Former EY Bengaluru employee opens up on ‘toxic work environment’: ‘Took a toll on food, sleep, mental health’ | Bengaluru
Amid the debate on toxic work culture at top consulting firms, a former Ernst & Young (EY) employee in Bengaluru shared her harrowing experience that happened six years ago. She said that the work culture at EY took a heavy toll on her mental health. This comes after Anna Sebastian Perayil, 26-year-old EY employee in Pune, died allegedly due to work stress, sparking a wave of discussion online.
The woman, now a freelance content writer, took to LinkedIn and shared her experience from her EY days. She wrote, “Six years back I got my first offer letter from EY It was a dream for me to get placed (off campus ) in a Big4 immediately after graduating. I was excited to move to Bengaluru for work; as a girl who wasn’t away from her home, not even once, everything seemed to be a dream come true moment, but within a few months, I realised I was in a toxic work environment, which took a toll on my food, sleep and mental health.”
She also said that many people criticised her for quitting a top MNC, and she called it a “tough decision”.
“When I took the decision to quit EY, I was heavily criticised and was called immature, homesick, even lazy and incapable of keeping up with the demands of the corporate work environment. It was a tough decision, but it was necessary for my health that day,” she added further. She also said that her decision felt right after witnessing the death of Anna Sebastian Perayil, who is from Kerala.
Also Read – EY slammed over statement on 26-year-old Pune CA’s tragic death: ‘Typical corporate response’
Anna Sebastian Perayil joined EY in March this year as a chartered accountant and succumbed to work pressure in July, her mother, Anita Augustine, said in a letter addressed to EY India chairman Rajiv Memani.
EY’s response to Anna Sebastian Perayil’s mother’s letter
Anna’s mother claimed that Ernst & Young was her daughter’s first job and she was thrilled about joining the company. Within just four months, however, she succumbed to excessive workload. The letter that went viral on social media brought the issue to the mainstream.
In response to the backlash, EY promised the well-being of their employees. The statement read, “We are taking the family’s correspondence seriously and humbly. We place the highest importance on the well-being of all employees and will continue to find ways to improve and provide a healthy workplace for our 100,000 people across EY member firms in India.”
