The internet has been shaken by the tragic news of Anna Sebastian Perayil's death, a 26-year-old Chartered Accountant (CA) at Ernst and Young (EY).
Anna's demise, attributed to "work-related stress", has ignited a critical conversation about the toxic work culture and exploitative practices that often pervade large corporations, particularly within the Big 4 accounting firms.
Anna’s death occurred months ago on July 21. However, it grabbed the attention of netizens after a letter written to EY Chairman Rajiv Memani by the deceased’s mother went viral on social media platforms.
Now, as the internet mourns the loss of a promising talent, they also raise urgent questions: What are the unseen pressures faced by young professionals today?
Anna's story has brought to the surface a myriad of issues hidden within large corporate offices, especially the Big 4 accounting firms, which are often the ultimate dream for many.
After the story of Anna’s death reached the social media circles, netizens came forward sharing stories about their similar experiences at the Big 4 accounting firms, which include, EY, KPMG, PwC and Deloitte.
Another such tweet, narrating ordeals faced by another EY employee during her pregnancy, read, “Not a one-off incident. Being a ex-EY employee, I have seen many such instances. EY has been a controversial employer, well known for the work place toxicity.”
The netizens also highlighted that more often than not, this kind of exploitative work culture is glorified in Indian workspaces.
