<p>The sudden and tragic demise of Ernst &amp; Young's (EY) employee Anna Sebastian Perayil, 26, has taken the country by storm and has ignited a debate on the toxic work culture prevalent at some top consulting firms.&nbsp;</p>

<p>The debate started after the heart-wrenching letter of 26-year-old's mother Anita Augustine went viral, in which she blamed Ernst &amp; Young's toxic work culture for her daughter's death.&nbsp;</p>

<p>Anna had joined the audit and assurance team of the company in Pune in March of this year and died after four months allegedly because of extreme work stress.</p>

<h2><strong>EY's former employees speak about the work culture in the company</strong></h2>

<p>Now, a former Ernst &amp; Young (EY) employee took to LinkedIn to speak about her harrowing experience with the company.</p>

<p><strong>Also Read:&nbsp;</strong><a href="https://www.wionews.com/india-news/ey-india-chairmans-email-on-annas-death-with-do-not-forward-directive-gets-leaked-heres-what-he-said-760043">EY India chairman's email on Anna's death with 'do not forward' directive gets leaked. Here's what he said...</a></p>

<p>The woman, who is currently a freelance content writer, said, “Six years back I got my first offer letter from EY It was a dream for me to get placed (off campus ) in a Big4 immediately after graduating. I was excited to move to Bengaluru for work; as a girl who wasn’t away from her home, not even once, everything seemed to be a dream come true moment, but within a few months, I realised I was in a toxic work environment, which took a toll on my food, sleep and mental health.”</p>

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<p>“When I took the decision to quit EY, I was heavily criticised and was called immature, homesick, even lazy and incapable of keeping up with the demands of the corporate work environment. It was a tough decision, but it was necessary for my health that day,” she added.</p>

<p>More such stories emerged as people wrote long posts on LinkedIn to speak about their working experience with EY.</p>

<p>Speaking about his wife who once worked with EY, one LinkedIn user said, "My wife quit EY just because of the toxic work culture and if she had not quit, I don’t know what would have happened to her. 18 hours workday is normalised, glorified and expected out of employees by many big MNCs in India. The irony is, these same MNCs would not do that outside India. Indians are being seen as donkeys to offload work to and India is seen as a huge factory willing to operate 24x7x365."&nbsp;</p>

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<p>"My wife and I got married in 2021, an event that naturally requires time off work. Shockingly, two days before our wedding, my then-fiancée received a call from her manager at 10 PM regarding a timesheet. The following day, despite having approved leave, she was asked to conduct an urgent knowledge transfer session," wrote another user whose wife faced a similar situation.</p>

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<p>However, reacting to the mother's&nbsp;letter,&nbsp;EY in a statement said,&nbsp;"Anna was a part of the Audit team at S R Batliboi, a member firm of EY Global, in Pune for a brief period of four months, joining the firm on 18 March 2024. That her promising career was cut short in this tragic manner is an irreparable loss for all of us."</p>

<p><strong>Also Read:&nbsp;</strong><a href="https://www.wionews.com/india-news/ey-under-fire-after-26-year-old-employee-dies-tragically-due-to-work-stress-759689">EY under fire after 26-year-old employee dies tragically due to 'work stress'</a></p>

<p>The company added, "While no measure can compensate for the loss experienced by the family, we have provided all the assistance as we always do in such times of distress and will continue to do so."</p>

<p>"We place the highest importance on the well-being of all employees and will continue to find ways to improve and provide a healthy workplace for our 1,00,000 people across EY member firms in India," the company further stated.</p>


The sudden and tragic demise of Ernst & Young's (EY) employee Anna Sebastian Perayil, 26, has taken the country by storm and has ignited a debate on the toxic work culture prevalent at some top consulting firms.

The sudden and tragic demise of Ernst & Young's (EY) employee Anna Sebastian Perayil, 26, has taken the country by storm and has ignited a debate on the toxic work culture prevalent at some top consulting firms. The debate started after the heart-wrenching letter of 26-year-old's mother Anita Augustine went viral, in which she blamed Ernst & Young's toxic work culture for her daughter's death. Anna had joined the audit and assurance team of the company in Pune in March of this year and died after four months allegedly because of extreme work stress. EY's former employees speak about the work culture in the company Now, a former Ernst & Young (EY) employee took to LinkedIn to speak about her harrowing experience with the company. Also Read: EY India chairman's email on Anna's death with 'do not forward' directive gets leaked. Here's what he said... The woman, who is currently a freelance content writer, said, “Six years back I got my first offer letter from EY It was a dream for me to get placed (off campus ) in a Big4 immediately after graduating. I was excited to move to Bengaluru for work; as a girl who wasn’t away from her home, not even once, everything seemed to be a dream come true moment, but within a few months, I realised I was in a toxic work environment, which took a toll on my food, sleep and mental health.” × “When I took the decision to quit EY, I was heavily criticised and was called immature, homesick, even lazy and incapable of keeping up with the demands of the corporate work environment. It was a tough decision, but it was necessary for my health that day,” she added. More such stories emerged as people wrote long posts on LinkedIn to speak about their working experience with EY. Speaking about his wife who once worked with EY, one LinkedIn user said, "My wife quit EY just because of the toxic work culture and if she had not quit, I don’t know what would have happened to her. 18 hours workday is normalised, glorified and expected out of employees by many big MNCs in India. The irony is, these same MNCs would not do that outside India. Indians are being seen as donkeys to offload work to and India is seen as a huge factory willing to operate 24x7x365." × "My wife and I got married in 2021, an event that naturally requires time off work. Shockingly, two days before our wedding, my then-fiancée received a call from her manager at 10 PM regarding a timesheet. The following day, despite having approved leave, she was asked to conduct an urgent knowledge transfer session," wrote another user whose wife faced a similar situation. × However, reacting to the mother's letter, EY in a statement said, "Anna was a part of the Audit team at S R Batliboi, a member firm of EY Global, in Pune for a brief period of four months, joining the firm on 18 March 2024. That her promising career was cut short in this tragic manner is an irreparable loss for all of us." Also Read: EY under fire after 26-year-old employee dies tragically due to 'work stress' The company added, "While no measure can compensate for the loss experienced by the family, we have provided all the assistance as we always do in such times of distress and will continue to do so." "We place the highest importance on the well-being of all employees and will continue to find ways to improve and provide a healthy workplace for our 1,00,000 people across EY member firms in India," the company further stated.

EY's ex-employees open up about 'toxic work culture' as Anna's 'tragic death' takes country by storm

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<p>Amid the brewing controversy over the heart-wrenching letter of 26-year-old Anna Sebastian Perayil's mother Anita Augustine who has blamed Ernst &amp; Young's toxic work culture for her daughter's death, the company's India chairman Rajiv Memani sent an email to the staff with a “do not forward” directive which eventually got leaked online.</p>

<p>Anna had joined the audit and assurance team of the company in Pune in March of this year and died after four months allegedly because of extreme work stress.</p>

<p>The girl's mother in a strongly-worded letter called out the company for ignoring employees' well-being and having a toxic work culture and also highlighted how her colleagues even failed to attend her funeral.</p>

<p><strong>Also Read:</strong>&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/india-news/ey-under-fire-after-26-year-old-employee-dies-tragically-due-to-work-stress-759689">EY under fire after 26-year-old employee dies tragically due to 'work stress'</a></p>

<p>The mother said that her daughter received no weekends and often came back “utterly exhausted" from the office.</p>

<p>“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,” said Augustine, in her letter.</p>

<h2><strong>EY India chairman's leaked email</strong></h2>

<p>The leaked email, which is said to have been sent by Rajiv Memani to staff, has the subject line “News in media” after the letter written by Augustine went viral.</p>

<p>The email was sent with a “do not forward” directive, however, it got leaked on Reddit and has been widely&nbsp;circulated on social media.</p>

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<p>In the letter, the chairman spoke about receiving an “anguished email from Anna’s mother” and said that he had “taken note of her message with utmost seriousness and humility.”</p>

<p><strong><em>Disclaimer: WION cannot independently verify the authenticity of the post shared on social media. While filing this copy, we reached out to the company for their statement over the same which will be added after receiving the response.</em></strong></p>

<h2><strong>Here's the entire text of Rajiv Memani’s email</strong></h2>

<p><em>Dear all,</em></p>

<p><em>As you all would be aware, since yesterday, several messages regarding our firm have been circulating on WhatsApp and other social media platforms.</em></p>

<p><em>These pertain to the tragic passing away of Anna Sebastian on 20 July 2024, who joined us in our Assurance team in Pune on 18 March 2024. The fact that her journey with the firm was so short-lived - only four months - makes this tragedy even more poignant for all of us.</em></p>

<p><em>Anna hailed from Kochi and worked at our Pune office. During the difficult period following her passing, the firm was in regular contact with members of her family. While we acknowledge that no measure can compensate for the loss experienced by the family, we have provided all the assistance as we always do in such times of distress while respecting the family's privacy and preferences.</em></p>

<p><em>Though no words can comfort a grieving family, I have personally expressed my condolences and have shared my deepest regret for their irreparable loss. I received an anguished e-mail from Anna's mother and have taken note of her message with utmost seriousness and humility.</em></p>

<p><em>I would like to reaffirm to all of you that our firm places the highest importance on the health and well-being of our people, and we will recommit ourselves to providing a supportive, healthy, and balanced work environment to you all. I would like to make this an ongoing dialogue with you to ensure we are continually building a healthy workplace for everyone.</em></p>

<p><em>We have several well-being programs and open channels of communication available in the firm to ensure that you always have a safe space to voice your concerns anonymously, including through our existing Speak Up forum and Ethics Hotline. We will also create more avenues for you to share transparent and honest feedback on our workplace practices.</em></p>

<p><em>If you ever face challenges or need guidance, I will strongly encourage you to please reach out to your team leaders, members of the talent team and your support network across the firm. I would like to personally assure you that when you speak up, you will be heard with empathy and understanding. If there are any suggestions that you have, please don’t hesitate to let me know.</em></p>

<p><em>In the meantime, I urge you to handle this information with the utmost compassion and sensitivity.</em></p>

<p><em>Thank you for your understanding and cooperation.</em></p>

<p><em>Warm regards,</em></p>

<p><em>Rajiv</em></p>

<h2><strong>Centre to investigate death of E&amp;Y's 26-year-old employee</strong></h2>

<p>Meanwhile, the Centre has said that they will thoroughly investigate the death of 26-year-old Anna and will look into the allegations of excessive work pressure.</p>

<p><strong>Also Read:&nbsp;</strong><a href="https://www.wionews.com/business-economy/ernst-young-ey-india-responds-to-employee-annas-death-759971">Ernst &amp; Young (EY) India responds to employee Anna's death</a></p>

<p>"Deeply saddened by the tragic loss of Anna Sebastian Perayil. We are committed to ensuring justice and the Labour Ministry has officially taken up the complaint," said Minister of State for Labour Shobha Karandlaje in a post on X.</p>

<p>Reacting to the mother's&nbsp;letter,&nbsp;EY in a statement said,&nbsp;"Anna was a part of the Audit team at S R Batliboi, a member firm of EY Global, in Pune for a brief period of four months, joining the firm on 18 March 2024. That her promising career was cut short in this tragic manner is an irreparable loss for all of us."</p>

<p>The company added, "While no measure can compensate for the loss experienced by the family, we have provided all the assistance as we always do in such times of distress and will continue to do so."</p>

<p>"We place the highest importance on the well-being of all employees and will continue to find ways to improve and provide a healthy workplace for our 1,00,000 people across EY member firms in India," the company further stated.</p>

<p><em>(With inputs from agencies)</em></p>


Amid the brewing controversy over the heart-wrenching letter of 26-year-old Anna Sebastian Perayil's mother Anita Augustine who has blamed Ernst & Young's toxic work culture for her daughter's death, the company's India chairman Rajiv Memani sent an email to the staff with a “do not forward” directive which eventually got leaked online.

Amid the brewing controversy over the heart-wrenching letter of 26-year-old Anna Sebastian Perayil's mother Anita Augustine who has blamed Ernst & Young's toxic work culture for her daughter's death, the company's India chairman Rajiv Memani sent an email to the staff with a “do not forward” directive which eventually got leaked online. Anna had joined the audit and assurance team of the company in Pune in March of this year and died after four months allegedly because of extreme work stress. The girl's mother in a strongly-worded letter called out the company for ignoring employees' well-being and having a toxic work culture and also highlighted how her colleagues even failed to attend her funeral. Also Read: EY under fire after 26-year-old employee dies tragically due to 'work stress' The mother said that her daughter received no weekends and often came back “utterly exhausted" from the office. “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,” said Augustine, in her letter. EY India chairman's leaked email The leaked email, which is said to have been sent by Rajiv Memani to staff, has the subject line “News in media” after the letter written by Augustine went viral. The email was sent with a “do not forward” directive, however, it got leaked on Reddit and has been widely circulated on social media. EY India head's email response on the death of his overworked employee. byu/behenkayoda1 inindiasocial × In the letter, the chairman spoke about receiving an “anguished email from Anna’s mother” and said that he had “taken note of her message with utmost seriousness and humility.” Disclaimer: WION cannot independently verify the authenticity of the post shared on social media. While filing this copy, we reached out to the company for their statement over the same which will be added after receiving the response. Here's the entire text of Rajiv Memani’s email Dear all, As you all would be aware, since yesterday, several messages regarding our firm have been circulating on WhatsApp and other social media platforms. These pertain to the tragic passing away of Anna Sebastian on 20 July 2024, who joined us in our Assurance team in Pune on 18 March 2024. The fact that her journey with the firm was so short-lived - only four months - makes this tragedy even more poignant for all of us. Anna hailed from Kochi and worked at our Pune office. During the difficult period following her passing, the firm was in regular contact with members of her family. While we acknowledge that no measure can compensate for the loss experienced by the family, we have provided all the assistance as we always do in such times of distress while respecting the family's privacy and preferences. Though no words can comfort a grieving family, I have personally expressed my condolences and have shared my deepest regret for their irreparable loss. I received an anguished e-mail from Anna's mother and have taken note of her message with utmost seriousness and humility. I would like to reaffirm to all of you that our firm places the highest importance on the health and well-being of our people, and we will recommit ourselves to providing a supportive, healthy, and balanced work environment to you all. I would like to make this an ongoing dialogue with you to ensure we are continually building a healthy workplace for everyone. We have several well-being programs and open channels of communication available in the firm to ensure that you always have a safe space to voice your concerns anonymously, including through our existing Speak Up forum and Ethics Hotline. We will also create more avenues for you to share transparent and honest feedback on our workplace practices. If you ever face challenges or need guidance, I will strongly encourage you to please reach out to your team leaders, members of the talent team and your support network across the firm. I would like to personally assure you that when you speak up, you will be heard with empathy and understanding. If there are any suggestions that you have, please don’t hesitate to let me know. In the meantime, I urge you to handle this information with the utmost compassion and sensitivity. Thank you for your understanding and cooperation. Warm regards, Rajiv Centre to investigate death of E&Y's 26-year-old employee Meanwhile, the Centre has said that they will thoroughly investigate the death of 26-year-old Anna and will look into the allegations of excessive work pressure. Also Read: Ernst & Young (EY) India responds to employee Anna's death "Deeply saddened by the tragic loss of Anna Sebastian Perayil. We are committed to ensuring justice and the Labour Ministry has officially taken up the complaint," said Minister of State for Labour Shobha Karandlaje in a post on X. Reacting to the mother's letter, EY in a statement said, "Anna was a part of the Audit team at S R Batliboi, a member firm of EY Global, in Pune for a brief period of four months, joining the firm on 18 March 2024. That her promising career was cut short in this tragic manner is an irreparable loss for all of us." The company added, "While no measure can compensate for the loss experienced by the family, we have provided all the assistance as we always do in such times of distress and will continue to do so." "We place the highest importance on the well-being of all employees and will continue to find ways to improve and provide a healthy workplace for our 1,00,000 people across EY member firms in India," the company further stated. (With inputs from agencies)

EY India chairman's email on Anna's death with 'do not forward' directive gets leaked. Here's what he said...

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EY's ex-employees open up about 'toxic work culture' as Anna's 'tragic death' takes country by storm

EY India chairman's email on Anna's death with 'do not forward' directive gets leaked. Here's what he said...