EY employee's death prompts Big Four to relook work culture norms

Following the untimely death of 26-year-old Anna Sebastian Perayil from work-related stress, the Big Four consulting firms—Deloitte, EY, PwC, and KPMG—implemented a number of employee-focused rules. As former workers shared their challenging experiences, her passing sparked a nationwide conversation about work-life balance and the demanding work ethic in the private sector. According to The Economic Times, these companies responded by putting policies in place to deal with mental health and work-life balance, indicating a move towards better employee wellbeing.To re-examine workplace procedures, Deloitte, for example, established a review team headed by top executives Tarun Bajaj, Manoj Kohli, and Subodh Jaiswal. CEO Romal Shetty stressed the need of fostering a high-performing yet encouraging work atmosphere through initiatives like "Back Benchers," which promote breaks, private helplines, flexible work schedules and other well-being. Earlier this year, PwC encouraged staff members to seek mental health help from city-based counsellors and introduced an AI-powered tool to track employee sentiment, particularly with reference to performance reviews. In certain offices, health examinations were even required. Senior coworkers are increasingly stepping up to help manage workloads, while junior staff members reported less pressure to meet deadlines. Across the Big Four, these initiatives seek to promote a more balanced and healthy working culture.