The recent death of Anna Sebastian Perayil, a young Kerala-based Chartered Accountant ( CA ) at Big Four Firm EY at Pune, has sparked a crucial conversation about work culture in corporate giants, particularly within the Big 4 accounting firms.
As the details of Anna’s gruelling schedule and the relentless pressure she faced have come to light, there is a growing clamour for a serious reevaluation of how these firms handle work-life balance. Is it time for a massive work-culture overhaul? Many say, “Yes, and yesterday!”
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From a human rights perspective, this issue transcends corporate responsibility and ventures into fundamental rights to health, dignity, and fair working conditions. The extreme pressures placed on employees like Anna raise serious concerns about the violation of their right to a healthy work-life balance, enshrined in various international labour laws and human rights frameworks.
Organisations like the Big 4 firms EY, KPMG, PwC and Deloitte, with global influence, are now facing calls to uphold these rights by ensuring that their employees are not subjected to exploitative conditions in the pursuit of profit and efficiency. Advocates argue that failing to address these issues constitutes not just a corporate oversight, but a moral and human rights failure that demands urgent redress.
Anna, only 26, exemplified the ideal employee on paper: top of her class, ambitious, and incredibly hard-working. But beneath the commendations and the accolades lay a troubling narrative of unbearable stress and diminishing personal time. Her mother’s heartfelt letter to EY India chairman not only shed light on her daughter’s struggles but also underscored a pervasive issue in many high-stakes environments: the relentless demand for more.
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The demise of the Young CA Anna is not an isolated case. Her story is just one of many where employees are routinely stretched thin, often at the expense of their health. This is not just about putting in an extra hour or two— it is about systemic expectations that employees will forego sleep, meals, and even medical advice to meet deadlines.
A reply to the Reddit Post is given below:
It is not just a case of Big Four Firms alone, many top-tier firms in accounting and tech thrive on employee hours, giving little to no due recognition and reward to the efforts.
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As we can see, the issue is global in scale and not restricted to the Indian Corporate-verse.
Typically, the Big Four Firms promise to improve conditions, but with Anna’s story now in the public eye, these companies face mounting pressure to move from lip service to real action. Discussions are swirling around the need for actionable changes.
Could we see mandatory downtime, stricter adherence to work hours, or more transparent avenues for employees to voice concerns without fear of repercussion? It is high time.
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The conversation has taken over social media too, with hashtags like #Big4 gaining momentum, there is a shared sentiment that working yourself to death should be a relic of the past, not a headline of the present.
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As we dig into this complex issue, one thing remains clear: the tragic loss of a bright, young professional like Anna should be a catalyst for change, not just another headline. It is about reshaping an industry to safeguard the well-being of its workers—ensuring that the drive for excellence is matched by a commitment to employee health and happiness.
Stay tuned as this story develops. Will the Big 4 listen and learn? Only time will tell, but one thing is for sure—the clock is ticking loudly, and all eyes are watching.
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