The tragic death of Anna Sebastian Perayil, a 26-year-old employee at Ernst and Young (EY) in Pune, has cast a spotlight on the company’s workplace environment. Following her passing, her mother alleged that work-related stress contributed to this devastating loss, prompting a wave of concern and scrutiny. In response, former employees of EY have taken to social media to recount their own harrowing experiences, doubling the criticism directed at the firm’s culture. The company’s official statement regarding Anna’s death has also drawn significant backlash, intensifying calls for accountability and change.
Amid this turmoil, a video featuring Ashneer Grover, co-founder of BharatPe, has resurfaced and gone viral once again. In the clip, Grover recounted his visit to the Ernst & Young office shortly after resigning as the Chief Financial Officer of grocery delivery service Grofers (now Blinkit) in 2017, where he was presented with a salary package of Rs 1 crore. In a viral video clip from an event, he expressed his view that the worst workplace culture is characterized by utter silence. “Nothing happens there; it’s a lifeless environment,” he remarked in a clip shared on Instagram by creator Pranav Sikri.
Reflecting on his experience at Ernst & Young, Grover described the office atmosphere as eerily quiet. “I took a quick tour, pretended to have chest pain, and left,” he said. He humorously noted, “Bhai saab, itne mare hue log, bas kriya karam karni rah gaya tha, sab laashe padi thi, (They were such dead people, only their last rites were remaining.)”
Grover’s comments resonated well with the audience, earning him a round of applause.
“Jahan pe koi bol raha hai bada toxic culture hai, bahut sahi jagah hai. Kaam to waha ho raha hai. Baaki non-toxic, bahut mil jaygene. (If someone says a place has a toxic culture, that’s a good place. Real work happens there. You’ll find plenty of other ‘non-toxic’ places.)”
His remarks on “Shark Tank India,” often controversial, fueled a wave of memes across social media, contributing to the growth of his substantial fan base.
Listen to Grover’s remarks on EY’s work culture in the video below:
Grover’s remarks have reignited discussions about the balance between demanding work environments and employee well-being.