Elon Musk, the CEO of the Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE), has sparked a controversy by stating that officials at DOGE work 120 hours a week, which is equivalent to working 17 hours a day, 7 days a week or 24 hours a day, 5 days a week, without any rest. Musk made the statement on his platform X (formerly Twitter) in response to a post thanking DOGE for ending years of mismanagement of public funds. He compared this to what he called the “bureaucratic opponents” who work only 40 hours a week and are therefore losing.
Some people have supported Musk’s statement, while others have criticized him for pushing employees to work such long hours. Many have expressed concerns that such long working hours can lead to burnout, mistakes, and low morale. Others have questioned the legality of such working hours, as it is illegal to work unauthorized overtime in many countries. Some have also highlighted the problems in the tech industry, where overworking is common and low wages are often accompanied by lack of job security and rights.
Musk’s statement has sparked a wider conversation about the need for balance between work and personal life, and the importance of protecting workers’ rights. As the debate continues, it will be interesting to see how this develops and what actions will be taken to address the concerns raised.