Elon Musk has once again made headlines with his latest claim about work culture, stating that employees at the newly established Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE) are working an astounding 120 hours per week. The revelation has sparked concerns about labor conditions and the sustainability of such an intense workload.
The Creation of DOGE
Musk, the billionaire entrepreneur behind Tesla, SpaceX, and X (formerly Twitter), was appointed by U.S. President Donald Trump as the head of DOGE. This department was created with the primary goal of significantly reducing the federal workforce and cutting government spending.
However, Musk’s management approach has already raised eyebrows, especially given that several of his companies are currently under investigation by multiple federal agencies—many of which could be affected by these workforce reductions.
A Grueling Work Schedule
Musk’s claim of 120-hour workweeks means that DOGE employees have only 48 hours of free time per week. Within this limited timeframe, they must sleep, eat, commute, and take care of basic personal hygiene.
If all their free hours were solely dedicated to sleep, they would still average only 6.8 hours of rest per night—below the recommended eight hours for optimal health and productivity.
Research backs up concerns about excessive work hours. A 2014 study by Stanford University found that productivity per hour drops sharply after 50 hours of work per week, suggesting that doubling this threshold could lead to extreme inefficiencies and health risks for employees.
Criticism and Uncertainty
The legitimacy of Musk’s claim is being questioned—whether it is an exaggeration to emphasize DOGE’s efforts or a genuine depiction of working conditions. Either way, if such extreme hours are being enforced, it could lead to burnout and inefficiency rather than the intended governmental cost-cutting goals.
As scrutiny over Musk’s management of DOGE continues, labor rights advocates and policymakers are likely to examine whether such a work environment is sustainable or even legally permissible. Meanwhile, the public remains divided—some praising Musk’s relentless push for efficiency, while others warn that his approach could backfire in the long run.