26-Year-Old’s Death at Ernst & Young: 5 Key Lessons for Changing Work Culture

Anna Sebastian Perayil, a 26-year-old Ernst & Young employee, passed away due to overwhelming work stress. Her mother’s letter highlights the company’s harsh work culture and demands urgent changes to better support employee health and well-being.

CONTENTS: 26-Year-Old’s Death at Ernst & Young

• Excessive workload, firm criticized, funeral
• Thrilled job, exhausted, health deteriorated
• Health issues, work pressure, missed
• Unrealistic expectations, stress, harsh reality
• Excessive workload, exhaustion, dismissive management
• Prioritize employee well-being, drive change

26-Year-Old’s Death at Ernst & Young

Excessive workload, firm criticized, funeral

A 26-year-old employee at Ernst & Young in Pune, Anna Sebastian Perayil, tragically passed away due to what her mother described as “excessive workload.” In a poignant letter to the firm, Anita Augustine, Anna’s mother, criticized Ernst & Young’s work culture and accused the company of a “callous attitude” over the four months leading up to her daughter’s death. She also expressed her distress that no representatives from the company attended Anna’s funeral.

Thrilled job, exhausted, health deteriorated

Anna’s first job was at Ernst & Young, a position she was “thrilled” to secure. Her mother, Anita Augustine, described Anna as a “fighter” who excelled in all her examinations throughout school and college. At EY, she worked “tirelessly,” dedicating herself to meeting the demands placed upon her. Despite her efforts, the combination of a heavy workload, new environment, and long hours began to take a severe toll on her physically, emotionally, and mentally, leading to anxiety, sleepless nights, and stress.

Augustine noted that despite these challenges, Anna continued to push herself, believing that hard work and perseverance were the keys to success. However, her health began to deteriorate, particularly around the time of her convocation in Pune.

Health issues, work pressure, missed

26-Year-Old’s Death at Ernst & Young On Saturday, July 6, Anita Augustine and her husband traveled to Pune for Anna’s CA Convocation. Since Anna had been experiencing chest constriction after returning to her PG late at night (around 1 am) for the past week, they took her to a hospital in Pune. The ECG results were normal, and the cardiologist reassured them that her symptoms were due to lack of sleep and late eating, prescribing antacids. Despite coming all the way from Kochi, Anna chose to return to work after the doctor’s visit, stating there was too much work to do and she couldn’t take leave.

That night, Anna returned to her PG late again. On Sunday, July 7, the day of her convocation, she joined her parents in the morning but continued to work from home until the afternoon, causing them to arrive late at the convocation venue.

Anna had dreamed of using her “own hard-earned money” to bring her parents to her convocation, and she had even booked their flight tickets. Unfortunately, the work pressure prevented her from fully enjoying the occasion.

Unrealistic expectations, stress, harsh reality

In her letter, Anita Augustine recounted that when Anna joined the team, she was informed that many employees had left due to the excessive workload. The team manager told Anna, “You must stick around and change everyone’s opinion about our team.” Tragically, Anna did not realize that this expectation would cost her her life.

Anna had also received multiple warnings from colleagues about her manager. They mentioned that the manager would frequently reschedule meetings to coincide with cricket matches and assign work late in the day, which increased her stress. At an office party, a senior leader even joked that Anna would struggle working under her manager—a joke that sadly turned into a harsh reality for her.

Excessive workload, exhaustion, dismissive management

26-Year-Old’s Death at Ernst & Young Anna shared with her parents that she was struggling with an “overwhelming workload,” including additional tasks that were assigned verbally and not officially documented. Her mother noted that Anna would often come home “utterly exhausted” and sometimes collapse into bed without even changing her clothes.

Her managers were described as “relentless,” requiring her to work late nights and weekends. When Anna expressed her concerns, the response was “dismissive,” with remarks like, “You can work at night. That’s what we all do.”

Despite her parents’ suggestions for her to quit, Anna wanted to continue learning and gaining new experience. Unfortunately, the immense pressure proved too much for her.

Augustine emphasized that Anna was “too kind” to directly blame her managers but felt compelled to speak out. She criticized the practice of burdening new employees with excessive work and working them day and night, including on Sundays, calling it unjustified. She urged management to show more consideration to newcomers and criticized how they exploited Anna’s newness by overwhelming her with both assigned and unassigned tasks.

Prioritize employee well-being, drive change

26-Year-Old’s Death at Ernst & Young Anita Augustine expressed deep regret, wishing she could have protected Anna and emphasized that her health and well-being should have been prioritized. She lamented that it was too late for Anna and hoped that her death would serve as a wake-up call for Ernst & Young. Augustine addressed a stern message to the chairman, urging that her letter be taken seriously.

In her letter, Augustine called for a reflection on the company’s work culture, urging the need for meaningful changes to prioritize employee health and wellness. She emphasized the importance of creating a work environment where employees feel safe to speak up, receive support in managing their workload, and where their mental and physical well-being is not sacrificed for productivity.

Through her letter, Augustine aimed to raise awareness and drive real change, hoping that Anna’s experience would prevent other families from suffering similar grief and trauma.