Ashneer Grover reveals why he quit Ernst & Young on day 1

Anna Perayil's death: A resurfaced video featuring Ashneer Grover, co-founder of BharatPe, has sparked discussions about toxic workplace environments. In the clip, Grover recounts his abrupt decision to leave Ernst & Young (EY) on his very first day, despite a lucrative salary offer of Rs 1 crore.

Grover shares that although he joined EY with high expectations, he found the office atmosphere to be "too dull." On his first day, he pretended to experience chest pains as a reason to exit, ultimately never returning to the job.

Grover's take on work culture

Describing the office environment, Grover referred to his colleagues as “Zinda lash,” which translates to "living corpses," suggesting a lack of energy and enthusiasm that he deemed essential for productivity. 

He believes that a dynamic, sometimes chaotic workplace fosters a sense of urgency and effectiveness. Grover stated, “Jahan pe koi bol raha hai toxic culture hai, bahut sahi office hai,” meaning, "If someone calls an office toxic, that’s the best kind of office."

His remarks have drawn mixed reactions from business leaders, including billionaire Harsh Goenka, who criticised Grover for endorsing a toxic work culture. Goenka argued that promoting such an environment is detrimental and harmful to employee well-being.

These comments come at a challenging time for EY, which is under scrutiny for its work culture following the tragic death of a young employee.

Tragic loss at EY

Anna Sebastian Perayil, a 26-year-old chartered accountant from Kerala, died while working at EY's Pune office. Her mother, Anita Augustine, attributed her daughter's death to “excessive workload” and expressed her grief in an open letter to EY's India Chairperson, Rajiv Memani.

This letter has gone viral, highlighting the dangers of overworking employees in high-pressure settings.

Anita also said that no representatives from EY attended her daughter’s funeral, intensifying the conversation about the risks of corporate hustle culture and raising serious concerns about employee welfare in large organisations.