"They Are Living Life, We Are Just Living": India vs Norway Work Culture Debate on Burnout Goes Viral

A LinkedIn post by Dr Ritesh Malik comparing work culture in India and Norway has sparked debate on burnout and work life balance. The post highlights 7.5-hour workdays in Norway and contrasting Indian workplace expectations, triggering mixed reactions online about productivity, overwork and employee well being.

A recent LinkedIn post by Dr Ritesh Malik comparing work culture in India and Norway has sparked a wider debate on work life balance, burnout and productivity expectations in modern workplaces. The post highlights how structural differences in working hours, workplace behaviour and managerial expectations shape employee experiences across countries. It has also triggered strong reactions online, with many users divided over whether longer working hours reflect dedication or an unhealthy culture of overwork.

LinkedIn Post Highlights Norway Work Culture Experience

The discussion began after Dr Ritesh Malik shared an account of an Indian employee who moved to Norway for work. According to the post, the employee was assigned a 7.5-hour workday and initially struggled to adjust to the additional free time.

He wrote: "An Indian employee went to Norway for work. They were given a 7.5-hour workday. He didn't know what to do with the rest of his time. He went viral for saying: ‘They are living life. We are just living.’ 7.5-hour workdays. No 'Sir' culture. No 10 pm Slack messages. Managers who don't confuse availability with dedication. Weekends that exist for real. To most Indian professionals, this reads like science fiction."

The post further argued that burnout culture in India is not accidental but shaped by long-standing economic conditions where excessive effort became a competitive advantage. It also noted that while India’s opportunity landscape has changed, workplace behaviour has largely remained the same.

Burnout Culture And Productivity Debate In India

Dr Malik’s post also suggested that overwork in India has often shifted from necessity to expectation, with exhaustion becoming normalised as commitment. It argued that productivity should be measured by output and presence rather than long working hours.

He added that Norway’s productivity model is driven by focus and presence during working hours rather than extended availability.

Social Media Users React To Work Life Balance Debate

The post sparked mixed reactions on social media, with users sharing contrasting views on work culture differences.

One user commented: "Do you really believe that these comparisons make sense? Like truly? As any group or country, there is a course we need to go through, even when shortcuts are available. It took us like 4 to 5 years to go from 6 days to 5 days a week. Even now some of us do something or the other 7 days too. That's the cost you pay to secure things for yourself and people who come after you. Norway today can afford many things. First get there."

A second user wrote: "One aspect is also the expectation from founders and managers around face time. 'Stay until your boss leaves' is often an unwritten rule. There is also an inherent hesitation to question authority, which reinforces this culture."

A third user added: "I think one reason this culture survives is that many companies reward visibility more than outcomes. Sadly, the person who stays online the longest is seen as the most committed. Then people naturally optimise for hours instead of impact."

Ongoing Debate On Work Culture And Productivity

The discussion continues to gain traction as professionals reflect on whether India’s workplace expectations need reform. While some argue that longer working hours were necessary to build economic stability, others believe modern productivity should focus on efficiency, outcomes and employee well being.

The debate highlights growing awareness among Indian professionals about burnout, work life balance and the changing nature of global workplace expectations.