Psychiatrist Rajiv Mehta on Work Stress After EY Employee’s Tragic Death
Following the death of a 26-year-old EY employee allegedly due to overwork, Dr. Rajiv Mehta from Sir Ganga Ram Hospital highlighted the severe symptoms of work stress and advised against making work one’s entire life. He urged employees to engage in enjoyable activities and called for employers to adopt a more humane approach.
Dr. Mehta explained, “All the stress that is occurring due to professional reasons or work reasons is called work stress. The symptoms are decreased interest, sadness, irritability, decreased focus, forgetfulness, helplessness, hopelessness, death wishes, suicidal attempts, and sometimes anxiety symptoms.”
He further elaborated on the potential consequences of unchecked work-related pressures and urged people to occupy themselves with things they enjoy and hobbies other than work. “Occupy yourself with many things that you enjoy. Don’t make work your only life. Life requires family, friends, vacation. Work stress can also happen because of your ambitions. Be ambitious but don’t be too quick for it. Have some patience,” he advised.
Calling for a change in employer attitudes, Dr. Mehta stressed the need for a more humane approach to work, saying, “Employers must understand that workers are human beings, not machines. It’s essential to be assertive about these demands.”
Earlier, Ernst & Young (EY) issued a statement expressing deep sadness over the tragic passing of the 26-year-old chartered accountant, who died on July 20 due to allegedly work-related stress. The statement came after a heart-wrenching letter written by the victim’s mother went viral on social media, alleging that EY’s work culture and excessive workload contributed to her daughter’s demise.
In the letter, her mother detailed the victim’s struggles with anxiety, sleeplessness, and stress due to an overwhelming workload, citing instances where her manager prioritized work over employee well-being. EY’s response acknowledged the victim’s brief tenure at the firm and expressed condolences to the bereaved family.
Regarding the allegations, EY stated, “We are taking the family’s correspondence with the utmost seriousness and humility. We place the highest importance on the well-being of all employees and will continue to find ways to improve and provide a healthy workplace for our 100,000 people across EY member firms in India.” The firm assured that it has provided assistance to the family and will continue to do so.
The incident has sparked a nationwide debate on work-life balance, mental health, and corporate accountability.
Doubts Revealed
Psychiatrist -: A psychiatrist is a doctor who helps people with their mental health, like when they feel very sad or stressed.
Rajiv Mehta -: Rajiv Mehta is a doctor who works at Sir Ganga Ram Hospital and helps people with their mental health.
Work Stress -: Work stress happens when someone feels very worried or tired because of their job.
EY -: EY, or Ernst & Young, is a big company that helps other businesses with things like money and taxes.
Tragic Death -: A tragic death is a very sad and unexpected event where someone dies.
Sir Ganga Ram Hospital -: Sir Ganga Ram Hospital is a big hospital in Delhi where people go to get better when they are sick.
Overwork -: Overwork means working too much and not having enough time to rest or do fun things.
Humane Approach -: A humane approach means treating people kindly and making sure they are happy and healthy.
Work-life Balance -: Work-life balance means having enough time for both work and fun activities so you can be happy and healthy.
Mental Health -: Mental health is about how we think and feel. It’s important to feel good inside, just like it’s important to be healthy on the outside.
