EY Pune employee, 26, died due to work stress. No one from company attended her funeral | Trending

A 26-year-old employee of the multinational consulting firm Ernst & Young (EY) in Pune died due to “overwhelming workload,” her mother has claimed. Anna Sebastian Perayil had joined EY as a chartered accountant just four months before she succumbed to work pressure, her mother Anita Augustine said in a letter addressed to EY India Chairman Rajiv Memani. An EY employee succumbed to excessive workload at the age of 26 (Representational image) In her letter, Anna’s mother claimed that Ernst & Young was her daughter’s first job and she was thrilled about joining the company. Within just four months, however, she succumbed to “excessive workload.” Anna worked late into the night and on weekends, returned to her paying guest accommodation completely exhausted on most days, and was burdened with “backbreaking work” as a newcomer, the letter claimed. No one from Ernst & Young attended her funeral, Anna’s mother said in her heartbreaking letter. “She would pay with her life”“Anna was a school topper, and a college topper, excelled in extracurricular activities, and passed her CA exams with dinction. She worked tirelessly at EY, giving her all to meet the demands placed on her. However, the workload, new environment, and long hours took a toll on her physically, emotionally, and mentally,” Anita Augustine said in her letter to EY India chairman. She said that Anna joined EY Pune on March 19, 2024. She died on July 20, just four months later. The team that joined at EY was one where several employees had already resigned due to excessive workload. “The team manager told her, ‘Anna, you must stick around and change everyone’s opinion about our team.’ My child didn’t realize she would pay for that with her life,” her mother said, adding that the company and her manager showed no consideration for a new employee who had moved away from her hometown and was struggling to adjust in a new city where she did not know the people or the language. Overwhelming workloadAnita Augustine elaborated further on the work stress that Anna faced at EY Pune. The young executive had a manager who often assign her work during the end of her shift, forcing her to work overtime. Not only this but Anna often worked late into the nights and even on Sundays. Meetings were frequently rescheduled her manager and she received additional tasks above and beyond her job description. These tasks were assigned verbally. “Anna confided in us about the overwhelming workload, especially the additional tasks assigned verbally, beyond the official work. I would tell her not to take on such tasks, but the managers were relentless. She worked late into the night, even on weekends, with no opportunity to catch her breath,” her mother said. As a result, the young employee would often reach her PG “utterly exhausted” and collapse into bed without even changing her clothes. Her mother said she was constantly bombarded with messages asking about this report or that one. “We told her quit, but she wanted to learn and gain new exposure. However, the overwhelming pressure proved too much even for her.” “No one from EY attended Anna’s funeral”Anna’s mother said that her managers and colleagues did not even bother to attend her funeral. “No one from EY attended Anna’s funeral… After her funeral, I reached out to her managers, but I received no reply. How can a company that speaks of values and human rights fail to show up for one of its own in their final moments?” her mother asked. She said that her daughter’s death should serve as a wake-up call for EY. Anna’s death was reflective of the larger work culture which glorifies hard work at the cost of health. “I am writing to you now, Rajiv, because I believe EY has a profound responsibility to ensure the well-being of its employees. Anna’s experience sheds light on a work culture that seems to glorify overwork while neglecting the very human beings behind the roles. “I hope my child’s experience leads to real change so that no other family has to endure the grief and trauma we are going through. My Anna is no longer with us, but her story can still make a difference,” she concluded. HT.com has reached out to EY for a statement and will update this copy on receiving a response.