In India, the culture of overwork is often glorified.
But the practice can be fatal.
One of the Big Four accounting and consulting firms, Ernst & Young (EY) is in the spotlight after a 26-year-old employee in Pune died due to an “overwhelming workload.”
Anna Sebastian Perayil had worked at EY’s Pune office for four months before she succumbed due to work stress.
The mother of the young woman has now written a letter to EY India Chairperson Rajiv Memani flagging the “glorification” of overwork at the firm.
Woman dies of work stress
Anna’s mother, Anita Augustine, sent a letter to EY India chairperson Rajiv Memani saying that her heart was heavy and her soul was shattered. Still, the letter was necessary in the hope that no other family has to endure what hers went through.
Anna joined EY Pune on March 19 after passing her chartered accountant (CA) examinations on November 23 of last year, according to Augustine. She was a part of the Audit team at S R Batliboi, a member firm of EY Global.
She added that Anna passed her CA exams with distinction and did exceptionally well in extracurricular activities and academics. She worked as an audit assistant for G Joseph & Associates for more than two years, from 2020 to 2022, before joining EY, as per News18. Perayil, who graduated from The Institute of Chartered Accountants of India (ICAI), had over three years of expertise in the fields of internal, statutory, and tax auditing. She was also a national-level debater.
When Anna first started working at EY Pune, she was informed that her manager had personally asked her to stay on the team to counter the image that her team had seen a lot of staff quit due to an overwhelming workload. A senior leader also joked at an office party that she would have a tough time working under that colleague.
In observance of Anna’s professional legacy, her LinkedIn account has been memorialised.
How overwork took a toll on her health
Augustine explained how Anna had complained of chest constriction and needed to be hospitalised while she and her husband were in Pune for Anna’s CA convocation. When we brought her to a Pune hospital, the cardiologist informed the family that she was eating too late and not getting enough sleep, but her echocardiograms (ECG) was normal. She said that her daughter had then been prescribed antacids.
“It breaks my heart to tell you that even during those two days, which were the last we would spend with our child, she couldn’t enjoy them because of the work pressure,” she said in the letter.
She claimed that assignments were verbally given that went beyond required duties. She said that she would advise her daughter not to accept them, but her managers persisted.
“Anna would return to her too utterly exhausted, sometimes collapsing on the bed without even changing her clothes, only to be bombarded with messages asking for more reports. She was putting in her best efforts, working very hard to meet the deadlines. She was a fighter to the core, not someone to give up easily. We told her to quit, but she wanted to learn and gain new exposure. However, the overwhelming pressure proved too much even for her,” Augustine despair.
Because Anna was just starting her work, the mother claimed that she lacked “the experience or the agency” to set boundaries or refuse irrational demands. She claimed that Anna went over her limits in her quest to prove herself. “I wish I had been able to protect her, to tell her that her health and well-being mattered more than anything else. But it is too later for my Anna,” she wrote.
No colleagues attended the funeral
The family found it quite hurtful that no one from EY showed up for Anna’s funeral, according to Augustine.
She added that she contacted Anna’s supervisors following the funeral, but received no response, emphasising that this indicates a lack of empathy.
Calls for change
Augustine asked Memani to look into the work culture of the business, labelling what transpired with Anna as a systematic problem.
“Anna’s experience sheds light on a work culture that seems to glorify overwork while neglecting the very human beings behind the roles. This is not just about my daughter, it’s about every young professional, who joins EY filled with hopes and dreams, only to be crushed under the weight of unrealistic expectations… Anna’s death should serve as a wake-up call for EY.”
“It is time to reflect on the work culture within your organisation and take meaningful steps to prioritise the health and wellness of your employees,” she said, adding that an environment should be created where employees feel safe to speak up, get support to manage their workload and “where their mental and physical well-being is not sacrificed for the sake of productivity.”
EY issues statement
EY issued a statement, calling the 26-year-old’s untimely death an “irreparable” loss.
“We are deeply saddened by Anna Sebastian’s tragic and untimely passing in July 2024, and our deepest condolences go to the bereaved family. Anna was a part of the Audit team at S R Batliboi, a member firm of EY Global, in Pune for a brief period of four months, joining the firm on 18 March 2024. That her promising career was cut short in this tragic manner is an irreparable loss for all of us.”
“While no measure can compensate for the loss experienced by the family, we have provided all the assistance as we always do in such times of distress and will continue to do so,” the statement said.
“We are taking the family’s correspondence with the utmost seriousness and humility. We place the highest importance on the well-being of all employees and will continue to find ways to improve and provide a healthy workplace for our 1,00,000 people across EY member firms in India,” the company added.
Report on Indians at the workplace
India, known for its vibrant startup culture and burgeoning
corporate workforce, faces a grim reality.
A report published in June revealed that a staggering 86 per cent of Indians feel they are “suffering” or “struggling” at their workplace.
While only a mere 14 per cent of Indians feel that they are “thriving” at their workplace, the 2024 Gallup State of the Global Workplace report revealed.
The concerning figure is significantly lower than the global average of 34 per cent.
On the other hand, those with uncertain or negative beliefs about their present and future life situations, potentially including stress and financial worries, were classified as “struggling” or “suffering.”
Centre’s probe
The Union Labour Ministry has taken up a complaint and will be investigating the circumstances that led to Anna’s death.
“Deeply saddened by the tragic loss of Anna Sebastian Perayil. A thorough investigation into the allegations of an unsafe and exploitative work environment is underway. We are committed to ensuring justice and @LabourMinistry has officially taken up the complaint. @mansukhmandviya,” Minister of State for Labour Shobha Karandlaje said in a post on X.
With inputs from agencies
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Why EY is under spotlight after death of ‘overworked’ 26-year-old Pune employee
