A tragic incident recently sparked debates on social media and beyond the death of a 26-year-old employee working at Ernst & Young (EY), one of the world’s largest professional services firms. This young woman, who had her entire life ahead of her, died due to the immense work pressure she was under. The corporate world often glorifies long hours, endless tasks, and stress as if it’s a badge of honor. But at what cost? Her death highlights how corporate work culture can turn from ambitious into toxic, and how the so-called “deadlines” literally become “deadly.”
The Rise of Toxic Work Culture
In today’s fast-paced corporate environment, employees are expected to be available at all times. The idea that work never stops has become increasingly normalized, especially in high-pressure jobs such as accounting, finance, and consulting. What should be a place of career growth and professional success has, for many, become a pressure cooker where stress builds up until it explodes, sometimes leading to extreme consequences, like the unfortunate incident with the EY employee.
Her death isn’t an isolated case. Many young professionals are overworked, sleep-deprived, and mentally exhausted from the overwhelming demands placed on them by their employers. In Japan, the term karoshi (which translates to “death by overwork”) has long been recognized as a societal problem. Now, this concept is seeping into workplaces around the world, including India, as corporate giants demand more productivity, longer hours, and greater results without considering the human toll it takes.
Corporates are Pushing Boundaries
Corporations today often sell the idea that more work equals more success. Employees are encouraged to chase after promotions, work on weekends, and stay late to meet impossible deadlines. The line between personal life and professional life is increasingly blurred, and for many young workers, taking a break or asking for mental health leave feels like a sign of weakness or failure.
The corporate world thrives on competition, not just among companies but also among employees. People are constantly pushed to do more, be more, and give more, often at the expense of their physical and mental well-being. Companies are quick to remind employees of the benefits of hard work but are slow to address the serious consequences of pushing workers too hard. This endless cycle of overwork is not sustainable and, as the tragic case of the EY employee shows, can have fatal results.
Work Pressure and Mental Health
The stress of keeping up with the corporate rat race is pushing employees to the brink. Burnout, anxiety, depression, and stress-related illnesses are all on the rise, especially among young professionals. Many people, especially in high-pressure fields like accounting, feel trapped between wanting to succeed and fearing that they will be left behind if they don’t constantly overwork themselves.
Mental health in the workplace is still a taboo topic in many companies. Employees are often afraid to speak up, fearing they will be seen as unproductive or incapable of handling the job. And even when companies offer mental health programs, they sometimes come too late or aren’t sufficient to address the underlying issues of overwork and pressure.
The Reality Behind “Deadlines”
The term “deadline” has never felt more real than in cases like this. It originated in the 19th century to describe lines drawn around military prisons; if a prisoner crossed it, they could be shot. Today, while the consequences may not be so immediate or violent, the analogy still holds in the corporate world.
Employees live under constant pressure to meet deadlines, often at the cost of their health, personal lives, and even safety. The fear of missing a deadline or not delivering enough keeps employees chained to their desks, pushing themselves harder and harder, often to their breaking point.
Corporations Need to Take Responsibility
It’s not enough for companies like EY to simply offer condolences or provide support to families after such tragedies occur. Corporate leaders must take a long, hard look at their work cultures and implement changes that prioritize the well-being of employees over profits.
The response from EY regarding the death of their employee was to highlight that they had provided all necessary assistance. However, what companies need to realize is that assisting after an employee is pushed to the brink is not enough. The focus should be on prevention—creating an environment where employees don’t feel like they have to sacrifice their health or well-being to succeed.
Policies like work-life balance should not just be corporate buzzwords. They need to be actively implemented and respected. Employees should be encouraged to take breaks, set boundaries, and disconnect from work after hours. Moreover, employers should recognize that productivity is not synonymous with long hours. A healthy, well-rested employee is far more productive than someone running on fumes.
What Needs to Change
Here are a few actionable steps that companies must take to prevent further tragedies:
Enforce reasonable working hours: Companies must set limits on how many hours employees can work in a day and ensure they aren’t expected to take work home after office hours.
Promote mental health awareness: Mental health support should be as readily available as any other company benefit. Employees need access to counseling services and should feel safe discussing their mental health without fear of losing their jobs or being labeled as unfit.
Encourage time off: Many employees are hesitant to take vacations or breaks because they fear falling behind. Companies should actively promote taking time off and ensure that there’s no stigma attached to it.
Remove unrealistic expectations: Corporations need to stop setting impossible targets and deadlines. Productivity shouldn’t come at the expense of human lives.
Monitor workload: Managers should regularly check in with their teams to ensure that workloads are manageable. Burnout happens when people are given too much work with too little time to complete it.
The Cost of Ignoring the Issue
If companies continue to ignore the well-being of their employees, they risk more than just bad publicity—they risk the very lives of the people who make their businesses successful. The tragedy at EY should be a wake-up call for the corporate world to reassess its values and priorities.
Work should never cost someone their life. The death of this 26-year-old is a stark reminder that corporate work culture if left unchecked, can be dangerous. For the sake of their employees and their futures, corporations must change the way they operate. Work should be about growth, learning, and achievement, not pressure, exhaustion, and, tragically, death.
Conclusion
The corporate world is at a crossroads. It can continue down the path of overwork and toxic expectations, or it can evolve into something more humane. Employees deserve more than just a paycheck—they deserve respect, balance, and a life outside of work. The death of the EY employee is a devastating loss, but it should also serve as a call to action for companies worldwide to prioritize the health and well-being of their employees before it’s too late. After all, no deadline is worth a life.
