Anna Sebastian Perayil, a Chartered Accountant from Kerala, tragically passed away just four months after starting her role at Ernst & Young in Pune. Anna’s mother Anita Augustine has alleged that it was due to the overwhelming work pressure she faced that Anna died. “Anna would never have blamed her managers. She was too kind for that,” reflects a portion of the letter Anita wrote to EY India Chairman Rajiv Memani. EY is a leading global professional services firm and a significant member of the “Big Four” accounting networks.

Anita’s letter reveals a grim picture of Anna’s experience at EY Pune. It says that nobody from the company attended her funeral and alleged that EY had a callous attitude towards the issue. “My heart is heavy, and my soul is shattered as I pen these words, but I believe it is necessary to share our story in the hope that no other family will have to endure the pain we are going through,” Anita says in the letter.

An alumni of Sacred Heart college in Kochi, Anna had passed her CA exams in November 2023 and joined EY Pune on March 19, 2024 as an executive. Anita recounted how Anna was full of life, dreams, and excitement for the future. “EY was her first job, and she was thrilled to be part of such a prestigious company. But four months later, on July 20, my world collapsed when I received the devastating news that Anna had passed away,” she said.

Explaining how Anna excelled in educational and extracurricular activities, Anita said her death should serve as a wake-up call for EY. “It is time to reflect on the work culture within your organisation and take meaningful steps to prioritise the health and wellness of your employees. This means creating an environment where employees feel safe to speak up, where they are supported in managing their workload, and where their mental and physical well-being is not sacrificed for the sake of productivity,” she said. 

Work pressure

Narrating how Anna believed hard work and perseverance were the keys to success, Anita said she continued to work tirelessly despite facing anxiety, sleeplessness, and stress soon after joining. “It was Anna’s dream to bring her parents to her convocation with her hard-earned money; she even booked our flight tickets. It pains me to share that during those two precious days, which turned out to be the last we would spend together, she couldn’t truly enjoy them because of the work pressure she faced,” the letter read. 

According to the letter, Anna’s parents arrived in Pune to attend the convocation on July 6. 

Anita said they were concerned about their daughter’s chest constriction and late arrival to home after work and that the cardiologist attributed it to to lack of sleep and late food. “Though we had come all the way from Kochi, she insisted on going to work after seeing the doctor, saying there was a lot of work to be done and she wouldn't get leave. That night, she returned to her PG late again. On the day of convocation, she joined us in the morning, but was working from home until afternoon. We reached the convocation venue late,” Anita explains.

Anita said that the situation took a turn for the worse when she joined a new team. “She was told that many employees had resigned due to the excessive workload, and the team manager asked her to stick around and change everyone's opinion about that team. My child didn't realise she would pay for that with her life,” the letter reads.

The letter states that Anna’s manager frequently rescheduled meetings during cricket matches and assigned her last-minute tasks, increasing her stress. At an office party, a senior leader had jokingly remarked that Anna would struggle under her manager.

She confided in her parents about the overwhelming workload and was advised to avoid taking too much work. But due to relentless demands, she worked late into the night and even on weekends, often receiving late-night calls from her assistant manager with urgent tasks that left her little time to rest. When she expressed her concerns, she was told, "You can work at night; that's what we 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 reads.

A systematic issue

The letter further says how Anita wished she could protect her daughter and tell her that her health and well-being mattered more than anything else. She says Anna, like most young professionals, lacked the experience to set boundaries or resist unreasonable demands and tried hard to prove herself in the new environment.

Pointing out how contradictory were the values expressed in EY’s global human rights statement, Anita said she had reached out to her managers after Anna’s funeral, but received no response. “No one from EY attended Anna's funeral. This absence at such a critical moment, for an employee who gave her all to your organisation 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.  How can a company that speaks of values and human rights fail to show up for one of its own in their final moments?,” she added.

“Anna would never have blamed her managers. She was too kind for that. But I cannot remain silent. Burdening newcomers with such backbreaking work, making them work day and night, even on Sundays, has no justification whatsoever. She had just left her hometown and loved ones. Everything was new to her– the organisation, the place, the language. She was trying very hard to adjust. You should show some consideration to new employees. Instead, the management took full advantage of the fact that she was new and overwhelmed her with both assigned and unassigned work,” the letter read.

Urging EY Chairman to create an environment where employees feel safe to speak up, Anita said they should be supported in managing their workload and that their mental and physical well-being must not be sacrificed for the sake of productivity. “I am writing to you now, Rajiv, because I believe EY has a profound responsibility to ensure the well-being of its employees. Anna's experience sheds light on a work culture that seems to glorify overwork while neglecting the very human beings behind the roles. This is not just about my daughter; it's about every young professional who joins EY filled with hopes and dreams, only to be crushed under the weight of unrealistic expectations,” the letter further read.