Days after the death of Ernst & Young (EY) employee Anna Sebastian Perayil, allegedly due to “overwork”, an old video of BharatPe co-founder Ashneer Grover talking about toxic work cultures has resurfaced on social media. In the video, the former Shark Tank India judge shared his decision to quit EY within a day, despite receiving a Rs 1 crore package.
The clip shows Ashneer Grover explaining how he exited EY on his very first day. “I walked into the office, looked around and pretended to have chest pain to get out,” Mr Grover said. He justified his actions by describing the office atmosphere as lifeless, referring to the employees as “mare huwe” (dead) and “laash” (corpses).”
However, he also put forward a controversial view that the best offices are those deemed “toxic” because that’s where, according to him, work gets done. “If anyone is saying an office has a toxic culture, then that one is the best,” Ashneer Grover said.
The video was shared by billionaire industrialist Harsh Goenka, who slammed Ashneer Grover for what he described as promoting a “toxic work environment”. “It’s baffling to see anyone advocate for a toxic environment,” Mr Goenka wrote on X, adding the hashtag #AnnaPerayil.
It’s baffling to see anyone advocate for a toxic environment. #AnnaPerayil
Your views? pic.twitter.com/QhPnCeKhxq
— Harsh Goenka (@hvgoenka) September 19, 2024
Anna Sebastian, a 26-year-old chartered accountant who joined EY’s Pune office four months ago, died in July, reportedly after enduring extreme work pressures. Anna’s mother, in a letter, claimed her daughter died due to “overwork” and accused the company of neglecting the well-being of employees.
The grieving mother also said that no one from EY attended the funeral and urged the company to reassess its work culture to prevent such tragedies in the future. “I hope my letter will bring real change so that no other family has to suffer what we have,” she wrote.
In a statement, EY India Chairman Rajiv Memani addressed the 26-year-old’s death and promised that he “will not rest” until the company creates a truly harmonious workplace. “I am absolutely committed to nurturing a harmonious workplace, and I will not rest until that objective is accomplished,” he wrote on LinkedIn. He also expressed regret that no one from EY attended Anna’s funeral, calling it “completely alien to our culture.”
