EY employee dies of work stress, no co-worker attends funeral
A 26-year-old chartered accountant, Anna Sebastian Perayil, who was employed at Ernst & Young (EY) in Pune, has tragically passed away due to what her mother describes as an "overwhelming workload." In a letter addressed to EY India Chairman Rajiv Memani, Anita Augustine detailed the circumstances leading up to her daughter's untimely demise. She claimed that no one from EY attended Anna's funeral.
Mother details her daughter's work stress
Augustine revealed that her daughter had joined EY just four months before her death. She described Anna as a school and college topper who excelled in extracurricular activities, and passed her CA exams with distinction. However, the demanding workload at EY, coupled with long working hours and a new environment, took a significant toll on Anna's physical, emotional, and mental well-being.
Anna's team at EY had high resignation rate
Augustine further disclosed that Anna was part of a team at EY where several employees had resigned, due to excessive workload. The team manager had encouraged Anna to stay and change perceptions about their team. Augustine expressed her disappointment with the company and her daughter's manager, for their lack of consideration toward a new employee who was trying to adjust in a new city, away from her hometown.
Deceased was often assigned work beyond her job description
Augustine also highlighted that Anna's manager would frequently assign her work at the end of her shift, forcing her to work overtime. She stated that Anna confided in them about the overwhelming workload, especially additional tasks assigned verbally beyond official duties. Despite their advice not to take on such tasks, Augustine said the managers were relentless and this led to Anna often returning home "utterly exhausted."
Anna's mother criticizes EY's work culture
Augustine criticized EY for its work culture that she believes glorifies overwork while neglecting employee well-being. She expressed her disappointment that none of Anna's managers or colleagues attended her funeral. "No one from EY attended Anna's funeral... After her funeral, I reached out to her managers, but I received no reply," Augustine wrote in the letter addressed to Memani.
