Recently, an email from Rajiv Memani, Chairman of Ernst & Young (EY) India, lamenting the untimely death of a young employee named Anna Sebastian Perayil, has appeared online in spite of a “do not forward” directive. Four months after the 26-year-old joined EY’s audit and assurance team in Pune in March, he passed away, purportedly from extreme work-related stress.
EY Chairman Memani is said to have acknowledged Augustine’s complaints and extended his condolences to Anna’s family in an internal email addressed to EY employees with the subject line “News in media” in reaction to the widely circulated letter. The email was instructed to remain confidential, but it was released on Reddit.
Augustine, the mother of the deceased, conveyed her profound sadness that no one from EY came to Anna’s burial and criticized the corporation for not offering enough assistance during this trying time. She attacked EY for encouraging a culture that, in her words, glorifies working excessive hours at the expense of workers’ well-being. Augustine wrote to Rajiv, saying, “I am writing to you now because I believe EY has a profound responsibility to ensure the well-being of its employees.”
Memani acknowledged in his email that Anna had only been employed for a short time and expressed his grief over her premature passing. Memani wrote, “I have personally sent my condolences and have shared my deepest regret for their irreversible loss.” He gave the staff assurances that EY is still dedicated to creating a positive work environment.
Mother of Employee Expresses Concerns About EY Workplace Culture. Anita Augustine, Anna’s mother, complained to Memani in a letter about her daughter’s onerous workload, which included long hours, no weekends, and late returns to her accommodations. Augustine said, “Anna was burdened with backbreaking work,” and that her daughter frequently returned from work “utterly exhausted,” sometimes failing to change before falling into bed.