<p>After <a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/zepto-graptile-ceos-share-views-on-work-life-balance-face-backlash-781499">Narayan Murthy,</a> the chairman of Larsen &amp; Toubro (L&amp;T) SN Subrahmanyan sparked discussions after saying that employees should work 90 hours a week. His statement came when he was asked during employee interaction why the multi-billion dollar company is still making its employees work on Saturdays. Subrahmanyan replied that he regrets he is not able to make them work on Sundays too.&nbsp;</p>
<p>"I regret I am not able to make you work on Sundays. If I can make you work on Sundays, I will be more happy, because I work on Sundays,&rdquo; he said in a video circulated on social media.&nbsp;</p>
<p><strong>Also read: <a class="gh-archive-page-post-title-link" href="https://www.wionews.com/world/us-president-elect-donald-trump-reposts-video-israeli-pm-netanyahu-of-shaping-us-foreign-policy-8604931" aria-label="Trump reposts video calling Netanyahu 'deep, dark son of a b***h'">Trump reposts video calling Netanyahu 'deep, dark son of a b***h'</a></strong></p>
<p>He further asked his employee why they were sitting at home and how long can they "stare at their wives". &ldquo;Come on, get to the office and start working," he added.&nbsp;</p>
<blockquote class="reddit-embed-bq" data-embed-height="567"><a href="https://www.reddit.com/r/IndiaCareers/comments/1hvvuba/lt_chairman_says_he_regrets_hes_not_able_to_make/">L&amp;T Chairman says, &ldquo;he regrets he&rsquo;s not able to make us work on Sunday and Sunday&rsquo;s, 90hrs a week&rdquo; in a response to his employee remarks </a><br>by<a href="https://www.reddit.com/user/5seb4C/">u/5seb4C</a> in<a href="https://www.reddit.com/r/IndiaCareers/">IndiaCareers</a></blockquote>
<p>
<script async="" src="https://embed.reddit.com/widgets.js" charset="UTF-8"></script>
He defended his statement by narrating a story that he met a Chinese person who claimed that his country would beat the US, and the reason is that Chinese people work 90 hours a week while Americans do just 50 hours a week.&nbsp;</p>
<p>&ldquo;So that&rsquo;s the answer for you. If you have got to be on top of the world. You have to work 90 hours a week. Get going, guys. Come on,&rdquo; Subrahmanyan said.&nbsp;</p>
<p><strong>Also read:&nbsp;<a class="gh-archive-page-post-title-link" href="https://www.wionews.com/world/chinese-woman-gives-birth-four-hours-after-finding-out-she-was-pregnant-8604727" aria-label="Chinese woman gives birth four hours after finding out she was pregnant">Chinese woman gives birth four hours after finding out she was pregnant</a></strong></p>
<p>After the video circulated on the social media platform Reddit, people compared him with Infosys founder Narayan Murthy, who has been criticised for telling employees to work 70 hours a week.&nbsp;</p>
<p>People were seen asking Subrahmanyan why a low-paid employee should be expected to work like a CEO.&nbsp;</p>
<p>A Reddit user wrote, "I don&rsquo;t care about competing with China. Let China become number one; it doesn&rsquo;t make any difference to me. I just want to sit with my family and enjoy the limited amount of time I have here on earth with my loved ones."&nbsp;</p>
<p><strong>Also read:&nbsp;<a class="gh-archive-page-post-title-link" href="https://www.wionews.com/world/worlds-sick-leave-champion-germanys-economic-woes-intensify-8604622" aria-label="World&rsquo;s sick leave champion nation&rsquo;s economic woes intensify">World&rsquo;s sick leave champion nation&rsquo;s economic woes intensify</a></strong></p>
<p>&ldquo;I was in that speech yesterday. Someone asked in L&amp;T if sick leave is approved only if you fall sick for two days, why and how come we can fall sick only one day? He said &lsquo;Then don&rsquo;t fall sick&rsquo;,&rdquo; another user claimed.&nbsp;</p>
<p>So others said that the private sector's approach to harassing people like this is the reason there is an immense craze in the government sector among Indians.&nbsp;</p>
<p><strong>Also read:&nbsp;<a class="gh-archive-page-post-title-link" href="https://www.wionews.com/world/rhode-island-man-shoots-seven-month-pregnant-wife-children-in-murder-suicide-8604510" aria-label="US: Rhode Island man shoots seven-month pregnant wife, children in murder-suicide">US: Rhode Island man shoots seven-month pregnant wife, children in murder-suicide</a></strong></p>
<p><em>(With inputs from agencies)</em></p>

India News | Trending: The perception of a stronger work ethic in China suggests that this dedication might drive economic growth, influencing global market dynamics.

After Narayan Murthy, the chairman of Larsen & Toubro (L&T) SN Subrahmanyan sparked discussions after saying that employees should work 90 hours a week. His statement came when he was asked during employee interaction why the multi-billion dollar company is still making its employees work on Saturdays. Subrahmanyan replied that he regrets he is not able to make them work on Sundays too. "I regret I am not able to make you work on Sundays. If I can make you work on Sundays, I will be more happy, because I work on Sundays,” he said in a video circulated on social media. Also read: Trump reposts video calling Netanyahu 'deep, dark son of a b***h' He further asked his employee why they were sitting at home and how long can they "stare at their wives". “Come on, get to the office and start working," he added. L&T Chairman says, “he regrets he’s not able to make us work on Sunday and Sunday’s, 90hrs a week” in a response to his employee remarks byu/5seb4C inIndiaCareers He defended his statement by narrating a story that he met a Chinese person who claimed that his country would beat the US, and the reason is that Chinese people work 90 hours a week while Americans do just 50 hours a week. “So that’s the answer for you. If you have got to be on top of the world. You have to work 90 hours a week. Get going, guys. Come on,” Subrahmanyan said. Also read: Chinese woman gives birth four hours after finding out she was pregnant After the video circulated on the social media platform Reddit, people compared him with Infosys founder Narayan Murthy, who has been criticised for telling employees to work 70 hours a week. People were seen asking Subrahmanyan why a low-paid employee should be expected to work like a CEO. A Reddit user wrote, "I don’t care about competing with China. Let China become number one; it doesn’t make any difference to me. I just want to sit with my family and enjoy the limited amount of time I have here on earth with my loved ones." Also read: World’s sick leave champion nation’s economic woes intensify “I was in that speech yesterday. Someone asked in L&T if sick leave is approved only if you fall sick for two days, why and how come we can fall sick only one day? He said ‘Then don’t fall sick’,” another user claimed. So others said that the private sector's approach to harassing people like this is the reason there is an immense craze in the government sector among Indians. Also read: US: Rhode Island man shoots seven-month pregnant wife, children in murder-suicide (With inputs from agencies)

L&T chairman asks employees to stop 'staring at their wives' at home and work 90 hours a week. Internet is not happy

<p>Founders and bosses of PinkNews, the world's largest LGBT news website, are facing allegations of sexual misconduct and a toxic workplace, according to media reports on Tuesday (Dec 10). Multiple former and current employees&nbsp;accused the founders of the company – Benjamin Cohen and his husband, Anthony James, of unacceptable conduct.</p>

<p><meta charset="utf-8" /></p>

<h2 dir="ltr"><strong>Allegations of sexual misconduct</strong></h2>

<p>According to an investigation by BBC, several former employees accused James of groping and kissing a junior colleague who was too drunk to consent outside a pub in central London, after a PinkNews event.</p>

<p>Gary, one of the former employees, goes on to narrate how James took the junior colleague behind a tree: "He took her behind a tree and started misbehaving with her".&nbsp;</p>

<p>"Anthony was just forcing himself on somebody who wasn’t able to make that decision for themselves," Gary added.</p>

<p>The staff members who were eyewitnesses were reportedly too scared to make complaints as they feared retaliation.&nbsp;</p>

<h2 dir="ltr"><strong>Excessive drinking,&nbsp;inappropriate behaviour at work</strong></h2>

<p>PinkNews also reportedly has a reputation for encouraging heavy drinking at events such as "Prosecco Fridays," where inappropriate incidents have allegedly occurred.&nbsp;</p>

<p>Damian, a former employee, recalled an uncomfortable interaction on a night out after work at a pub, where Cohen reportedly made sexual advances.</p>

<p>"It put me on alert because it made me realise it was a boundary he thought he could cross," Damian said.</p>

<p>Another former employee, Stephan Kyriacou, shared an experience of being slapped on the bottom by Cohen during a Christmas party. Kyriacou said that the incident made him uncomfortable being alone with Cohen thereafter.</p>

<h2 dir="ltr"><strong>Misogynistic behaviour and toxic work&nbsp;culture</strong></h2>

<p dir="ltr">Several staff members at PinkNews also spoke about a toxic workplace, with reports of bullying and emotional abuse. Damian said Cohen’s harsh leadership put him under immense pressure and often led to personal stress.&nbsp;</p>

<p dir="ltr"><strong>Also Read:&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/georgia-enacts-controversial-family-values-bill-curbing-lgbt-rights-ahead-of-elections-764130">Georgia enacts controversial 'family values' bill curbing LGBT rights ahead of elections</a></strong></p>

<p dir="ltr">The staff also spoke about their workplace being toxic and reported bullying and emotional maltreatment.&nbsp;</p>

<p>Several employees also reported misogynistic behaviour directed at young female staff members who were allegedly asked to act as surrogates for Cohen and James, sometimes in a joking manner. These requests were described as "creepy" and "sleazy."</p>

<p>Many former staff members, however, feared repercussions if they spoke out against the leadership.</p>

<h2 dir="ltr"><strong>Call for accountability and change&nbsp;</strong></h2>

<p>Cohen and James have denied the allegations. Their representatives told the BBC they are unable to comment at this time but maintain that the accusations are false. However, former and current staff hope for changes within PinkNews to reflect its mission of empowering the LGBT community.</p>

<p>PinkNews has been an influential voice in LGBT rights, including its role in advocating for marriage equality in the United Kingdom. However, the ongoing allegations may threaten the organisation's credibility and its future in the media landscape.<br />
<br />
<em>(With inputs from agencies)</em></p>


Founders and bosses of PinkNews, the world's largest LGBT news website, are facing allegations of sexual misconduct and a toxic workplace, according to media reports on Tuesday (Dec 10).

Founders and bosses of PinkNews, the world's largest LGBT news website, are facing allegations of sexual misconduct and a toxic workplace, according to media reports on Tuesday (Dec 10). Multiple former and current employees accused the founders of the company – Benjamin Cohen and his husband, Anthony James, of unacceptable conduct. Allegations of sexual misconduct According to an investigation by BBC, several former employees accused James of groping and kissing a junior colleague who was too drunk to consent outside a pub in central London, after a PinkNews event. Gary, one of the former employees, goes on to narrate how James took the junior colleague behind a tree: "He took her behind a tree and started misbehaving with her". "Anthony was just forcing himself on somebody who wasn’t able to make that decision for themselves," Gary added. The staff members who were eyewitnesses were reportedly too scared to make complaints as they feared retaliation. Excessive drinking, inappropriate behaviour at work PinkNews also reportedly has a reputation for encouraging heavy drinking at events such as "Prosecco Fridays," where inappropriate incidents have allegedly occurred. Damian, a former employee, recalled an uncomfortable interaction on a night out after work at a pub, where Cohen reportedly made sexual advances. "It put me on alert because it made me realise it was a boundary he thought he could cross," Damian said. Another former employee, Stephan Kyriacou, shared an experience of being slapped on the bottom by Cohen during a Christmas party. Kyriacou said that the incident made him uncomfortable being alone with Cohen thereafter. Misogynistic behaviour and toxic work culture Several staff members at PinkNews also spoke about a toxic workplace, with reports of bullying and emotional abuse. Damian said Cohen’s harsh leadership put him under immense pressure and often led to personal stress. Also Read: Georgia enacts controversial 'family values' bill curbing LGBT rights ahead of elections The staff also spoke about their workplace being toxic and reported bullying and emotional maltreatment. Several employees also reported misogynistic behaviour directed at young female staff members who were allegedly asked to act as surrogates for Cohen and James, sometimes in a joking manner. These requests were described as "creepy" and "sleazy." Many former staff members, however, feared repercussions if they spoke out against the leadership. Call for accountability and change Cohen and James have denied the allegations. Their representatives told the BBC they are unable to comment at this time but maintain that the accusations are false. However, former and current staff hope for changes within PinkNews to reflect its mission of empowering the LGBT community. PinkNews has been an influential voice in LGBT rights, including its role in advocating for marriage equality in the United Kingdom. However, the ongoing allegations may threaten the organisation's credibility and its future in the media landscape. (With inputs from agencies)

PinkNews founders face allegations of sexual misconduct and toxic work culture at largest LGBT site

<p>CEO of a San Francisco-based artificial intelligence (AI) start-up, Greptile, said he received death threats after posting about the company’s 84-hour workweeks on social media.</p>

<div class="ui-state-default" contenteditable="false">
<div class="twitter-block" draggable="false">
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet">
<p dir="ltr" lang="en">now that this is on the front page of reddit and my inbox is 20% death threats and 80% job applications, here’s a follow up<br />
<br />
- to everyone who is overworked and underpaid at their software jobs esp outside the US, i feel for you, and i’m sorry this struck a nerve. the people… <a href="https://t.co/RzAM75DiG2">pic.twitter.com/RzAM75DiG2</a></p>
— Daksh Gupta (@dakshgup) <a href="https://twitter.com/dakshgup/status/1855670370659111242?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">November 10, 2024</a></blockquote>
<script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script></div>
<a class="close-mark close-div" href="#" id="jqclosemark">×</a></div>

<p>Daksh Gupta found himself in the middle of a heated debate after making a post on X saying he expects his employees to have “no work-life balance”, working 84 hours a week, and sometimes even on weekends.</p>

<p>“Recently I started telling candidates right in the first interview that Greptile offers no work-life balance, typical workdays start at 9 am and end at 11 pm, often later, and we work Saturdays, sometimes also Sundays. I emphasize the environment is high stress, and there is no tolerance for poor work,” he wrote on X, adding that “transparency is good” rather than people finding it out later on their first day.</p>

<p><strong>Also read |&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/sam-altman-criticises-elon-musk-over-ai-chatbot-groks-response-to-us-presidential-candidates-776865">Sam Altman criticises Elon Musk over AI chatbot Grok’s response to US presidential candidates</a></strong></p>

<p>He further said, “Curious if other people do this and if there’s some obvious pitfall I’m missing.”</p>

<p>The post received a flood of reactions from social media users. While most users called the work environment at his company “toxic”, the CEO also claimed to receive some death threats and many job applications.</p>

<h2><strong>CEO defends his stance on 84-hour workweeks</strong></h2>

<p>In another lengthy post, he defended his stance saying, “It might be hard to believe but there exist people that want this, while a minority. The transparency exists to identify them.”</p>

<p>He also said that his “inbox is 20% death threats and 80% job applications”.</p>

<p><strong>Also read |&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/us-election-where-did-kamala-harris-campaign-money-of-1-billion-go-776930">US election: Where did Kamala Harris' campaign money of $1 billion go?</a></strong></p>

<p>Gupta further acknowledged that it may not be for everyone, saying “This way of working isn’t supposed to be forever because it isn’t sustainable. It’s the first year or two of a startup which is like reaching escape velocity. Like people said in the comments, as we mature we’ll hire older, more experienced people who have families and can’t work 100 hours a week, and naturally we would adapt like any good organization.”</p>

<p>“This is NOT meant to be prescriptive,” he added.</p>

<p><em>(With inputs from agencies)</em></p>


CEO of a San Francisco-based artificial intelligence (AI) start-up, Greptile, said he received death threats after posting about the company’s 84-hour workweeks on social media.

CEO of a San Francisco-based artificial intelligence (AI) start-up, Greptile, said he received death threats after posting about the company’s 84-hour workweeks on social media. now that this is on the front page of reddit and my inbox is 20% death threats and 80% job applications, here’s a follow up - to everyone who is overworked and underpaid at their software jobs esp outside the US, i feel for you, and i’m sorry this struck a nerve. the people… pic.twitter.com/RzAM75DiG2 — Daksh Gupta (@dakshgup) November 10, 2024 × Daksh Gupta found himself in the middle of a heated debate after making a post on X saying he expects his employees to have “no work-life balance”, working 84 hours a week, and sometimes even on weekends. “Recently I started telling candidates right in the first interview that Greptile offers no work-life balance, typical workdays start at 9 am and end at 11 pm, often later, and we work Saturdays, sometimes also Sundays. I emphasize the environment is high stress, and there is no tolerance for poor work,” he wrote on X, adding that “transparency is good” rather than people finding it out later on their first day. Also read | Sam Altman criticises Elon Musk over AI chatbot Grok’s response to US presidential candidates He further said, “Curious if other people do this and if there’s some obvious pitfall I’m missing.” The post received a flood of reactions from social media users. While most users called the work environment at his company “toxic”, the CEO also claimed to receive some death threats and many job applications. CEO defends his stance on 84-hour workweeks In another lengthy post, he defended his stance saying, “It might be hard to believe but there exist people that want this, while a minority. The transparency exists to identify them.” He also said that his “inbox is 20% death threats and 80% job applications”. Also read | US election: Where did Kamala Harris' campaign money of $1 billion go? Gupta further acknowledged that it may not be for everyone, saying “This way of working isn’t supposed to be forever because it isn’t sustainable. It’s the first year or two of a startup which is like reaching escape velocity. Like people said in the comments, as we mature we’ll hire older, more experienced people who have families and can’t work 100 hours a week, and naturally we would adapt like any good organization.” “This is NOT meant to be prescriptive,” he added. (With inputs from agencies)

Start-up CEO receives death threats for company’s 84-hour workweeks

<p>The sudden death of Ernst and Young's (EY) 26-year-old employee Anna Sebastian Perayil has sparked a debate over the toxic work culture in some of the biggest firms in India and has raised some serious questions about work stress which can prove fatal.</p>

<p>The young generation is known to toil really hard in their initial years to land employment in the so-called Big 4 accounting firms - Deloitte, Ernst &amp; Young (EY), PricewaterhouseCoopers (PwC) and KPMG - which can be called 'dream job destinations'.</p>

<p>After signing on the dotted lines, these employees - full of excitement and vigour - take on social media platforms like LinkedIn to announce and celebrate their new jobs.&nbsp;</p>

<p><strong>Also Read:</strong>&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/india-news/ey-employee-death-fm-sitharaman-says-colleges-should-provide-stress-management-lessons-761079">EY employee death: FM Sitharaman says colleges should provide ‘stress management lessons’</a></p>

<p>Many of them come from the middle class and have their own financial liabilities to meet which eventually become their shackles when they find themselves compromising their health, and at times even live in these "dream jobs" with no way out.&nbsp;</p>

<p>Many of them finally find a way out and try to restart from scratch but some meet a fate similar to that of Anna, whose mother Anita Augustine's letter left the nation wondering if it's really worth the trouble.</p>

<h2><strong>Employees share their struggles of working in big firms</strong></h2>

<p>WION reached out to the former employees of some of these firms and tried to understand what's making it difficult for them to survive in these jobs. This is what they had to say:</p>

<p><strong>Aditi (name changed)</strong><br />
<em>On the first day at EY, I was made to work for 12 hours from 9 am to 9 pm. At work, we had to wait beyond our working hours to hold meetings with the offshore team because they would log in as per their working hours. At one point, I worked for 15 hours for three days on a stretch and had to work beforehand for all the public holidays, comp-offs or any other holidays. I suffered from anxiety attacks and faced issues in breathing because of work stress.&nbsp;</em></p>

<p><strong>Namrata (name changed)</strong><br />
<em>I had to clock 65 hours a week during busy months at EY. We worked for a lot more hours on one client in comparison to the time we officially showed what we had spent on them. There was no recognition of work and we were made to feel we are easily replaceable. The work schedule was so hectic that at times I started my day at 7 am and came back by 12 am or 1 am. &nbsp;I had put on more weight, faced gastroenteritis issues and started falling sick way more often.</em></p>

<p><strong>Aastha (name changed)</strong><br />
<em>The busy months were very hectic at EY, we were clocking 90 hours a week and were putting in some extra hours which remained hidden. It was usual for the onshore team to come at odd times and we were expected to wait for their call.</em></p>

<p><strong>Harshita (name changed)</strong><br />
<em>There were no fixed working hours during the pandemic and we worked almost all the time. The maximum I had charged was 16 hours in a day which was not real working hours because we had to keep them within the budget. The managers were not very helpful and no leaves were granted.</em></p>

<p><strong>Anirudh (name changed)</strong><br />
<em>In the Big4s, you are expected to work constantly and you have to work on weekends to show your seniors that you are actually putting in the work. It was so hectic at KPMG that at times I came back at 4 am and had to leave at 8 am. There are a lot of hidden work hours because you are not allowed to log in the actual work hours in the system. In these organisations, staying late in the office is appreciated. The conditions were pretty much similar at PwC.</em></p>

<h2><strong>What went wrong in these firms?</strong></h2>

<p>The conversations with the former employees of the firms underlined some core issues prevalent across the industry which seemed to have been neglected or remained unheard for years. Some of these issues were:&nbsp;</p>

<ul>
	<li>Hidden working hours</li>
	<li>Calls with offshore teams beyond working hours</li>
	<li>Overloading of clients and setting ambitious work targets</li>
	<li>Denial of leaves and even weekends</li>
	<li>No appreciation of efficiency&nbsp;</li>
	<li>No raising of voice against such norms</li>
</ul>

<p>These experiences raise some hard questions for the Big4 firms. Should such reputed companies have working environments which can push employees to the edge? Were the top management aware of these activities or was it the opaqueness of the middle management which kept them uninformed? Why were employees blindly burdened with unachievable and over-ambitious targets? Why were they silent?&nbsp;</p>

<h2><strong>Silence among employees: A generational trauma or a societal lesson?</strong></h2>

<p>How much do we question these firms? On the other side of it, one wonders why the employees decided to remain mum over such a serious issue till Anna lost her life.</p>

<p><strong>Watch:&nbsp;EY Employee's Death: Are India’s Labour Laws Enabling Workers' Exploitation?&nbsp;</strong></p>

<div class="videoWrapper trancodeVideo"><iframe allowfullscreen="" autoplay="1" class="includeVideo" frameborder="0" height="350" src="https://www.wionews.com/videos/ey-employees-death-are-indias-labour-laws-enabling-workers-exploitation-wion-decodes-760449/embed" style="width:100%;max-width:560px;" width="560"></iframe></div>

<p>Speaking to <em>WION </em>about how employees are failing to save themselves from such a toxic work culture, psychologist Madhumati Dhumak said, "People tend to make unrealistic goals and fail to set boundaries with work and even with themselves. From childhood, we are taught not to say no, which makes it difficult for us to do the same when we grow up."</p>

<p>Explaining how work stress can turn killer for people, she said, "Anything that happens psychologically will manifest into physical symptoms and can lead to severe diseases like chest pain, constipation, shortness of breath, stress-induced asthma, panic attacks and even heartache."</p>

<p>So, how can the employees save themselves from the work stress and escape the burnout? "Working out, making food, finding hobbies, making realistic goals, setting up priorities and most importantly establishing boundaries" &nbsp;can work magic for those battling work stress, Dhumak said.</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>


The sudden death of Ernst and Young's (EY) 26-year-old employee Anna Sebastian Perayil has sparked a debate over the toxic work culture in some of the biggest firms in India and has raised some serious questions about work stress which can prove fatal.

The sudden death of Ernst and Young's (EY) 26-year-old employee Anna Sebastian Perayil has sparked a debate over the toxic work culture in some of the biggest firms in India and has raised some serious questions about work stress which can prove fatal. The young generation is known to toil really hard in their initial years to land employment in the so-called Big 4 accounting firms - Deloitte, Ernst & Young (EY), PricewaterhouseCoopers (PwC) and KPMG - which can be called 'dream job destinations'. After signing on the dotted lines, these employees - full of excitement and vigour - take on social media platforms like LinkedIn to announce and celebrate their new jobs. Also Read: EY employee death: FM Sitharaman says colleges should provide ‘stress management lessons’ Many of them come from the middle class and have their own financial liabilities to meet which eventually become their shackles when they find themselves compromising their health, and at times even live in these "dream jobs" with no way out. Many of them finally find a way out and try to restart from scratch but some meet a fate similar to that of Anna, whose mother Anita Augustine's letter left the nation wondering if it's really worth the trouble. Employees share their struggles of working in big firms WION reached out to the former employees of some of these firms and tried to understand what's making it difficult for them to survive in these jobs. This is what they had to say: Aditi (name changed) On the first day at EY, I was made to work for 12 hours from 9 am to 9 pm. At work, we had to wait beyond our working hours to hold meetings with the offshore team because they would log in as per their working hours. At one point, I worked for 15 hours for three days on a stretch and had to work beforehand for all the public holidays, comp-offs or any other holidays. I suffered from anxiety attacks and faced issues in breathing because of work stress. Namrata (name changed) I had to clock 65 hours a week during busy months at EY. We worked for a lot more hours on one client in comparison to the time we officially showed what we had spent on them. There was no recognition of work and we were made to feel we are easily replaceable. The work schedule was so hectic that at times I started my day at 7 am and came back by 12 am or 1 am. I had put on more weight, faced gastroenteritis issues and started falling sick way more often. Aastha (name changed) The busy months were very hectic at EY, we were clocking 90 hours a week and were putting in some extra hours which remained hidden. It was usual for the onshore team to come at odd times and we were expected to wait for their call. Harshita (name changed) There were no fixed working hours during the pandemic and we worked almost all the time. The maximum I had charged was 16 hours in a day which was not real working hours because we had to keep them within the budget. The managers were not very helpful and no leaves were granted. Anirudh (name changed) In the Big4s, you are expected to work constantly and you have to work on weekends to show your seniors that you are actually putting in the work. It was so hectic at KPMG that at times I came back at 4 am and had to leave at 8 am. There are a lot of hidden work hours because you are not allowed to log in the actual work hours in the system. In these organisations, staying late in the office is appreciated. The conditions were pretty much similar at PwC. What went wrong in these firms? The conversations with the former employees of the firms underlined some core issues prevalent across the industry which seemed to have been neglected or remained unheard for years. Some of these issues were: Hidden working hours Calls with offshore teams beyond working hours Overloading of clients and setting ambitious work targets Denial of leaves and even weekends No appreciation of efficiency No raising of voice against such norms These experiences raise some hard questions for the Big4 firms. Should such reputed companies have working environments which can push employees to the edge? Were the top management aware of these activities or was it the opaqueness of the middle management which kept them uninformed? Why were employees blindly burdened with unachievable and over-ambitious targets? Why were they silent? Silence among employees: A generational trauma or a societal lesson? How much do we question these firms? On the other side of it, one wonders why the employees decided to remain mum over such a serious issue till Anna lost her life. Watch: EY Employee's Death: Are India’s Labour Laws Enabling Workers' Exploitation? Speaking to WION about how employees are failing to save themselves from such a toxic work culture, psychologist Madhumati Dhumak said, "People tend to make unrealistic goals and fail to set boundaries with work and even with themselves. From childhood, we are taught not to say no, which makes it difficult for us to do the same when we grow up." Explaining how work stress can turn killer for people, she said, "Anything that happens psychologically will manifest into physical symptoms and can lead to severe diseases like chest pain, constipation, shortness of breath, stress-induced asthma, panic attacks and even heartache." So, how can the employees save themselves from the work stress and escape the burnout? "Working out, making food, finding hobbies, making realistic goals, setting up priorities and most importantly establishing boundaries" can work magic for those battling work stress, Dhumak said. 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.

Anna Sebastian Perayil: EY employee's death sheds light on how big firms turn into 'human-consuming' factories

<p bis_size="{&quot;x&quot;:7,&quot;y&quot;:15,&quot;w&quot;:649,&quot;h&quot;:67,&quot;abs_x&quot;:40,&quot;abs_y&quot;:1915}">In India's Pune, an Ernst &amp; Young (EY) office has come under scrutiny following the tragic death of 26-year-old audit executive Anna Sebastian Perayil, who reportedly struggled with a heavy workload. Now, reports citing a senior government official suggest that the EY office has been operating since 2007 without the necessary state permit that regulates working hours.</p>

<h2 bis_size="{&quot;x&quot;:7,&quot;y&quot;:101,&quot;w&quot;:649,&quot;h&quot;:26,&quot;abs_x&quot;:40,&quot;abs_y&quot;:2001}"><strong bis_size="{&quot;x&quot;:7,&quot;y&quot;:101,&quot;w&quot;:225,&quot;h&quot;:25,&quot;abs_x&quot;:40,&quot;abs_y&quot;:2001}">EY's missing permits</strong></h2>

<p bis_size="{&quot;x&quot;:7,&quot;y&quot;:146,&quot;w&quot;:649,&quot;h&quot;:50,&quot;abs_x&quot;:40,&quot;abs_y&quot;:2046}">Shailendra Pol, Maharashtra's additional labour commissioner, as per news agency Reuters, has revealed that EY applied for registration under the state's Shops and Establishments Act only in February 2024, which was denied due to the company's long-standing non-compliance.&nbsp;</p>

<p bis_size="{&quot;x&quot;:7,&quot;y&quot;:212,&quot;w&quot;:649,&quot;h&quot;:33,&quot;abs_x&quot;:40,&quot;abs_y&quot;:2112}"><strong bis_size="{&quot;x&quot;:7,&quot;y&quot;:212,&quot;w&quot;:615,&quot;h&quot;:33,&quot;abs_x&quot;:40,&quot;abs_y&quot;:2112}">Also read |&nbsp;<a bis_size="{&quot;x&quot;:7,&quot;y&quot;:212,&quot;w&quot;:615,&quot;h&quot;:33,&quot;abs_x&quot;:40,&quot;abs_y&quot;:2112}" href="https://www.wionews.com/india-news/extra-judicial-killing-cop-who-shot-akshay-shinde-linked-to-encounter-specialist-pradeep-sharma-761542">Extra-judicial killing? Cop who shot Badlapur accused linked to ‘encounter specialist’ Pradeep Sharma</a></strong></p>

<p bis_size="{&quot;x&quot;:7,&quot;y&quot;:261,&quot;w&quot;:649,&quot;h&quot;:33,&quot;abs_x&quot;:40,&quot;abs_y&quot;:2161}">"The company applied for a registration with the labour department only in February 2024 and we rejected it because it had not applied since 2007 when it started this office," Pol told Reuters.</p>

<p bis_size="{&quot;x&quot;:7,&quot;y&quot;:310,&quot;w&quot;:649,&quot;h&quot;:33,&quot;abs_x&quot;:40,&quot;abs_y&quot;:2210}">This law stipulates a maximum of nine working hours per day and 48 hours per week for adults. Pol stated that EY has been given a week to respond to the lapse in its operational status.</p>

<p bis_size="{&quot;x&quot;:7,&quot;y&quot;:359,&quot;w&quot;:649,&quot;h&quot;:50,&quot;abs_x&quot;:40,&quot;abs_y&quot;:2259}">If found guilty of non-compliance that results in serious injury or death, the company could face penalties including imprisonment of up to six months or fines reaching Rs 500,000&nbsp;(approximately $5,980) or both.</p>

<p bis_size="{&quot;x&quot;:7,&quot;y&quot;:424,&quot;w&quot;:649,&quot;h&quot;:50,&quot;abs_x&quot;:40,&quot;abs_y&quot;:2324}">Pol's team is investigating further and has requested information from EY, including employee hours, welfare policies, and whether Perayil was pressured to work excessively during her tenure as an associate.&nbsp;</p>

<h2 bis_size="{&quot;x&quot;:7,&quot;y&quot;:494,&quot;w&quot;:649,&quot;h&quot;:52,&quot;abs_x&quot;:40,&quot;abs_y&quot;:2394}"><strong bis_size="{&quot;x&quot;:7,&quot;y&quot;:494,&quot;w&quot;:637,&quot;h&quot;:51,&quot;abs_x&quot;:40,&quot;abs_y&quot;:2394}">EY employee's mother blames 'backbreaking'&nbsp;demands for death</strong></h2>

<p bis_size="{&quot;x&quot;:7,&quot;y&quot;:565,&quot;w&quot;:649,&quot;h&quot;:33,&quot;abs_x&quot;:40,&quot;abs_y&quot;:2465}">Perayil's mother has attributed her daughter’s death to the "backbreaking" demands of her job, prompting a federal investigation into the circumstances surrounding the incident.&nbsp;</p>

<p bis_size="{&quot;x&quot;:7,&quot;y&quot;:614,&quot;w&quot;:649,&quot;h&quot;:33,&quot;abs_x&quot;:40,&quot;abs_y&quot;:2514}"><strong bis_size="{&quot;x&quot;:7,&quot;y&quot;:614,&quot;w&quot;:645,&quot;h&quot;:33,&quot;abs_x&quot;:40,&quot;abs_y&quot;:2514}">Also read |&nbsp;<a bis_size="{&quot;x&quot;:7,&quot;y&quot;:614,&quot;w&quot;:645,&quot;h&quot;:33,&quot;abs_x&quot;:40,&quot;abs_y&quot;:2514}" href="https://www.wionews.com/india-news/anna-sebastian-perayil-ey-employees-death-sheds-light-on-how-big-firms-turn-into-human-consuming-factories-761276">Anna Sebastian Perayil: EY employee's death sheds light on how big firms turn into 'human-consuming' factories</a></strong></p>

<p bis_size="{&quot;x&quot;:7,&quot;y&quot;:663,&quot;w&quot;:649,&quot;h&quot;:50,&quot;abs_x&quot;:40,&quot;abs_y&quot;:2563}">In a letter to the EY India chairperson, Perayil's mother, Anita Augustine, detailed her daughter's "overwhelming workload", stating that Anna "worked late into the night, even on weekends, with no opportunity to catch her breath". The family has reported that Perayil died of cardiac arrest.</p>

<p bis_size="{&quot;x&quot;:7,&quot;y&quot;:729,&quot;w&quot;:649,&quot;h&quot;:50,&quot;abs_x&quot;:40,&quot;abs_y&quot;:2629}">EY India previously emphasised that it placed "the highest importance on the well-being of all employees" and was "taking the family's correspondence with the utmost seriousness and humility".</p>

<p bis_size="{&quot;x&quot;:7,&quot;y&quot;:795,&quot;w&quot;:649,&quot;h&quot;:16,&quot;abs_x&quot;:40,&quot;abs_y&quot;:2695}">The firm employs around 100,000 individuals across its member firms in India.</p>

<p bis_size="{&quot;x&quot;:7,&quot;y&quot;:826,&quot;w&quot;:649,&quot;h&quot;:16,&quot;abs_x&quot;:40,&quot;abs_y&quot;:2726}"><em bis_size="{&quot;x&quot;:7,&quot;y&quot;:826,&quot;w&quot;:182,&quot;h&quot;:16,&quot;abs_x&quot;:40,&quot;abs_y&quot;:2726}">(With inputs from agencies)</em></p>


In India's Pune, an Ernst & Young (EY) office has come under scrutiny following the tragic death of 26-year-old audit executive Anna Sebastian Perayil, who reportedly struggled with a heavy workload.

In India's Pune, an Ernst & Young (EY) office has come under scrutiny following the tragic death of 26-year-old audit executive Anna Sebastian Perayil, who reportedly struggled with a heavy workload. Now, reports citing a senior government official suggest that the EY office has been operating since 2007 without the necessary state permit that regulates working hours. EY's missing permits Shailendra Pol, Maharashtra's additional labour commissioner, as per news agency Reuters, has revealed that EY applied for registration under the state's Shops and Establishments Act only in February 2024, which was denied due to the company's long-standing non-compliance. Also read | Extra-judicial killing? Cop who shot Badlapur accused linked to ‘encounter specialist’ Pradeep Sharma "The company applied for a registration with the labour department only in February 2024 and we rejected it because it had not applied since 2007 when it started this office," Pol told Reuters. This law stipulates a maximum of nine working hours per day and 48 hours per week for adults. Pol stated that EY has been given a week to respond to the lapse in its operational status. If found guilty of non-compliance that results in serious injury or death, the company could face penalties including imprisonment of up to six months or fines reaching Rs 500,000 (approximately $5,980) or both. Pol's team is investigating further and has requested information from EY, including employee hours, welfare policies, and whether Perayil was pressured to work excessively during her tenure as an associate. EY employee's mother blames 'backbreaking' demands for death Perayil's mother has attributed her daughter’s death to the "backbreaking" demands of her job, prompting a federal investigation into the circumstances surrounding the incident. Also read | Anna Sebastian Perayil: EY employee's death sheds light on how big firms turn into 'human-consuming' factories In a letter to the EY India chairperson, Perayil's mother, Anita Augustine, detailed her daughter's "overwhelming workload", stating that Anna "worked late into the night, even on weekends, with no opportunity to catch her breath". The family has reported that Perayil died of cardiac arrest. EY India previously emphasised that it placed "the highest importance on the well-being of all employees" and was "taking the family's correspondence with the utmost seriousness and humility". The firm employs around 100,000 individuals across its member firms in India. (With inputs from agencies)

Anna Sebastian Perayil case: EY Pune operating since 2007 without required permits, reveal authorities

<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

In the controversy over a letter by officials alleging toxic work culture at SEBI, reports quoting sources show the markets regulator has now initiated an enquiry into the leak of the letter dated August 6th. This comes after SEBI said its employee association did not send the letter to the government. Instead, the market regulator blamed external elements for the controversy.

SEBI initiates enquiry into letter alleging toxic work culture

<p>Doing something entirely different from the traditional resignation procedure, a Pune-based man bid farewell to his toxic job with a flamboyant display of dhol beats and dancing outside of his office, a move that left his boss visibly perturbed. The unconventional exit, captured in a viral video shared by popular content creator Anish Bhagat, has sparked a debate on workplace culture and garnered widespread attention on social media.</p>

<p>Aniket, a sales associate in Pune, decided to part ways with his job of three years due to what he described as a "very toxic" work environment. Bhagat in the shared video could be seen elaborating on his ordeal and his time while being at the company.</p>

<p><strong>Also Read | <a href="https://www.wionews.com/trending/rise-of-quit-tok-young-workers-resigning-live-on-tiktok-for-millions-to-watch-714866">Rise of Quit-Tok: Young workers resigning live on TikTok for millions to watch</a></strong></p>

<p>The footage captured him expressing frustration&nbsp;over the negligible salary hikes he had received as a sales associate. He could also be seen lamenting the lack of respect shown by his superiors, another catalyst for his departure in such an unconventional fashion that is now breaking the internet.&nbsp;</p>

<p>Also Read |&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/science/study-lesbian-and-bisexual-women-at-higher-mortality-risk-due-to-toxic-social-stigma-715343">Study: Lesbian and bisexual women at higher mortality risk due to 'toxic' social stigma</a></p>

<p>To commemorate Aniket's departure, Bhagat and his friends orchestrated a surprise outside the office premises on his last day. With dhol players in tow, they staged an impromptu dance performance. This was all much to the chagrin of Aniket's manager, who appeared visibly irritated by the disruption.</p>

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<p>"I think a lot of you are going to relate to this. Toxic work culture is so prominent these days. Lack of respect and entitlement is quite common. Aniket is ready to begin with his next step," Bhagat wrote in the video caption&nbsp;that he shared on Instagram. The video has amassed over a million views and garnered hundreds of amused comments.</p>

<p><strong>WATCH | Decoding the new workplace trend | Explained: What is loud quitting</strong></p>

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<p>One user commented, "Thanks for using Internet for all the right reasons." Another wrote, "your videos make my day. thank you so much." One more user said, "In the world where u can be anything, you&nbsp;choose to be kind."&nbsp;</p>

<p>The incident reignited&nbsp;discussions around toxic workplaces, with a 2023 report highlighting toxic bosses and toxic workplaces as the primary reasons for employees quitting their jobs in India. There is another trend called <a href="https://www.wionews.com/trending/rise-of-quit-tok-young-workers-resigning-live-on-tiktok-for-millions-to-watch-714866">'Quit-Tok' </a>that is gaining ground where a growing number of young professionals are turning to social media to bid farewell to their jobs live on TikTok for millions of online followers to watch.</p>

<p><em>(With inputs from agencies)</em></p>


Doing something entirely different from the traditional resignation procedure, a Pune-based man bid farewell to his toxic job with a flamboyant display of dhol beats and dancing outside of his office, a move that left his boss visibly perturbed.

Doing something entirely different from the traditional resignation procedure, a Pune-based man bid farewell to his toxic job with a flamboyant display of dhol beats and dancing outside of his office, a move that left his boss visibly perturbed. The unconventional exit, captured in a viral video shared by popular content creator Anish Bhagat, has sparked a debate on workplace culture and garnered widespread attention on social media. Aniket, a sales associate in Pune, decided to part ways with his job of three years due to what he described as a "very toxic" work environment. Bhagat in the shared video could be seen elaborating on his ordeal and his time while being at the company. Also Read | Rise of Quit-Tok: Young workers resigning live on TikTok for millions to watch The footage captured him expressing frustration over the negligible salary hikes he had received as a sales associate. He could also be seen lamenting the lack of respect shown by his superiors, another catalyst for his departure in such an unconventional fashion that is now breaking the internet. Also Read | Study: Lesbian and bisexual women at higher mortality risk due to 'toxic' social stigma To commemorate Aniket's departure, Bhagat and his friends orchestrated a surprise outside the office premises on his last day. With dhol players in tow, they staged an impromptu dance performance. This was all much to the chagrin of Aniket's manager, who appeared visibly irritated by the disruption. View this post on Instagram A post shared by Anish Bhagat (@anishbhagatt) × "I think a lot of you are going to relate to this. Toxic work culture is so prominent these days. Lack of respect and entitlement is quite common. Aniket is ready to begin with his next step," Bhagat wrote in the video caption that he shared on Instagram. The video has amassed over a million views and garnered hundreds of amused comments. WATCH | Decoding the new workplace trend | Explained: What is loud quitting × One user commented, "Thanks for using Internet for all the right reasons." Another wrote, "your videos make my day. thank you so much." One more user said, "In the world where u can be anything, you choose to be kind." The incident reignited discussions around toxic workplaces, with a 2023 report highlighting toxic bosses and toxic workplaces as the primary reasons for employees quitting their jobs in India. There is another trend called 'Quit-Tok' that is gaining ground where a growing number of young professionals are turning to social media to bid farewell to their jobs live on TikTok for millions of online followers to watch. (With inputs from agencies)

WATCH: Pune man says goodbye to toxic job with dhol beats, dance moves outside office

<p>In a rarely-heard incident, a woman narrated how she decided to quit her job after her coworkers&nbsp;treated her like a 'doormat' and later confessed that after leaving the office she changed everyone's passwords, leaving the entire office in jeopardy. The woman took to Reddit where she narrated how toxic was the work environment in her office and how she took sweet revenge on her boss after quitting.&nbsp;</p>

<p>In the post, the woman disclosed that she changed the email password of her manager, which was important for the restaurant's operational data where she used to work. The story narrated by the woman became so popular that it was shared by Reddit on their Instagram page with the caption “Good for her", which followed the snapshots from the original post. However, the story also sparked discussions regarding her actions, which some felt were childish while others supported her.</p>

<p><strong>Also read:</strong>&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/business-economy/future-of-work-tech-industrys-mandate-to-bring-back-the-office-656454">Future of Work: Tech industry's mandate to bring back the 'office'</a></p>

<p>Explaining her situation, the user said, “I don’t even care that this was immature and petty of me. I can’t stress how awfully I was treated in this job, and how the entire team joined in on it. I was the only woman on the team so it could’ve been that but I don’t want to play the gender card. I was never rude to these guys. I’m not too fond of confrontation so I used to be a doormat. I was afraid to rock the boat, so I just accepted how I was treated.”</p>

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<p>“One evening, I went home for the night and never went back. I got various calls from them all on WhatsApp asking why I hadn’t shown up and I ignored it. I couldn’t face talking on the phone to them because I was already very upset from the evening before. A week after I quit my job I realised I was still logged into my manager’s account and he hadn’t changed the password. This account was basically the restaurant’s entire database. I decided to change the email to a fake one I’d made, and then I changed everyone’s password so they couldn’t access it,” she said.</p>

<h2><strong>Childish or a good move? Users argue over woman's actions</strong></h2>

<p>In a reaction to her post, one user wrote, “Honestly, good for you… BUT you gotta learn to stand up for yourself because you can’t do this at every place they disrespect you.”</p>

<p>Another added, “Sorry but I found this childish. Did this team include the manager? If not, why not put in a complaint with someone else. Also, why does she not being able to communicate her issue have to impact the entire business.”</p>

<p>“Imagine never telling someone you dislike the way they treat you but still expect them to know,” read a comment. Another individual said, “I know people that deserve this. Childish, I know … .but we’ll deserve it in some cases.”</p>

<p><strong>Watch:&nbsp;PM Modi visits Surat, inaugurates Surat Diamond Bourse and Surat International Airport</strong></p>

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<p>“Bet you she’s GenZ," wrote a user. &nbsp;Another user mentioned, “I don’t blame her even just a little.”</p>

<p>The Redditor, in the conclusion of her post, further said that she was not aware of what happened in the restaurant after that as she did not maintain any communication with anyone. Also, the user added that she has avoided visiting that specific area or part of town.</p>

<p><em>(With inputs from agencies)</em></p>


In a rarely-heard incident, a woman narrated how she decided to quit her job after her coworkers treated her like a 'doormat' and later confessed that after leaving the office she changed everyone's passwords, leaving the entire office in jeopardy.

In a rarely-heard incident, a woman narrated how she decided to quit her job after her coworkers treated her like a 'doormat' and later confessed that after leaving the office she changed everyone's passwords, leaving the entire office in jeopardy. The woman took to Reddit where she narrated how toxic was the work environment in her office and how she took sweet revenge on her boss after quitting. In the post, the woman disclosed that she changed the email password of her manager, which was important for the restaurant's operational data where she used to work. The story narrated by the woman became so popular that it was shared by Reddit on their Instagram page with the caption “Good for her", which followed the snapshots from the original post. However, the story also sparked discussions regarding her actions, which some felt were childish while others supported her. Also read: Future of Work: Tech industry's mandate to bring back the 'office' Explaining her situation, the user said, “I don’t even care that this was immature and petty of me. I can’t stress how awfully I was treated in this job, and how the entire team joined in on it. I was the only woman on the team so it could’ve been that but I don’t want to play the gender card. I was never rude to these guys. I’m not too fond of confrontation so I used to be a doormat. I was afraid to rock the boat, so I just accepted how I was treated.” View this post on Instagram A post shared by Reddit (@reddit) × “One evening, I went home for the night and never went back. I got various calls from them all on WhatsApp asking why I hadn’t shown up and I ignored it. I couldn’t face talking on the phone to them because I was already very upset from the evening before. A week after I quit my job I realised I was still logged into my manager’s account and he hadn’t changed the password. This account was basically the restaurant’s entire database. I decided to change the email to a fake one I’d made, and then I changed everyone’s password so they couldn’t access it,” she said. Childish or a good move? Users argue over woman's actions In a reaction to her post, one user wrote, “Honestly, good for you… BUT you gotta learn to stand up for yourself because you can’t do this at every place they disrespect you.” Another added, “Sorry but I found this childish. Did this team include the manager? If not, why not put in a complaint with someone else. Also, why does she not being able to communicate her issue have to impact the entire business.” “Imagine never telling someone you dislike the way they treat you but still expect them to know,” read a comment. Another individual said, “I know people that deserve this. Childish, I know … .but we’ll deserve it in some cases.” Watch: PM Modi visits Surat, inaugurates Surat Diamond Bourse and Surat International Airport “Bet you she’s GenZ," wrote a user. Another user mentioned, “I don’t blame her even just a little.” The Redditor, in the conclusion of her post, further said that she was not aware of what happened in the restaurant after that as she did not maintain any communication with anyone. Also, the user added that she has avoided visiting that specific area or part of town. (With inputs from agencies)

Woman takes sweet revenge on office, quits toxic job and then changes all employees’ passwords

An employee took to Reddit to talk about his toxic work culture. He shared that his boss asked him to clock-out every time he took a bathroom break. Do the hours clocked in ensure productivity? Is is time to change redundant HR policies? Molly Gambhir tells you more.

Gravitas | Output vs outcome: Boss asks employee to sign out for bathroom breaks

<p>A video doing rounds on social media shows a security guard locking down the office door of a Gurugram-based startup near Indian capital New Delhi, allegedly with employees still inside.&nbsp;</p>

<p>The office space belongs to Coding Ninjas, an ed-tech startup described as a learning platform for those wanting to learn coding.</p>

<p>"It's due to an order," the security guard responds when asked by the person making the video as to why he was locking the office down.&nbsp;</p>

<p>The security guard then cited a senior executive as person behind the purported order and nodded in agreement when asked if this is to ensure that employees do not get outside.&nbsp;</p>

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<p>WION reached out to Coding Ninjas to verify the content seen in the viral video.</p>

<p>A spokesperson for the company said: "We want to clarify the incident that occurred two weeks ago was due to a regrettable action by an employee in one of our offices. The same was immediately rectified within minutes. The employee acknowledged his mistake and apologised for the inconvenience caused due to his actions. In light of the incident, the founders also personally expressed their regret and apologised to all the employees."</p>

<p>"This was an isolated incident and we are taking proactive measures to ensure that it will not be repeated. Disciplinary action is being taken against the concerned employee. This was an aberration at Coding Ninjas and against our values and culture as an organisation. We want to assure everyone that this action was not intentional. We regret that the inconvenience this incident has caused," the statement added.&nbsp;</p>

<h2><b>'Is it an office or a prison': Indians on social media react to viral video</b></h2>

<p>Coding Ninjas did not respond to WION's query as to what exact "disciplinary action" is being taken by the company against the concerned employee. The story will be updated if and when they come up with a response on the same.</p>

<p><strong>Also read |&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/business-economy/indias-biggest-startup-scandal-how-one-event-in-indias-noida-scarred-indias-entrepreneurial-ambitions-578023">‘Biggest startup scandal’: How one event in India’s Noida scarred India’s entrepreneurial ambitions</a></strong></p>

<p>At the same time, it is not yet clear what was the reason for alleged locking up of the employees, as mentioned in the viral video.</p>

<p>The video has led to massive uproar on social media.</p>

<p>Individuals employed in the IT sector claimed this incident as an example of the wider state of exploitative work culture in sectors across India.</p>

<p><strong>Also watch |&nbsp;India@75: World's 3rd largest startup ecosystem</strong></p>

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<p>"Really sad to see this, hope virality of this video creates waves and toxic culture of sales led startups changes specially in ed tech space," a user commented on LinkedIn.&nbsp;</p>

<p>"Is it an office or a prison," another LinkedIn user asked.</p>

<p>India is the third largest tech startup ecosystem globally after the United States and China.</p>

<p>The world's fifth largest economy has nearly 27,000 active tech startups, having added 1,300 just in 2022.</p>

<p>In terms of the unicorns — the&nbsp;privately held startup companies valued at over US$1 billion each — India emerged&nbsp;as the third-largest hub with 68 such companies, according to&nbsp;Global Unicorn Index 2023.</p>

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A video doing rounds on social media shows a security guard locking down the office door of a Gurugram-based startup near Indian capital New Delhi, allegedly with employees still inside.

A video doing rounds on social media shows a security guard locking down the office door of a Gurugram-based startup near Indian capital New Delhi, allegedly with employees still inside. The office space belongs to Coding Ninjas, an ed-tech startup described as a learning platform for those wanting to learn coding. "It's due to an order," the security guard responds when asked by the person making the video as to why he was locking the office down. The security guard then cited a senior executive as person behind the purported order and nodded in agreement when asked if this is to ensure that employees do not get outside. × WION reached out to Coding Ninjas to verify the content seen in the viral video. A spokesperson for the company said: "We want to clarify the incident that occurred two weeks ago was due to a regrettable action by an employee in one of our offices. The same was immediately rectified within minutes. The employee acknowledged his mistake and apologised for the inconvenience caused due to his actions. In light of the incident, the founders also personally expressed their regret and apologised to all the employees." "This was an isolated incident and we are taking proactive measures to ensure that it will not be repeated. Disciplinary action is being taken against the concerned employee. This was an aberration at Coding Ninjas and against our values and culture as an organisation. We want to assure everyone that this action was not intentional. We regret that the inconvenience this incident has caused," the statement added. 'Is it an office or a prison': Indians on social media react to viral video Coding Ninjas did not respond to WION's query as to what exact "disciplinary action" is being taken by the company against the concerned employee. The story will be updated if and when they come up with a response on the same. Also read | ‘Biggest startup scandal’: How one event in India’s Noida scarred India’s entrepreneurial ambitions At the same time, it is not yet clear what was the reason for alleged locking up of the employees, as mentioned in the viral video. The video has led to massive uproar on social media. Individuals employed in the IT sector claimed this incident as an example of the wider state of exploitative work culture in sectors across India. Also watch | India@75: World's 3rd largest startup ecosystem × "Really sad to see this, hope virality of this video creates waves and toxic culture of sales led startups changes specially in ed tech space," a user commented on LinkedIn. "Is it an office or a prison," another LinkedIn user asked. India is the third largest tech startup ecosystem globally after the United States and China. The world's fifth largest economy has nearly 27,000 active tech startups, having added 1,300 just in 2022. In terms of the unicorns — the privately held startup companies valued at over US$1 billion each — India emerged as the third-largest hub with 68 such companies, according to Global Unicorn Index 2023. WATCH WION LIVE HERE You can now write for wionews.com and be a part of the community. Share your stories and opinions with us here.

'Office or prison': Did an Indian ed-tech firm lock up its staff? Here's what we know

<p>As China re-opens its doors to the world after a three-year hiatus, it is also looking to lure back talent not just from within country, but also its citizens residing in other countries. However, Chinese companies are facing a mounting problem, that of toxic work culture. This is why several Chinese workers are choosing to look for work outside the country, than dedicate long hours to companies in their home country.</p>

<p>An SCMP report says that those citizens who have been laid off by companies in the west, are not interested in working in China as most companies demand them to work extra hours as a rule, leading to back-breaking work and overburdened staff.&nbsp;</p>

<p>An SCMP report quoted one such worker, Mark Liu, as saying that he would rather take a break from work than work for a company in China. He was laid off from Amazon in Canada and says that he will explore work opportunities in Canada after a break. This is because Chinese living overseas say that companies in their home country offer terrible work-life balance and have a more stressful work culture, which can quickly turn toxic.</p>

<p>Also Read |&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/business-economy/hardest-smartest-workers-musk-sees-teslas-biggest-competition-coming-from-china-556056">'Hardest &amp; smartest workers': Musk sees Tesla's biggest competition coming from China</a></p>

<p>Liu says that after he graduated in 2014, he joined a state-owned bank in Shanghai. His boss clearly told the team that they need to complete 46 “compulsory” overtime hours each month. It does not end here as the overtime hours soon extend to 50 hours or more. “If you don’t reach the 46-hour requirement, the boss will criticise you. And in the second year, it became 50 hours,” Liu said. Employees are also expected to attend compulsory seminars after work hours.&nbsp;</p>

<p>“The company is trying its best to manipulate you, to restrain you and control you. It just feels that the company is not your partner and supporter, but rather you are a slave that gets paid," he said.&nbsp;</p>

<p>According to Chinese labour law, statutory working time is eight hours per day and 40 hours a week. However, few companies comply with it, especially the tech companies. According to the National Bureau of Statistics, the average working week for Chinese employees was 47.9 hours as of December. In comparison, all employees on private nonfarm payrolls in the United States worked an average of 34.7 hours per week, the US Bureau of Labour Statistics said.</p>

<p><em>(With inputs from agencies)</em></p>

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As China re-opens its doors to the world after a three-year hiatus, it is also looking to lure back talent not just from within country, but also its citizens residing in other countries.

As China re-opens its doors to the world after a three-year hiatus, it is also looking to lure back talent not just from within country, but also its citizens residing in other countries. However, Chinese companies are facing a mounting problem, that of toxic work culture. This is why several Chinese workers are choosing to look for work outside the country, than dedicate long hours to companies in their home country. An SCMP report says that those citizens who have been laid off by companies in the west, are not interested in working in China as most companies demand them to work extra hours as a rule, leading to back-breaking work and overburdened staff. An SCMP report quoted one such worker, Mark Liu, as saying that he would rather take a break from work than work for a company in China. He was laid off from Amazon in Canada and says that he will explore work opportunities in Canada after a break. This is because Chinese living overseas say that companies in their home country offer terrible work-life balance and have a more stressful work culture, which can quickly turn toxic. Also Read | 'Hardest & smartest workers': Musk sees Tesla's biggest competition coming from China Liu says that after he graduated in 2014, he joined a state-owned bank in Shanghai. His boss clearly told the team that they need to complete 46 “compulsory” overtime hours each month. It does not end here as the overtime hours soon extend to 50 hours or more. “If you don’t reach the 46-hour requirement, the boss will criticise you. And in the second year, it became 50 hours,” Liu said. Employees are also expected to attend compulsory seminars after work hours. “The company is trying its best to manipulate you, to restrain you and control you. It just feels that the company is not your partner and supporter, but rather you are a slave that gets paid," he said. According to Chinese labour law, statutory working time is eight hours per day and 40 hours a week. However, few companies comply with it, especially the tech companies. According to the National Bureau of Statistics, the average working week for Chinese employees was 47.9 hours as of December. In comparison, all employees on private nonfarm payrolls in the United States worked an average of 34.7 hours per week, the US Bureau of Labour Statistics said. (With inputs from agencies) WATCH WION LIVE HERE You can now write for wionews.com and be a part of the community. Share your stories and opinions with us here.

China's 'toxic work culture' a hurdle in country's plans to lure talent

<p>We've all worked in places with bosses from hell, the ones who make your life hell, and your personal time non-existent but have you ever had an employer penalise you for being just a minute late to work? An employer has come under fire online after a former employee revealed an unusual rule that penalises employees for arriving one minute late to work.&nbsp;Taking to the Reddit forum r/antiwork the former employee posted a notice that detailed that employees would be fined "for every minute you are late to work", and that employees "will be required to work 10 minutes after 6pm" as a penalty.</p>

<p>It goes on to say “For example, if you arrive at 10:02, you will have to stay an extra 20 minutes until 6:20pm. Thanks.”</p>

<p><strong>Watch |&nbsp;The Good Life: Are you anti-work? Rise of 'anti-work' movement in a post-pandemic era</strong></p>

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<p>User u/MinionsAndWineMum posted a picture of a piece of paper that their old boss had printed out detailing the new workplace rule, along with the caption, “Shout out the worst place I ever worked (minimum wage, of course)”.</p>

<p>The post went viral rapidly, garnering over 70,000 upvotes and over 5,000 comments from shocked Reddit users.</p>

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<p>One of the users commented, "Please post that sign as a photo on their google reviews!". Others said that they would ignore the rule and leave on time anyway, while others stated that the boss would swiftly lose employees if they were forced to perform unpaid work.</p>

<p>Another observed that even coffee and bathroom breaks could lead to overtime "Every minute you go out for coffee? 10 minutes overtime. Every minute you go to the bathroom? Yep, 10 minutes overtime. Every minute of overtime? You better believe, 10 minutes of overtime."</p>

<p>“If you show up at 9:58 do you get to leave at 5:40?”, asked another. If being a minute late means remaining late for 20 minutes, then being early should imply that you can leave early.</p>

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We've all worked in places with bosses from hell, the ones who make your life hell, and your personal time non-existent but have you ever had an employer penalise you for being just a minute late to work?

We've all worked in places with bosses from hell, the ones who make your life hell, and your personal time non-existent but have you ever had an employer penalise you for being just a minute late to work? An employer has come under fire online after a former employee revealed an unusual rule that penalises employees for arriving one minute late to work. Taking to the Reddit forum r/antiwork the former employee posted a notice that detailed that employees would be fined "for every minute you are late to work", and that employees "will be required to work 10 minutes after 6pm" as a penalty. It goes on to say “For example, if you arrive at 10:02, you will have to stay an extra 20 minutes until 6:20pm. Thanks.” Watch | The Good Life: Are you anti-work? Rise of 'anti-work' movement in a post-pandemic era User u/MinionsAndWineMum posted a picture of a piece of paper that their old boss had printed out detailing the new workplace rule, along with the caption, “Shout out the worst place I ever worked (minimum wage, of course)”. The post went viral rapidly, garnering over 70,000 upvotes and over 5,000 comments from shocked Reddit users. × One of the users commented, "Please post that sign as a photo on their google reviews!". Others said that they would ignore the rule and leave on time anyway, while others stated that the boss would swiftly lose employees if they were forced to perform unpaid work. Another observed that even coffee and bathroom breaks could lead to overtime "Every minute you go out for coffee? 10 minutes overtime. Every minute you go to the bathroom? Yep, 10 minutes overtime. Every minute of overtime? You better believe, 10 minutes of overtime." “If you show up at 9:58 do you get to leave at 5:40?”, asked another. If being a minute late means remaining late for 20 minutes, then being early should imply that you can leave early. Watch WION LIVE HERE: You can now write for wionews.com and be a part of the community. Share your stories and opinions with us here.

'Boss from hell' penalises employees for being one minute late

<p>Tech billionaire Jeff Bezos' space company Blue Origin on Thursday faced accusations of having 'toxic' work culture. The claim was made by a group of current and former Blue Origin employees. The allegations also say that sexual harassment was rampant in the company&nbsp;and there was a pattern of decision making that prioritized speedy rocket development over safety.&nbsp;</p>

<p>Blue Origin has firmly rejected the allegations. The allegations were outlined in a lengthy blogpost which was signed by Alexandra Abrams, the company's former head of employee communications</p>

<p>The post also said that it represented views of 20 other workers and ex-workers. The blogpost said that these individuals wanted to remain anonymous.</p>

<p>"Workforce gender gaps are common in the space industry, but at Blue Origin they also manifest in a particular brand of sexism," it said.</p>

<p>One senior executive was said to have reported for sexual harassment multiple times, but remained within the "loyal inner circle" of CEO Bob Smith.</p>

<p>Another former executive frequently referred to women co-workers as "'baby girl,' 'baby doll,' or 'sweetheart'" and inquired about their dating lives, the post added.</p>

<p>"It appeared to many of us that he was protected by his close personal relationship with Bezos -- it took him physically groping a female subordinate for him to finally be let go," the authors said.</p>

<p>They also said a former NASA astronaut and Blue Origin senior leader once instructed a group of women: "You should ask my opinion because I am a man."</p>

<p>Abrams and her co-authors further claimed that the company romanticized burnout, suppressed dissent, and was obsessed with competing with rivals SpaceX and Virgin Galactic in the race to launch their billionaire founders, thus compromising safety.</p>

<p>"In the opinion of an engineer who has signed on to this essay, 'Blue Origin has been lucky that nothing has happened so far,'" they said.</p>

<p>A Blue Origin spokesperson denied the allegations, saying Abrams was dismissed two years ago after warnings over issues involving US export control regulations.</p>

<p>"Blue Origin has no tolerance for discrimination or harassment of any kind," the spokesperson added.</p>

<p><em>(With inputs from agencies)</em></p>


Tech billionaire Jeff Bezos' space company Blue Origin on Thursday faced accusations of having 'toxic' work culture. The claim was made by a group of current and former Blue Origin employees.

Tech billionaire Jeff Bezos' space company Blue Origin on Thursday faced accusations of having 'toxic' work culture. The claim was made by a group of current and former Blue Origin employees. The allegations also say that sexual harassment was rampant in the company and there was a pattern of decision making that prioritized speedy rocket development over safety. Blue Origin has firmly rejected the allegations. The allegations were outlined in a lengthy blogpost which was signed by Alexandra Abrams, the company's former head of employee communications The post also said that it represented views of 20 other workers and ex-workers. The blogpost said that these individuals wanted to remain anonymous. "Workforce gender gaps are common in the space industry, but at Blue Origin they also manifest in a particular brand of sexism," it said. One senior executive was said to have reported for sexual harassment multiple times, but remained within the "loyal inner circle" of CEO Bob Smith. Another former executive frequently referred to women co-workers as "'baby girl,' 'baby doll,' or 'sweetheart'" and inquired about their dating lives, the post added. "It appeared to many of us that he was protected by his close personal relationship with Bezos -- it took him physically groping a female subordinate for him to finally be let go," the authors said. They also said a former NASA astronaut and Blue Origin senior leader once instructed a group of women: "You should ask my opinion because I am a man." Abrams and her co-authors further claimed that the company romanticized burnout, suppressed dissent, and was obsessed with competing with rivals SpaceX and Virgin Galactic in the race to launch their billionaire founders, thus compromising safety. "In the opinion of an engineer who has signed on to this essay, 'Blue Origin has been lucky that nothing has happened so far,'" they said. A Blue Origin spokesperson denied the allegations, saying Abrams was dismissed two years ago after warnings over issues involving US export control regulations. "Blue Origin has no tolerance for discrimination or harassment of any kind," the spokesperson added. (With inputs from agencies)

Jeff Bezos' Blue Origin accused of 'toxic' work culture involving sexual harassment

<p>A recent survey suggested that 8.6 million people claimed sick days last year because they thought their jobs were ''too painful'', &nbsp;the BBC reported.</p>

<p>February 3 is considered National Sickie Day, whereby most people are likely to call in sick.&nbsp;</p>

<p>According to research, the numbers may be owing to work culture, colleagues, and workload.&nbsp;</p>

<p>The report also added that about 12 million workers went to work while sick.</p>

<p>An international technology company called ''Insight'' undertook the research and warned of ''serious issues within organisations' culture'', while endorsing flexible hours for working.</p>

<p>The survey took into account 1,250 adults done over a week in January.</p>

<p>The survey intends to reflect a picture of the working population, which currently stands at 33 million.&nbsp;</p>

<p>"Employers have a duty of care to their employees to look after their safety and wellbeing, and this includes their physical and mental health," said Tom Neil, Acas Senior Adviser to the BBC.</p>

<h6><img alt="ppp" data-entity-type="file" data-entity-uuid="635bd7a0-8319-4a5b-b55d-d9d367fc978b" src="//cdn.wionews.com/sites/default/files/inline-images/Untitled%20design_62.jpg" /><br />
<em>People taking precaution in New York City in the midst of a coronavirus outbreak | AFP</em></h6>

<p>"For people to be able to be honest about how they feel at work, good work practices including having an inclusive culture and effective people management are key", Neil added.</p>

<p>According to the survey data, a quarter of respondents had taken an off day last year owing to workspace dissatisfaction.</p>

<p>Many felt overworked and claimed that bureaucratic roadblocks made effective work difficult.</p>

<p>Almost 37 per cent&nbsp;respondents had gone to work even on a sick day. This can be attributed to many being unable to afford unpaid sick leave. A big chunk also claimed that they feared being judged by their employer.</p>

<p>About a fifth of the responders, reflective of 6.5 million people, stressed on the need to allow working from home on sick days.&nbsp;</p>

<p>An estimated 215,000 people called in sick on the first Monday of February last year, a common phenomenon yearly, as more people call sick on this day than any other.</p>

<p>However, this was disputed by an employment law firm Elas. According to them, the top ten days for absence all fell on a Monday, with September 16 witnessing most sick call-ins.</p>

<h6><img alt="pp" data-entity-type="file" data-entity-uuid="d7550577-e96f-43ba-a690-48b303abf7fb" src="//cdn.wionews.com/sites/default/files/inline-images/Untitled%20design%20%282%29_51.jpg" /><br />
<em>Masks are seen on a production line manufacturing masks at a factory in Shanghai, China | AFP</em></h6>

<p>As BBC reported, stomach trouble accounted for the majority of cases (24 per cent), followed by cold and cough (16 per cent), with people skipping work owing to a headache at 7 per cent.&nbsp;</p>

<p>As per the data of the Chartered Institute of Personnel and Development, the number of sick days for an average employee dropped to 5.9 last year, lowest in the institute's 19-year-old history of conducting surveys.</p>

<p>Also read:&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/death-toll-in-coronavirus-rises-to-361-as-man-dies-in-philippines-278197">Death toll in coronavirus rises to 361 as man dies in Philippines</a></p>


A recent survey suggested that 8.6 million people claimed sick days last year because they thought their jobs were ''too painful'', the BBC reported. February 3 is considered National Sickie Day, whereby most people are likely to call in sick.

A recent survey suggested that 8.6 million people claimed sick days last year because they thought their jobs were ''too painful'', the BBC reported. February 3 is considered National Sickie Day, whereby most people are likely to call in sick. According to research, the numbers may be owing to work culture, colleagues, and workload. The report also added that about 12 million workers went to work while sick. An international technology company called ''Insight'' undertook the research and warned of ''serious issues within organisations' culture'', while endorsing flexible hours for working. The survey took into account 1,250 adults done over a week in January. The survey intends to reflect a picture of the working population, which currently stands at 33 million. "Employers have a duty of care to their employees to look after their safety and wellbeing, and this includes their physical and mental health," said Tom Neil, Acas Senior Adviser to the BBC. People taking precaution in New York City in the midst of a coronavirus outbreak | AFP "For people to be able to be honest about how they feel at work, good work practices including having an inclusive culture and effective people management are key", Neil added. According to the survey data, a quarter of respondents had taken an off day last year owing to workspace dissatisfaction. Many felt overworked and claimed that bureaucratic roadblocks made effective work difficult. Almost 37 per cent respondents had gone to work even on a sick day. This can be attributed to many being unable to afford unpaid sick leave. A big chunk also claimed that they feared being judged by their employer. About a fifth of the responders, reflective of 6.5 million people, stressed on the need to allow working from home on sick days. An estimated 215,000 people called in sick on the first Monday of February last year, a common phenomenon yearly, as more people call sick on this day than any other. However, this was disputed by an employment law firm Elas. According to them, the top ten days for absence all fell on a Monday, with September 16 witnessing most sick call-ins. Masks are seen on a production line manufacturing masks at a factory in Shanghai, China | AFP As BBC reported, stomach trouble accounted for the majority of cases (24 per cent), followed by cold and cough (16 per cent), with people skipping work owing to a headache at 7 per cent. As per the data of the Chartered Institute of Personnel and Development, the number of sick days for an average employee dropped to 5.9 last year, lowest in the institute's 19-year-old history of conducting surveys. Also read: Death toll in coronavirus rises to 361 as man dies in Philippines

Today is National Sickie Day: 8.6 million claimed sick days last year due to 'painful' jobs