'The pressure became too much for her': Mother blames 'work stress' for 26-year-old EY employee's death

We live in a world where hustle-culture has been over-glorified by companies. Even though recent studies have shown that the new generation prioritises work-life balance over a bigger pay cheque, the situation is far from changing. Most companies, especially in India, still follow a rigid 9-5 schedule and often tend to overwork their employees to the extent that they sometimes affect their physical and mental health. A grave case has now surfaced where a 26-year-old employee allegedly passed away due to immense work pressure.

The woman, named Anna Sebastian Perayil, was a Chartered Accountant who had joined EY in March this year. This was her first job. Her mother, in a letter to the company, expressed her sorrow at losing her daughter and said that she passed away due to immense work pressure. The letter has now gone viral on LinkedIn and people are reacting strongly to the news, calling to end the glorification of hustle culture.

26-year-old dies, mother blames work stress

In her letter to the company, Anna’s mother begins by writing that the young employee passed her CA Exams in November 2023 and joined the company in March this year. "She was full of life, dreams and excitement for the future," she added. She then writes how Anna was thrilled to be a part of the company but passed away four months later, on July 20.

"My world collapsed when I received the devastating news," she wrote.

In the letter, Anna's mother further explained how the work culture at EY is extremely toxic and that they burden newcomers with "backbreaking" tasks. She added that Anna experienced "anxiety, sleeplessness, and stress" soon after starting her new job. She also added how Anna was working even on the day of her convocation and insisted on getting back to work after they took her to a doctor after she complained of chest pain.

"Since she had been complaining of chest constriction upon reaching her PG late at night for the past week, we took her to the hospital in Pune. Her ECG was normal and the cardiologist came to allay our fears, telling us she wasn't getting enough sleep and was eating very late."

Anna's mother added that her manager would "reschedule meetings during cricket matches and assign her work at the end of the day." When Anna voiced her concerns, she was told that working late at night is something they all do.

“Anna would return to her room utterly exhausted, sometimes collapsing on the bed without even changing her clothes, only to be bombarded with messages asking for more reports. She was putting in her best efforts, working very hard to meet the deadlines. She was a fighter to the core, not someone to give up easily. We told her to quit, but she wanted to learn and gain new exposure. However, the overwhelming pressure proved too much even for her,” the letter read.

'No one attended her funeral'

In addition to this, Anna's mother also wrote that nobody came to attend her funeral. The letter read, “ This absence at such a critical moment, for an employee who gave her all to your organization until her last breath, is deeply hurtful. Anna deserved better, and so do all the employees who continue to work under these conditions.

"My heart aches not just for the loss of my child but also for the lack of empathy shown by those who were supposed to guide and support her. After her funeral, I reached out to her managers, but I received no reply. How can a company that speaks of values and human rights fail to show up for one of its own in their final moments?”

Internet reactions

The internet is reacting strongly to the news and various people have been sharing the letter with their own opinion.

“Few managers really need to google the word HUMILITY and incorporate it into their lives. They are already destroying young Indian careers with toxicity, incompetence, and a lack of people management skills,” wrote Manisha Yadav, a CA finalist.

“I hope people who did this to you get punished and shamed. I request everyone please take care of yourself, protect yourself. No Job is worth exploiting your mental and physical health,” wrote Fathima Shahjahan, an HR professional.

“Very heart breaking to see young professional Anna Sebastian Perayil leaving us! We live in a world where it is difficult to be mentally strong as some things can worry us, affect us and hurt us,” wrote Prabhdeep Singh Baweja, a senior level employee at The Institute of Chartered Accountants of India