Anna Sebastian Perayil, a 26-year-old Chartered Accountant from Pune, tragically passed away after working for four months at Ernst & Young (EY). Her mother alleges that "backbreaking workload" and "work stress" contributed to her untimely death.
In an email to EY India Chairman Rajiv Memani, Anna's mother, Anita Augustine, detailed the circumstances surrounding her daughter's death. She urged the company to consider this tragedy a wake-up call to reevaluate its work culture and prioritise employee well-being.
A Wake-Up Call: Anna's Death Exposes Toxic Work Culture
"She worked tirelessly at EY, giving her all to meet the demands placed on her," Anita wrote. "However, the workload, new environment, and long hours took a toll on her physically, emotionally, and mentally."
"She began experiencing anxiety, sleeplessness, and stress soon after joining, but she kept pushing herself, believing that hard work and perseverance were the keys to success," Anita added. Anna, originally from Kochi, Kerala, became a Chartered Accountant in November 2023. In March 2024, she joined EY Pune as an executive.
Unfortunately, she passed away on July 20. While the exact cause of death remains unclear, the email mentions that she experienced health issues in the weeks leading up to her passing. Anna complained of chest tightness, Anita stated.
"The cardiologist told us that she is not getting enough sleep and eating very late," Anita said. Anita described how her daughter's condition was deteriorating. Anna often returned home exhausted, only to be inundated with messages requesting additional reports.
Although Anita encouraged her to quit, Anna was eager to learn and gain new experiences. Anita criticised EY for "glorifying overwork" and condemned the company's toxic work culture. She said, "This is a systemic issue that goes beyond individual managers or teams."
"The relentless demands and the pressure to meet unrealistic expectations are not sustainable, and they cost us the life of a young woman with so much potential," she continued.
Anita highlighted her team manager's inconsiderate attitude, claiming he assigned work at unreasonable times with impossible deadlines. This forced her to work late into the night, on weekends, and with little time for rest.
Recalling an incident, she said, "Her manager assigned her work at night with a deadline of the next morning. When she raised her concern, the manager responded- 'You can work at night; that's what we all do'."
Anita expressed disappointment and hurt when EY Pune employees failed to attend her daughter's funeral. "After her funeral, I reached out to her managers but received no reply. How can a company that speaks of values and human rights fail to show up for one of its own in their final moments?" she wrote in the letter.
A Similar Experience: Former EY GDS Employee Shares Struggles
Joseph Jochu, a former employee of EY GDS based in Bangalore, shared his experience with The Hindu. "I used to work 12 hours minimum and had daily fallouts with the manager. If someone took leave, we were burdened with extra work. At times, I suffered panic attacks, so I left the job in five months," he said.
Jochu worked as an AML (Anti-Money Laundering) analyst at EY from December 2021 to April 2022. He explained that the company often makes unrealistic promises to clients regarding project deadlines, and the staff is pressured to meet these targets.
Numerous instances have occurred where companies and managers have disregarded their employees' burnout. In one such case, a manager abruptly rescinded an employee's previously approved birthday leave, insisting she work instead.
Outraged by this unprofessional behaviour, the employee resigned to protest the violation of their boundaries. In another instance, an employee resigned after her manager demanded that she be more flexible despite working late nights and weekends without any additional compensation.
