The tragic death of Anna Sebastian Perayil, a young chartered accountant working at EY Pune, has brought the issue of excessive work stress at multinational companies (MNCs) into the spotlight. Anna, just 26 years old, had only joined Ernst & Young in March 2024.
However, after only four months of intense workload and mounting pressure, she passed away in July. Her family has pointed to the unbearable work stress she endured as the primary reason for her deteriorating health and eventual death.
Anna’s mother, Anita Augustine, shared her heartbreak in an emotional letter to EY India's CEO, Rajiv Memani. In her letter, she accused the company of “glorifying overwork” and outlined how the demands placed on her daughter directly led to her untimely death.
Anita emphasised the stark contradiction between the company’s public commitment to human rights and the reality her daughter faced at work.
According to her, Anna’s health started to decline soon after she began working at the company, leading to anxiety, sleeplessness, and stress. Despite these signs, Anna continued to push herself, driven by her belief that hard work and perseverance would help her succeed.
Augustine further detailed how her daughter was given assignments at night with tight deadlines the following morning, and that work requests often came during weekends, leaving no room for rest or recovery.
Anna’s manager reportedly put immense pressure on her, asking her to prove herself after other employees quit due to the overwhelming workload. Her mother recalled how a senior leader had once joked that Anna would have a tough time working under her manager, an unfortunate remark that would eventually reflect the reality she could not escape.
Anna’s health deteriorated rapidly under the weight of this relentless pressure. According to her mother, she worked late into the night, sometimes even collapsing in exhaustion without changing her clothes.
Despite her family's advice to quit, Anna persisted, hoping to learn and grow in her new role. But the overwhelming workload, especially the tasks assigned verbally outside of her official duties, proved too much.
In one incident, her assistant manager gave her a task late at night, demanding it be completed by the next morning. When Anna expressed her concerns about the tight deadline, she was told, “You can work at night; that’s what we all do.”
This culture of glorifying overwork, without any regard for the employee’s mental or physical health, was a recurring theme throughout her brief tenure at EY. Anna’s untimely death has since sparked outrage, with many criticising the toxic work culture that exists in many multinational companies.
The lack of response from EY after her death only added to the family’s distress. Her mother was devastated that no one from the company attended Anna’s funeral, despite her being a dedicated employee. After the funeral, when she attempted to contact Anna’s managers, she was met with silence.
This lack of empathy from a company that publicly champions human rights principles has raised serious concerns about the gap between corporate values and employee well-being.
While the exact cause of Anna’s death remains unclear, her mother mentioned that Anna had experienced chest constriction in the weeks leading up to her passing.
A visit to the hospital in Pune revealed no major health issues, and doctors attributed her symptoms to stress, lack of sleep, and poor eating habits. The family believed her health concerns were not severe at the time, but the situation quickly worsened, leading to her tragic death on July 20, 2024.
The incident has ignited a broader conversation about the work culture in India, particularly in MNCs, where employees are often expected to sacrifice their personal lives and well-being to meet demanding deadlines and deliverables.
Social media has been flooded with comments from professionals who have experienced similar stress in their jobs. Many have pointed out the harmful effects of constant overwork, lack of boundaries, and the normalisation of working beyond office hours.
Several chartered accountants have also come forward to share their experiences working at Big4 accounting firms like EY, PwC, Deloitte, and others. They confirm that these firms are notorious for pushing employees to their limits, often expecting them to work late into the night and on weekends.
Employees are regularly reviewed based on their performance, and those who do not meet expectations are often pressured to work even harder, with little regard for their mental or physical health.
The case of Anna Sebastian is not an isolated one. There have been multiple reports of employees in high-pressure jobs taking drastic steps due to overwhelming work-related stress.
Earlier this year, a 25-year-old consultant at McKinsey & Company in Mumbai took his own life after struggling to cope with the demands of his job. Similarly, two employees at the Post Graduate Institute of Medical Education and Research (PGIMER) in Chandigarh also committed suicide due to increased workload in March 2024.
These incidents highlight the urgent need for a cultural shift in how companies approach employee well-being. The conversation around work stress has intensified in recent years, with more people acknowledging the need to prioritise mental health in the workplace.
While companies like EY publicly state their commitment to their employees' well-being, the reality for many workers is far from supportive. Anna’s death serves as a grim reminder that no job is worth sacrificing one’s health and well-being.
Anna Sebastian’s tragic passing should be a wake-up call for companies to reflect on their work culture and take concrete steps to protect their employees. It is crucial for companies to create environments that prioritise mental health, encourage work-life balance, and respect employees’ boundaries. Only then can we hope to prevent more cases like Anna’s from happening in the future.
Follow us
