A video clip of Indian entrepreneur and former Shark Tank judge Ashneer Grover has gone viral on social media. In the video, he describes the work environment at the consulting firm EY as "lifeless" while praising the productivity found in "toxic" office spaces.
In the video, Ashneer Grover reveals that he had to pretend to have a health issue to escape the EY office during a visit, as he felt uncomfortable in the environment. “It was extremely quiet. They were all so lifeless as if just their final rites were left,” Ashneer Grover can be heard saying in the video.
The video is circulating on social media following the recent death of 26-year-old Anna Sebastian Perayil, an employee at EY in Pune. In a letter to the firm’s chairperson, her mother claimed that work pressure took Anna’s life.
It’s baffling to see anyone advocate for a toxic environment. #AnnaPerayil
— Harsh Goenka (@hvgoenka) September 19, 2024
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In a comment made during an event, Grover stated that “toxic” office spaces can be better because they allow people to express their opinions and engage in conflict. “Offices where people say the work culture is toxic are the best offices, where people talk and fight. There are plenty of ‘non-toxic’ spaces, but the toxic ones is where the actual work gets done,” he said.
While his remarks were focused on the silence and “lifelessness” of the EY offices, many have also raised concerns about whether glorifying toxic work culture is appropriate.
RPG Enterprises chairman Harsh Goenka slammed Grover while sharing the video on X (formerly Twitter) and said, “It’s baffling to see anyone advocate for a toxic environment.”
Following Anna's death, many former employees of EY India and other companies have expressed their feelings about the harsh work culture in office settings. The Union Labour Ministry has responded to the complaint and will be investigating Anna Perayil's death and its potential ties to her work at EY.
