The ongoing debate over working hours, with discussions surrounding 40-hour versus 70-hour workweeks, took a new turn as Tesla and SpaceX CEO Elon Musk reignited the conversation. Musk claimed that employees at the Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE) work 120 hours a week, which sparked criticism on social media.
The tech billionaire referred to working weekends as a “superpower,” adding that bureaucratic opponents are “losing so fast” because they adhere to a 40-hour workweek. “Very few in the bureaucracy actually work on weekends, so it’s like the opposing team leaves the field for two days!” He shared this thought in another post on X.
Musk criticized opponents advocating for a 40-hour workweek, claiming that their loss in the game is solely due to sticking to just 40 hours of work.
“DOGE is working 120 hour a week. Our bureaucratic opponents optimistically work 40 hours a week. That is why they are losing so fast,” Elon Musk said in a post on X.
What Is Doge?
Department of Government Efficiency(Doge) is a department that Elon Musk has been associated with. It is meant to focus on streamlining government operations, eliminating inefficiency, and tackling corruption.
Doge, which seems to be a playful nod to Elon Musk’s favorite cryptocurrency, Dogecoin, was introduced by Donald Trump just last month. Although Doge has Trump’s backing and carries the word “department” in its name, it’s not actually an official government body. Unlike traditional departments, which are created through acts of Congress and have large teams, Doge doesn’t follow that structure. Instead, it seems Doge will operate as an advisory body, run by Trump’s closest allies and with a direct line to the White House.
Musk’s tweet sparked a variety of reactions on Twitter. Some users went as far as calling him a terrible boss, while others pointed out that the DOGE website was empty despite employees working 120 hours a week.
How Netizens Reacted
Musk’s tweet sparked a variety of reactions on Twitter. Some users even went as far as calling him a terrible boss, while others pointed out that the DOGE website was empty, despite employees working 120 hours a week. “So… Doge in made up of aliens and robots and Elon! Or, Elon says anything to make himself look better,” a user wrote on X.
Furthermore, Musk, who was appointed by Trump to lead DOGE, has stated that the department’s goal is to eliminate inefficiency and corruption within the government. It is believed that DOGE is set to implement Trump’s vision of a smaller, more efficient government, with the aim of achieving this by July 4 of next year, marking the 250th anniversary of the Declaration of Independence.
After Trump returned to power, Musk invited applications for DOGE, specifying the qualities he sought in candidates. He was looking for “super high-IQ, small-government revolutionaries” willing to work over 80 hours a week on unglamorous cost-cutting tasks.
Musk’s remark on the number of hours or work in a week comes after a row over comments by L&T chairman SN Subrahmanian and Infosys co-founder Narayana Murthy. Subrahmanian’s suggestion that employees work 90 hours a week faced strong backlash, while Murthy’s call for a 70-hour workweek also sparked a massive controversy.
