'They’re Ruthless': EY Employee's Shocking Claims About Toxic Work Culture After Colleague's Death

New Delhi: The death of 26-year-old Anna Sebastian Perayil, an employee of Ernst & Young (EY) Pune, has shaken the nation, shedding light on the grueling work conditions employees endure. Anna Sebastian, a Chartered Accountant from Kerala , passed away, with her mother citing "excessive workload" as the cause.

A colleague from the same office has issued a detailed statement in reddit anonymously, alleging even worse treatment by her managers. The colleague mentioned that Anna’s death was communicated via a centralized email with her LinkedIn picture attached, accompanied by a short message, attributing "health issues" as the main cause of her death.

In her statement, the colleague wrote: "Though I didn’t work directly with Anna, I worked with her manager, who is worse than portrayed. He prioritizes his convenience over work, flaunting his IPL final tickets while demanding deadlines. He constantly takes credit and blames the team for any shortfalls, criticizing work just to showcase his superiority."

The colleague also revealed that Anna's assistant manager overburdened employees, pushing them to the brink. “The assistant manager’s role is to delegate and follow up relentlessly, ensuring no one is stress-free or takes time off. They push two people to do the work of five, all to secure their own promotion. They’re ruthless.”

The letter continues to detail the toxic work culture at EY Pune: "Newcomers sacrifice everything for the chance to learn but are exploited. HR offers no help as they’re part of the same structure. Most newcomers quit after a short while, some endure for years, and the rest become managers, continuing the toxic cycle."

The colleague also highlighted the lack of social life or personal time, with many employees leaving the firm happier than when they joined. She urged others to reassess their priorities and claimed that Anna’s death, rumored to be due to "health issues," was, in reality, the result of overwork.

Following the social media backlash after Anna’s death, Ernst & Young issued a statement: “We are deeply saddened by Anna Sebastian’s tragic and untimely passing in July 2024. We have provided all possible assistance to her family and will continue to do so. Her promising career was cut short in an irreparable loss for us all.”

The statement further hinted at reforms: “We place the highest importance on the well-being of all employees and will continue to improve the workplace for our 100,000 employees across EY member firms in India.”

However, many online users dismissed the statement as a “typical corporate response,” expressing skepticism about meaningful change.