'No One From EY Pune Attended Her Funeral'

I want to talk about everything wrong about work culture in India.

Anna was a bright and hardworking individual who started at EY in March 2024 after passing her CA exams. Like many of us, she believed that hard work, dedication, and perseverance were the keys to success. But the crushing workload, the long hours, and the relentless pressure took an unimaginable toll on her physical and mental health.

Despite reaching out for help, Anna's concerns were met with dismissive responses like, "You can work at night, that's what we all do." Her manager encouraged her to stay on despite the growing toll, asking her to "change everyone’s opinion about the team." When her family urged her to quit, she refused, determined to learn and grow. But ultimately our system glorifies overwork.

And to make matters worse, no one from EY attended her funeral.

Let that sink in: a young woman who gave her all for this company was not even acknowledged at her final goodbye.

This is not just about Anna. It's about a work culture that has gone unchecked for far too long. A culture that prioritizes deadlines, profits, and productivity over the health and safety of its employees. EY, and companies like it, must take accountability for the lives of the people they employ.

Enough is enough. No job should come at the cost of one’s mental or physical well-being.

We need change now. RIP Anna 💔