EY employee death: Young Indian women work 55 hrs weekly, highest globally

Indian women employed in information and communication sectors, such as IT and journalism, work an average of 56.5 hours per week, reveals ILO data

The death of 26-year-old Chartered Accountant (CA) Anna Sebastian Perayil, who worked at Ernst & Young (EY) in Pune, has brought renewed attention to the intense work pressures faced by young professionals in India. Anna’s mother, Anita Augustine, attributed her daughter’s death to overwhelming "work stress" in a letter addressed to EY Chairman Rajiv Memani, highlighting excessive night work and tight deadlines as part of a larger systemic issue.

Anna’s case has intensified discussions around the severe workloads professionals endure, particularly young women in male-dominated fields.

Women in India face extreme work hours

Data from the International Labour Organisation (ILO) paints a grim picture of the working hours faced by women in sectors such as information technology (IT), communication, and technical professions. Indian women in IT and journalism roles work an average of 56.5 hours per week—over 11 hours a day in a five-day work week, or more than 9 hours daily in a six-day week. Similarly, women in professional and technical jobs, like Anna's, report working 53.2 hours a week.

For younger women professionals, the situation is even worse. Women aged 15-24 in IT and media roles work an average of 57 hours weekly, while those in technical professions clock 55 hours—the highest among all age groups.

Global comparison shows stark differences

Indian women in technical and communication fields endure the longest working hours globally. For example, women in Germany’s IT and media sectors work an average of 32 hours per week, while in Russia, women in similar fields work 40 hours.

 

Gender imbalance in Indian workplaces

Despite the heavy workloads, Indian women remain significantly underrepresented in these fields. Only 8.5 per cent of the workforce in professional, scientific, and technical jobs in India are women, while only 20 per cent of employees in the information and communication sector are women. In comparison, many other nations see higher participation rates of women in these industries. India ranks 15th from the bottom for women’s representation in technical fields out of 145 nations.

A wake-up call for corporate India

Anna’s death highlights the growing mental and physical toll that high-pressure professions place on young professionals, particularly women. The absence of EY representatives at her funeral, as noted by her mother, has further fuelled conversations on corporate accountability and employee well-being.

In response to the growing public outcry, EY India Chairman Rajiv Memani expressed deep regret and stressed that “the well-being of our people is my top-most priority.”

This incident has brought forward urgent calls for workplace reforms, policy interventions, and better corporate structures to protect the well-being of employees. With workplace stress becoming a central topic of conversation, it is clear that action is needed to create healthier and more inclusive work environments for all professionals in India.