A 26-year-old woman, Anna Sebastian Perayil, tragically died of a heart attack just four months after joining a financial company in India.
Her mother, Anita Augustine, has since penned an emotional letter to the company’s executives, accusing the firm of overworking her daughter and fostering a toxic work environment that ultimately led to her death. The letter has gone viral, sparking widespread discussions among Gen Z and millennials about the pressures of the modern workplace.
According to the Times of India, Augustine described how her daughter returned home from work utterly exhausted, often collapsing into bed without changing her clothes. “She was bombarded with messages asking for more reports,” the letter reads, detailing the intense workload Anna faced. Despite her family advising her to resign, Anna was determined to persevere, seeking new experiences and opportunities to learn.
Augustine also claimed that the company exploited her daughter’s inexperience, overwhelming her with assigned and unassigned tasks. “This is a systemic issue that goes beyond individual managers or teams. The relentless demands and pressure to meet unrealistic expectations cost us the life of a young woman with so much potential,” she wrote.
Following the viral spread of the letter, the company responded, expressing their sorrow over the incident. “We are deeply saddened by what has transpired. We place the highest importance on the wellbeing of all employees and are committed to improving our workplace culture,” the company said in a statement.
The incident has ignited a broader conversation on social media, with many young professionals sharing their own experiences of burnout and advocating for a healthier work-life balance in corporate environments.