a fundamental question: should professional success be measured by time spent working or by the quality and impact of the work produced?

Dhawan believes the argument must be considered in context. Meeting a genuine business requirement is different from remaining at the workplace because employees fear being judged for leaving on time.

“Building a competitive economy requires discipline, ambition and hard work. However, a young professional working 70 hours to meet a genuine business need is different from someone sitting in the office until 9 pm because leaving at 6 pm might invite the boss’s dreaded question: ‘You’re leaving already?’” he adds.

WHAT RESEARCH SAYS ABOUT LONG WORKING HOURS

The health risks associated with excessive working hours are supported by research. A joint analysis by the World Health Organisation (WHO) and the International Labour Organisation (ILO), published in 2021, estimated that 745,000 deaths from stroke and ischaemic heart disease in 2016 were attributable to working at least 55 hours a week.

The study estimated that 488 million people worldwide were exposed to such long working hours. The number of deaths linked to long working hours increased by 29% between 2000 and 2016. Compared with working 35–40 hours a week, working at least 55 hours was associated with a 35 percent higher risk of stroke and a 17 percent higher risk of dying from ischaemic heart disease.

A 72-hour working week substantially exceeds the threshold examined in the analysis. These findings do not mean that everyone working long hours will develop a health problem, but they highlight the risks associated with sustained excessive work.

Gallup's March 2025 analysis, Why Americans Are Working Less, adds another dimension to the debate. It found that burnout becomes more common as weekly working hours rise beyond 45, particularly among employees who are not engaged at work. Gallup also found that employees who frequently experience burnout were 74 percent more likely to be looking for another job.

Together, these findings highlight the potential costs of excessive working hours, particularly when combined with poor workplace engagement, unrealistic workloads and sustained time pressure.

CAN PRODUCTIVITY BE MEASURED IN HOURS?

For employers, measuring attendance is easier than evaluating the actual value of an employee's contribution. Yet time spent at a desk does not necessarily reflect creativity, problem-solving or the quality of decisions.

Clear priorities, fewer unnecessary meetings and realistic deadlines can help employees concentrate on meaningful tasks. Technology and AI tools may also help reduce repetitive work, provided organisations use them to improve working practices rather than simply increase expectations.

For Dhawan, the answer lies in evaluating employees on their contribution rather than their visibility at work.

“Long hours should not become a proxy for productivity. Being available 24/7 is not the same as creating value 24/7,” he adds.

Organisations can improve output by focusing on meaningful results, effective delegation and realistic deadlines rather than treating prolonged availability as evidence of dedication.

THE PRICE OF SUCCESS

Silicon Valley's 996 culture and India's 70-hour workweek debate reflect a wider tension between professional ambition and employee well-being. While demanding schedules may sometimes be necessary, treating excessive working hours as a measure of commitment risks confusing attendance with achievement.

Ultimately, the test of a successful work culture is not how early employees start or how late they leave, but the quality of their work, the value they create and whether they can sustain that performance over time.

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