An old video featuring Ashneer Grover, co-founder of BharatPe, has resurfaced on social media, drawing renewed attention to his controversial views on toxic work environments and corporate culture. In the video, Grover candidly recounts his decision to leave Ernst & Young (EY) on his very first day, despite being offered a staggering Rs 1 crore salary—an amount that would tempt most people to stay. His abrupt departure and the reasoning behind it have sparked conversations across the business world, with some agreeing with his perspective, while others strongly criticizing his approach.
Grover explains that, after joining EY with the highly attractive salary, he immediately felt a sense of discomfort and unease as he entered the office. Instead of feeling excited or motivated, he sensed that the work environment was stifling and lacked energy. On his first day, rather than confronting his dissatisfaction, Grover pretended to experience chest pain as a ruse to leave the office. Once he walked out, he made the decision never to return, abandoning the lucrative position altogether.
The most provocative part of his recounting is his description of the employees at EY, whom he referred to as "Zinda lash"—a Hindi phrase meaning "living corpses." By this, Grover meant that the people around him seemed devoid of energy, passion, and enthusiasm, qualities he considered crucial for success in any workplace. For him, the calm and quiet atmosphere he encountered was not conducive to high performance, and he felt it wasn’t the right place for someone who thrives in a more vibrant and dynamic environment.
In the video, Grover also advocates for what many would describe as a toxic work environment. He controversially suggests that "Jahan pe koi bol raha hai toxic culture hai, bahut sahi office hai," which loosely translates to, "If people say an office has a toxic culture, that's the best kind of office." He implies that in such high-pressure environments, people are pushed to their limits, resulting in higher productivity and greater achievements. For Grover, a little chaos and conflict in the office are signs of people who are intensely focused on getting results, as opposed to workplaces where employees appear disengaged and uninterested.
However, Grover’s comments have not gone unchallenged. Billionaire industrialist Harsh Goenka was one of the prominent figures who publicly criticized Grover for glorifying a toxic work culture. Goenka stressed that promoting such environments is not only unhealthy but dangerous for employees, both physically and mentally. He emphasized that while high-pressure environments might yield short-term results, the long-term consequences of overworking and stressing employees can be disastrous. Many others have echoed Goenka’s sentiment, arguing that a balanced, supportive, and healthy workplace is far more sustainable and beneficial in the long run.
Grover’s remarks resurfaced at a particularly sensitive time, as Ernst & Young is currently under heavy scrutiny for its work culture following the tragic death of one of its employees, Anna Sebastian Perayil. The 26-year-old chartered accountant from Kerala, who worked at EY’s Pune office, died in what her family claims was a direct result of being overworked. Anna’s mother, Anita Augustine, wrote an emotional open letter to EY’s India Chairman, Rajiv Memani, blaming the company's excessive workload and unrelenting demands for her daughter’s death. The letter has since gone viral, sparking a national conversation about the toll that toxic work environments can take on employees’ health and well-being.
In her letter, Anita Augustine also revealed a disturbing detail that further fueled the outrage: no one from EY attended her daughter’s funeral. This lack of response from the company has heightened concerns about corporate responsibility and the human cost of unchecked work pressure. Anna’s death has become a tragic symbol of the darker side of corporate hustle culture, where constant demands for productivity often come at the expense of employees’ mental and physical health.
The viral spread of Grover’s video and Anna’s tragic story have reignited broader debates about what makes a healthy, productive workplace. While Grover advocates for intense, high-pressure environments where results are the top priority, the backlash against such work cultures is growing. More and more employees and industry leaders are pushing for healthier work-life balances, fair treatment, and workplaces that prioritize mental health and overall well-being.
In the context of these ongoing debates, Grover’s old comments stand in stark contrast to the evolving attitudes toward workplace culture. The recirculation of his statements, coupled with the scrutiny facing Ernst & Young after Anna Sebastian Perayil’s death, has underscored the urgent need for corporate reform in how companies treat their employees. The conversation is no longer just about financial compensation or job titles, but about creating environments where people can thrive without sacrificing their health, happiness, or humanity.
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