The tragic death of Anna Sebastian Perayil, a 26-year-old employee at Ernst & Young (EY), from cardiac arrest after her first four months at work – a period of intense fourteen-hour days and seven-day weeks – took India by storm this summer. Anna’s mother, Anita Augustine, wrote a heartfelt letter to EY, which went viral across the country, addressing the circumstances surrounding her daughter’s death. It highlighted the immense work pressure and stress Anna experienced at EY, which she believes contributed significantly to her daughter’s deteriorating health and death. I visited Anna’s parents myself and was deeply moved by their anguish. I promised to take the issue up in New Delhi, which I have done. But frustratingly, little has happened.

The loss of this dynamic, talented, and hardworking citizen was, sadly, only a symptom of a much larger malaise that has long been plaguing our modern workplaces, subjecting our professionals to overwhelming pressures and perils. Anna’s death has raised significant concerns about workplace culture and employee well-being in the intensely competitive work dynamics that prevails in our country. Anita’s letter mentioned that Anna – a healthy young woman, badminton player and kayaker -- experienced severe anxiety, sleeplessness, and stress, which were exacerbated by the demanding work environment. In the days leading up to her death, Anna complained of chest tightness and was advised by doctors that she was not getting enough sleep.

In a heart-rending conversation with me, her father, Sibi Joseph, recounted Anna’s tearful calls about getting home to her paying-guest accommodation well after midnight, only to receive a call from her manager imposing a fresh deadline to be met by morning. On the one occasion she protested, her manager allegedly replied: “You can work at night. We all do.” Her mother’s letter expressed her disappointment with the lack of support and understanding from Anna’s managers, who continued to assign her work even during weekends and late nights. Her letter called for a thorough investigation into the working conditions at EY and urged the company to take steps to ensure the well-being of its employees to prevent such tragedies in the future.

Anita’s letter has been a crucial part of the ongoing conversation about workplace stress and the need for better employee support systems. It has also sparked a broader conversation about the pressures faced by young professionals in demanding jobs and the need for companies to prioritize employee well-being. Anna’s father suggested that I introduce in Parliament legislation to mandate maximum working hours by law, which would be accompanied by strict fines and legal sanctions. I have pledged to raise this issue at the first opportunity during Parliament’s winter session. But amid ongoing disruptions I have also written to the Minister for Labour and Employment, Mansukh Mandaviya, whose government promised an investigation and swift action months ago. The truth is that India’s labour laws, scattered across multiple legislations, have proven woefully inadequate and contribute to the preservation of an exploitative, oppressive, and inhumane work culture. Therefore, in my letter, I called for the expeditious introduction — and strict implementation — of crucial measures, such as mandatory sensitisation and mental health awareness workshops in workplaces, the “Right to Disconnect” from work beyond one’s official hours, and secure grievance redressal mechanisms within organisations for overburdened professionals. None of this has happened.

While laws mandating working hours apply to blue-collar workers in India, who are entitled to overtime pay as well as to work in shifts, no such legislation is enforced for white-collar employees. In an intensely competitive work culture, where landing a well-paying job is itself a rare triumph – India’s educated unemployment for college graduates stands at 29% -- intense overwork has become the norm. In many Indian companies, the workplace dynamics lay strong emphasis on hard toil and dedication to deadlines and goals, which translates into long working hours and high expectations from employees. Stress and burnout are inevitable and widespread, but where jobs are scarce and thousands are knocking on the door for an opportunity, employees feel they have no alternative. High performance is routinely demanded and constant availability expected. Intense competition for jobs and economic pressures can lead employees to accept demanding work conditions, fearing job loss or difficulty finding new employment.

Boundaries between corporate expectations and personal life disappear. Stories abound of young employees being denied a day off to attend a sibling’s wedding or a close relative’s funeral. Overwork is normalised. The pressure to achieve success, wealth and status can be overwhelming. Addressing these cultural issues requires a multifaceted approach in the workplace, including promoting mental health awareness, encouraging open communication, and fostering a supportive work environment. Several solutions have been proposed to address workplace dynamics, reduce stress and improve employee well-being. These include offering remote work options and flexible schedules to help employees balance their work and personal lives more effectively. Employee Assistance Programs that provide access to counselling and mental health services to support employees dealing with stress and anxiety are also on the table. Encouraging a culture of open communication where employees feel comfortable discussing their workload and stress levels with their managers is essential, as is ensuring that leaders and managers are trained to recognize signs of stress and provide the necessary support to their team members. Ernst and Young has acknowledged the need for implementing better workload management practices to ensure employees are not overburdened and have reasonable work hours. Despite all the factors keeping them at work in a toxic work culture, a survey shows that more than a third of employees are prepared to quit. Anna’s father says she was one of them.

Sibi Joseph told me nothing could bring back his brilliant, high-achieving daughter, a class “topper” throughout her education, whose consistent record of high performance belies any suggestion that she was in over her head at her job. But he could only hope that no other father had to go through the pain he had endured. A credible government investigation could ensure justice and prevent similar incidents in the future. In a post on 19 September 2024, Smt Shoba Karandlaje, the Minister of State for Labour and Employment, said that, in the wake of Anna’s demise, a “thorough investigation into the allegations of an unsafe and exploitative work environment,” had been initiated. Around the same time, Minister Mandaviya said at a press conference that the probe was underway and would be concluded in a week or ten days, after which its findings would be made public. More than two months have passed since this statement, but no findings been made public and the Ministry has maintained a conspicuous silence on the issue. This delay is deeply unfortunate, not only because it reflects an indifference to the plight of Anna’s family, but because it risks reducing the Ministry’s decision to order an investigation to mere lip-service — a gesture made only to assuage a nationwide outcry, and forgotten thereafter.

Indeed, in a written answer to an Unstarred Question by three MPs in the Lok Sabha about these concerns, Smt Karandlaje merely furnished a descriptive division of the Union and State Governments’ obligations vis-à-vis the regulation of factories and offices, and imputed that the investigation into Anna’s case is the responsibility of the State Government. Astoundingly, the answer only mentioned that the Government of Maharashtra received a response from Ernst & Young, which was forwarded to the Government of India. No specifics have been provided about any subsequent steps (if at all) taken by the Union Government, showcasing its disinterest in pursuing Anna’s case and ensuring that justice is delivered. There are solutions suggested by many like myself that could create a healthier and more supportive work environment, ultimately improving employee satisfaction and productivity. But will all concerned merely pay lip-service to them during the recent period of intense scrutiny, and then revert to the norm?

Change does not come overnight. But that it took the tragic death of a high-achieving 26 year-old to reveal to India that change is needed, and that revelation has not been followed up by any serious or urgent remedial action, is the saddest story of all.