After Anna Sebastian Perayil's Story Goes Viral, Corporate Work Culture In The Spotlight
The tragic death of former Ernst & Young (EY) India executive Anna Sebastian Perayil, allegedly due to work pressure, has opened up the floodgates as employees across India have come forward recounting their experiences, highlighting the often exploitative environment prevalent in big corporate firms in India.
The news of 26-year-old Chartered Accountant’s death hit headlines after her mother, Anita Augustine, wrote a heartbreaking letter recalling the intense workload pressure Anna underwent, which allegedly led to her death, merely four months after joining EY Pune. In the now viral open letter, addressed to Chairman of EY India Rajiv Memani, Augustine held the firm responsible for the untimely death of her daughter.
Read Also | Centre To Probe Death Of EY India Executive Anna Sebastian Perayil
A probe has been launched by the central government into the death of Kerala-born Anna.
As the shockwaves resound within the Indian work space, several people took to social media over the ‘Big 4 culture.’ Big 4 here means Deloitte, EY, KPMG and PwC, four top consulting firms in India.
In a reddit post, a user who claimed to be Anna’s colleague penned a long note corroborating the claims made by Augustine. Recounting their own experience, the user, who claims to be working in the same office, EY Pune, though not directly with her, stated that newcomers are exploited by seasoned employees, taking advantage of their thirst for learning. Often, the newcomers hail from across India – Kashmir, Tamil Nadu, Punjab – sacrificing everything to build a career.
Describing the situation as a “bloodbath,” the user highlighted, “Humiliation in the team calls is quite normal here… No social life, no personal time, no time to attend even phone calls. Most of the newcomers including articles quit, some endure the trouble for some years and then quit, remaining become managers and become trouble for others.”
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They further claimed that employees average 16 hours a day in the busy season and 12 hours a day in non-busy seasons, with no day offs on weekends or public holidays. “People leaving EY are usually very happy, and their colleagues congratulate them like they are being released from prison,” the user stated.
Highlighting the toxic work culture especially prevalent in India, Monica Jasuja took to X and stated, “Indian managers (and Chinese) are disliked everywhere for running sweat shops and making people endure the price they (believe) they paid to get where they have. Even MNC employees in HQs don’t want to work for them. There is some truth to this and we can’t ever just brush this aside because “culture and upbringing.”
Indian managers (and Chinese) are disliked everywhere for running sweat shops and making people endure the price they (believe) they paid to get where they have. Even MNC employees in HQs don’t want to work for them.
There is some truth to this and we can’t ever just brush this…
— Monica Jasuja (@jasuja) September 19, 2024
Read Also | Akhilesh Yadav Blames Govt’s Economic Policies After EY Employee’s Death Due To Work Pressure
Another CA highlighted the constant hustle and grind mindset propagated in India, where work is life. Referring to Infosys founder N. Narayan Murthy’s controversial call for a 72-hour weekly workweek, CA Rishika Gupta said, “While EY is being shamed it should be said that “late sitting” culture and overworking has been glorified or seen as the norm not only in the Big 4 but many corporates. Remember Narayan Murthy’s 70 hour work week?”
While EY is being shamed it should be said that “late sitting” culture and overworking has been glorified or seen as the norm not only in the Big 4 but many corporates. Remember Narayan Murthy’s 70 hour work week?
— CA Rishika Gupta (@rishrox19) September 18, 2024
A currently working EY employee who has been with the firm for 3 years confirmed that “the management is one of the SHITTIEST to exist. Only if we weren’t going through a global recession, I would have left long back. But the management is aware of the crisis and making FULL use of it. Sick!”
I am someone who is working in EY since the past 3 years and I can confirm the management is one of the SHITTIEST to exist. Only if we weren’t going through a global recession, I would have left long back. But the management is aware of the crisis and making FULL use of it. Sick! https://t.co/oLSpeLd2t8
— G. (@Bibliophileeyy) September 18, 2024
Another former employee, Deloitte, recalled her reason to quit from the firm due to the toxic work culture. “The seniors just take advantage of the innocent and naive freshers who are honest at their work,” she said.
Really saddening. Left Deloitte for the very same reason. No organisation is worth destroying your physical and mental health. ABSOLUTELY NONE. The seniors just take advantage of the innocent and naive freshers who are honest at their work. https://t.co/7jhtYsYdLS
— Sanskruti (@sanskruuuti) September 18, 2024
Read Also | “We Have Provided All The Assistance…”: EY India Responds To CA Anna Sebastian Perayil’s Death
“Another friend who joined Deloitte Bangalore as his first job after clearing CA, had to work on Sundays. He left it after 7 months. Deteriorating health and mental stress were the main reasons,” said an X user.
This is nothing… Another friend who joined Deloitte Bangalore as his first job after clearing CA, had to work on Sundays.
He left it after 7 months. Deteriorating health and mental stress were the main reasons.
I had an offer a few months back from Deloitte and I rejected it.
— Sachin (@CrypticReally) September 19, 2024
Another user by the name of Jayesh Jain took to X to share his personal experience working at another firm in the Big 4—Deloitte. Sharing screenshots of his chat with a teammate, Jain described how they worked for around 20 hours.
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 recounted a similar case like Anna’s where a deputy manager by the name of Jigar Joshi passed away at his desk in June 2022 while working at Deloitte. Stating that Anna’s case is not isolated, the user said, “The cause of death was stress, anxiety and lack of sleep. This news was not widely known even within Deloitte office.”
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
Read Also | “EY’s Callous Attitude”: Mother Of CA Anna Sebastian Perayil Who Died Allegedly Due To Work Pressure
Replying to Augustine’s letter, another former EY Pune employee backed Anna’s experience and said that he left his first job as CA in the firm because “extremely long work hours were normalised, if you weren’t working on weekends it was considered slacking off.” He further added, “Corporate India needs reform, otherwise the brightest minds will leave.”
My first job as a CA intern was EY Pune. There is truth in Anna’s words. Extremely long work hours were normalised, if you weren’t working on weekends it was considered slacking off.
Corporate India needs reform, otherwise the brightest minds will leave. https://t.co/ZYLDkZ7L5q
— Sharang (@SNJ_tweets) September 17, 2024
In an Indian society, where work is considered the highest priority, the current discourse on the highly prevalent toxic work culture and sever work pressure, especially on newcomers, raises serious questions on the highly dangerous and normalised corporate practices within the Big 4 and how little an employees life is worth.
