India probes ‘exploitative’ culture at UK firm --[Reported by Umva mag]

Ernst & Young has come under fire after a 26-year-old employee died, allegedly due to excessive workload

A UK consulting firm is facing scrutiny in India after the mother of a 26-year-old employee linked her child’s death to work-related stress. Anna Sebastian Perayil joined Ernst & Young’s (EY) audit and assurance team in Pune in March this year and passed away four months later.

In an email to EY India chairman Rajiv Memani—allegedly leaked by company employees and shared on social media— Perayil’s mother, Anita Augustine, urged the firm’s leadership to change a work culture that “seems to glorify overwork while neglecting the very human being behind the role.”

Augustine’s letter caught the attention of the Indian government. Minister of state for labour Shobha Karandlaje announced in a post on X (formerly Twitter) that  “a thorough investigation into the allegations of an unsafe and exploitative work environment is underway.”

Deeply saddened by the tragic loss of Anna Sebastian Perayil. A thorough investigation into the allegations of an unsafe and exploitative work environment is underway. We are committed to ensuring justice & @LabourMinistry has officially taken up the complaint.@mansukhmandviya https://t.co/1apsOm594d— Shobha Karandlaje (@ShobhaBJP) September 19, 2024

Since it was her first job, Perayil “worked tirelessly to meet expectations” which impacted her health, her mother, who shared her letters to the firm on social media, claimed. Her daughter was allegedly burdened with “backbreaking work” and would often came back “utterly exhausted.”

“She began experiencing anxiety, sleeplessness, and stress soon after joining, but continued to push herself, believing hard work and perseverance were the path to success,” the letter noted. Augustine also added that nobody from the firm attended her daughter’s funeral.

The incident has also triggered a debate on social media over toxic workplaces and excess workload in India’s corporate sector.

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Indian Express on Friday quoted Memani as saying that Anna worked only for four months and was “allotted work like any other employee.” “We don’t believe that work pressure could have claimed her life…,” the EY India chairman said.

In a statement quoted by Indian media outlets, the firm said it is taking the family’s correspondence with “utmost seriousness and humility.” The statement also noted that company rules are in place to guarantee a healthy work-life balance. “[We] will continue to find ways to improve and provide a healthy workplace for our 100,000 people across EY member firms in India.”

Memani on Wednesday also allegedly penned an email to EY employees, which was leaked online despite a ‘do not forward’ instruction. In the email, the authenticity of which could not be confirmed by RT, the company’s Indian chairman allegedly acknowledged that he had received an “anguished email from Anna’s mother” and had taken note of it. He said he had been in touch with Perayil’s family and had shared his “deepest regret for their irreparable loss.” He also reiterated EY’s commitment to its employee’s “well-being.”

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In a separate statement on LinkedIn on Thursday, Memani expressed “regret” over not being present at the former employee’s funeral. “This is completely alien to our culture. It has never happened before; it will never happen again.” “I am absolutely committed to nurturing a harmonious workplace, and I will not rest until that objective is accomplished,” he added.

However, the post generated even more backlash online, with former employees from different countries sharing their experience working with EY and highlighting alleged ‘toxicity’ in the work culture.

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