The tragic death of EY fresher Anna Sebastian within four months of her joining owing to undue work pressure would have been just another footnote in the annals of toxic work culture in the desi corporate, unless her mother’s heart wrenching letter to the CEO hadn’t gone viral. The mother of the deceased reflected on how her daughter topped academia, clearing CA exam and stepped into one of the big fours but succumbed to the work pressure that took a toll on her physical, mental, and emotional health. That none of the EY employees or colleagues could make it to Anna’s funeral is even more of a shocker.
Meanwhile, employees across various Indian corporates are sharing their own horror stories on social media. An auditor who worked for one of the Big-4’s earlier shared screenshots of WhatsApp messages with his team mates discussing work and health at 5 AM in the morning. The user was employed at Deloitte.
He remarked that, “We used to work for 20 hours!” However, he alleges that the company won’t let them charge for more than 15 hours. The screenshot of the chat shows the former employee expressing exhaustion by overworking. Mere se nahi ho raha bilkul.
Chakkar aa rahe hai!” With EY case getting some lights. I would like to share my personal experience at Deloitte. Attaching some screenshots of chats with my team mate - friend where we were discussing the work and our health at 5AM in the morning.
We use to work for around 20 hours and they won’t...
pic.twitter.com/EjtqWjhwSm — Jayesh Jain (@arey_jainsaab) September 18, 2024 Another user reminded of a deputy manager with Deloitte who passed away at his desk.
The deceased was in his mid-twenties, according to the user, who quipped that the news is not widely known even within the company. He painfully remarks that Anna’s case in EY Pune is not isolated.” Jigar Joshi, was a deputy manager with Deloitte in June 202.
He passed away at his desk. He was in his mid 20s. The cause of death was stress, anxiety and lack of sleep.
This news was not widely known even within Deloitte office. Anna’s case in EY Pune is not isolated. — Easy Rider (@Koushik_laribee) September 18, 2024 One user reminisced how, as freshers her bunch was sexually harassed by her team lead at TCS, where they had a contact bond.
The manager inundated her team with work pressure as they resisted his advances. She remarked that corporate India is fucked up in several ways, especially for freshers who are at the mercy of narcissistic managers and unregulated hours and pressures.” When I was a fresher in TCS on a contract bond for a year while my Team Lead was s*xually harassing me & other freshers along with inundating us with work pressure due to our resistance to him, I had the “choice” of paying back TCS more money than I earned or keep working w him.
— Roma (@romaticize) September 19, 2024 Despite having a highly supportive family and friends, I still fell into tunnel vision and wondered if my life was over and if it would be so awful to end it all. Corporate India is fked up in so many ways and it feels like you are going insane because on the outset your offices — Roma (@romaticize) September 19, 2024 look like the most accommodating & luxurious environments, but at the same time you as a fresher are at the mercy of narcissistic managers and unregulated hours and pressure. HRs are a joke.
— Roma (@romaticize) September 19, 2024 Meanwhile, several netizens recalled Infosys co-founder Narayana Murthy’s controversial and much-despised 70-hour work-week advice amid the Anna Sebastian tragedy. The problem is not EY. The problem is Indian managers.
Overbearing, micromanaging, abusive (no slang word is out of boundary for these lot), unapproachable, threatening, no respect for personal time. Also you can't quit because of the poor current job market. — ଶିଶୁପାଳଗଡ଼ (@sisupalagarha) September 18, 2024 This is the response of EY India Chairman, Mr.
Rajiv Memani's response to the DEATH of an employee. Nowhere has he mentioned even launching an investigation into this matter. Really cold on his part.
This will only give more courage to the likes of Anna's manager. pic.twitter.
com/iiQW0vmECv — Kanan Bahl (@BahlKanan) September 19, 2024 She worked hard for 6 long years of her life to become a Chartered Accountant, just to realize that her manager will reschedule meetings for a cricket match and ask her to work late nights. — Kushal Lodha (@kushallodha548) September 18, 2024 Such a shame! EY India removed Late Anna Sebastian profile from the success factor and from microsoft teams, so that no one can track her manager. There should be independent investigation from ICAI & Govt Agencies for what is happening at EY.
@theicai #JusticeForAnna #EYIndia — NomadicNerd (@ClassyInPurple) September 19, 2024 Response to LinkedIn post of EY India MD Rajiv Memani by an EY South Africa employee. It seems toxic work culture, abuse of power in EY is a worldwide phenomenon. #JusticeforAnna #EYIndia #Ernst &Young #EYSA #Big4 pic.
twitter.com/M002NUSZUf — Atul Modani (@atulmodani) September 19, 2024 What happened with the girl at EY makes me remind of Mr. Narayana Murthy’s suggestion of a 70-hour workweek.
It reflects a mindset seen in some Indian founders and managers—they don’t seem to hire employees, but rather expect them to work like slaves. #ey #ANNA https://t.co/X9c4MiVXU5 — Rahul Goyal (@rahulg_08) September 19, 2024 Dear Mr Narayana Murthy / Mr Bhavish Agrawal For your kind attention please.
#EY #CAdeath #70hoursweek pic.twitter.com/cQabwddOmp — Sandeep Manudhane (@sandeep_PT) September 19, 2024 EY’s 26-year-old employee's death has fueled the toxic corporate work culture debate on social media.
Earlier, Infosys co-founder Narayana Murthy’s “70-hour” advice to youngsters sparked a similar discussion Read here: https://t.co/DmpEdwid7t #ErnstYoung #CorporateWorkCulture — Outlook Business (@outlookbusiness) September 19, 2024 All those who defend Narayana Murthy crony capitalist statement of 70 hours a week have blood in their hand #EY #AnnaSebastianPerayil . Nothing will happen to those who are responsible for it.
Because of there are many who defend the Powerful and wealthy.— sam (@sameie1) September 19, 2024 If you agree with Narayan Murthy’s statement on 70 hours workweek then you have no right to speak on the shocking EY employee death. — Adil Hossain (@adilhossain) September 19, 2024 The recent tragic death of an #EY Pune employee has brought #NarayanaMurthy 's controversial “70-hour work week remark” back into the spotlight.
Read here: https://t.co/n9w5I7VT5M pic.twitter.
com/NqVnb7BceF — Hindustan Times (@htTweets) September 19, 2024 “Narayan Murthy” shall also be hold accountable for the passing of Anna Sebastian, a bright young CA who succumbed to the unbearable work pressure at EY Pune. The shocking indifference shown by the company is even more disturbing - no one attended her funeral. pic.
twitter.com/vg0q6q59Ia — محمد طارق🇮🇳 (@itsme_tarique) September 18, 2024 Will @EYnews get away with this kind of a work environment for employees with crushing work hours, toxic environment in countries like USA and Europe? No they very well know they can’t. In India, we glorify 72 hour work week, we glorify the idea of not having a work life.
.. https://t.
co/0VXGdd3w9v — Priyanka Chaturvedi🇮🇳 (@priyankac19) September 19, 2024 We suddenly remember workers' rights when white collar workers are the victims. — peeleraja (@peeleraja) September 19, 2024 Media outlets reporting on E&Y, please outrage over the toxic work culture at consulting firms - but please also look inwards on how media organisations have toxic bosses and a terrible work culture. It is garbage.
— Naomi Datta (@nowme_datta) September 18, 2024 Translation: This torture will go on. We’ll treat you the same way no matter even if it makes you die. Not saying anything on this issue was still better than making this insensitive statement.
#EYIndia #EY pic.twitter.com/EXT9NF4fwx — Kanan Bahl (@BahlKanan) September 19, 2024 Colleague Of Deceased EY Pune Employee Pens Letter: 'Everyone Is Tortured; No Social Life, No Personal Time.
..' #Pune #PuneNews #EYPune #Viral https://t.
co/yXzqpV1DVS — Free Press Journal (@fpjindia) September 18, 2024 This is very sad but also disturbing at many levels. I rqst Govt of India @mansukhmandviya @ShobhaBJP to investigate these allegations made by the mother of unsafe and exploitative work environment that claimed the life of young , full of future Anna Sebastian Perayil https://t.co/qor8Agst4M — Rajeev Chandrasekhar 🇮🇳 (@RajeevRC_X) September 19, 2024 See Also: Mother Slams EY’s Toxic Work Culture Over Daughter's Death By Overwork: Internet Demand ‘Right To Disconnect’ In India See Also : 25-Year-old IIT IIM Graduate Employee Dies By Suicide Due To 'Work Pressure' See Also: Man Dies Of Organ Failure After Working Non-Stop For 104 Days; Internet Wants Narayana Murthy To Take Note See Also: Employee Found Dead At Desk After Four Days; Internet Asks ‘Why Did No One At Least Said Hello Or Goodbye? See Also: All The Buzz On Toxic Work Culture Cover : Illustrative / Pexels.
