Elon Musk Sparks Outrage, Calls for 120-Hour Work Weeks: 'Working Weekends is a Superpower
Elon Musk sparks backlash after advocating 120-hour work weeks at DOGE, calling weekend work a "superpower." Internet users react strongly to his comments.
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Working weekends is a superpower, writes Tesla CEO and DOGE head Elon Musk on X, sparking widespread online reactions.
Hyderabad: Just as people were grappling with comments from Infosys co-founder Narayana Murthy and L&T’s SN Subrahmanyan on extended work hours, Tesla CEO Elon Musk has reignited the debate with his latest remarks.
Within two weeks of taking charge at the Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE), Musk declared that his team was clocking nearly 120 hours a week. He attributed their rapid progress to these intense work schedules, contrasting it with what he called the inefficiency of the standard 40-hour work week observed by bureaucratic opponents.
"DOGE is working 120 hours a week. Our bureaucratic opponents optimistically work 40 hours a week. That’s why they’re losing so fast," Musk posted on X in response to a comment targeting Democrats. In another post, he added, "Very few in the bureaucracy actually work weekends, so it’s like the opposing team just leaves the field for two days!"
Musk’s statements have sparked widespread criticism online, with many users labeling him a “terrible boss” and questioning the sustainability of such demanding work schedules.
"120 hours a week? That’s 24 hours a day for five days straight if they’re taking weekends off. So, either DOGE is staffed by aliens and robots—or Elon just says anything to sound impressive," one user joked.
Another questioned the practicality and ethics behind Musk’s expectations: "Who wants to work 120 hours a week? The team has no life, no work-life balance. Is this just an excuse to fire people and call federal workers frauds? Is it DOGE versus federal employees now?"
Others pointed out the unrealistic nature of such schedules for people with families. "It’s hard to be a parent and work weekends—unless you’ve got nannies and private jets like Elon," one user lamented.
Musk’s comments come amid broader discussions in India about work culture. Recently, a video went viral showing L&T chief SN Subrahmanyan expressing his desire for employees to work on Sundays. "I regret I’m not able to make you work on Sundays. I’d be happier if you did, because I work on Sundays. What do you do sitting at home? How long can you stare at your wife? Come on, get to the office and start working," he said.
Infosys co-founder Narayana Murthy also stirred controversy when he called for a 70-hour workweek, arguing that young people need to work harder to help make India the number one global economy.
As these debates intensify, many are left questioning the balance between productivity and personal well-being in today’s fast-paced work environments.
