The 9-to-5 Nightmare: Untold stories of the "Dream Job" victims

“Take care of mummy, papa…never asked for anything”
Bajaj Finance employee dies by suicide due to toxic work culture and unrelenting stress.

Source: NDTV

These were the last words of Tarun Saxena, a 42-year-old man from Jhansi, Uttar Pradesh who committed suicide on 30th September 2024, giving in to the undermining work environment in his company. You might wonder what circumstances led him to take such a drastic step. Mr. Saxena’s suicide focused on one thing. He was subjected to harsh working conditions, his seniors constantly pressured him to meet unrealistic deadlines and threatened to withhold his salary if he failed to meet those deadlines.

Corporate work culture has faced increased scrutiny over the past decade, particularly as mental health concerns and workplace stress have been linked to cases of suicide. With large corporations being called out for practices that contribute to employee burnout, mental health deterioration, and, in some cases, tragic outcomes, it is time that these issues are acknowledged.
The companies that initially used to prioritize their employees, give adequate salaries, international trips, and exposure for growth, have now evolved into companies that prioritize profits over people. With growing competition, it all boils down to we humans, forgetting basic human decency.

Source: finshots.in

Let us see what made the companies evolve into “stress factories” over the past decade. There can be a multitude of reasons attributed to the same, a few of which are discussed below.

To begin with, the evolution of corporate work culture from stability to a constant hustle has proved detrimental.

Earlier, companies’ work atmospheres were focused on long-term employment, career growth, and job stability. What has changed now is the rise of startup culture, tech innovation methods, and competition, leading to a more “hustle”-based approach.

Long working hours, giving up personal time, and even being constantly available became acceptable due to the demands placed on companies that sought high market-paced demands. This created idioms such as “grind culture” and “hustle hard,” which glorified overwork.

Following this, surveillance and productivity stress become a pressing issue. With technology, employers can monitor performance and productivity to an unimaginable extent. Supposedly created to increase efficiency, it ironically raises employee stress through a sense that all their moves are being watched and counted.

The resulting metrics create fear cultures in which employees will tend to focus on numbers rather than health and well-being, since not meeting those numbers becomes the context that becomes a basis for repercussions or, worse, job loss as in the case of the late Mr. Saxena.

In a nutshell, the erosion of work-life balance is identified as the most vital factor.

We all worked from home as COVID-19 demanded from us. Remote work blurred the boundary lines between work and personal life, especially after the pandemic. Flexible schedules helped a few people, but many employees ended up working more hours than ever at home because they felt that, at least mentally, they needed to be on all the time.

This is the problem of no boundary; burnout and resentment begin as personal time dwindles and people cannot shake off the mental notion of work.

Source: greatplacetowork.ca

As a part of our case study, we spoke with a private bank official who refused to bring his identity into the picture. Further conversations revealed that the root issue lies in the finance sector. He has been an employee for 10 years in the same company and has many achievements in his name. Recently his health issues demanded him to stay away from the office for almost two months. Going back to work after that prolonged period was difficult and he mentions being poked by his seniors to leave the job already. He did not give in to their remarks and continued working, as he was the only breadwinner in his family. With one of his kids going to pursue studies in engineering and the other also in a crucial stage of his academic life, he needed to keep working. Soon, his seniors asked him to take unpaid leave for six months or else he would be fired after seeing his decrementing performance. He accepted and even tried looking for jobs in other companies, but his old age is of concern, making him wait, with no other options at hand.

Another young employee from Noida, says he switched many jobs due to unsatisfying work culture. He described it in the following way.

“Firstly, the compensation part. Most workers feel dissatisfied with the amount of money they are being paid in respect of work. This happens due to no internal job parity, which means two workers get paid differently for the same job requiring the same skills. Because of their past background, previous pay, education, etc. This creates dissatisfaction among peers.
Second is the invasion of privacy and private life. When you work for extra hours, with no flexibility, when even your weekends are compromised, and when nothing, but deadlines remain, it hampers work-life balance. This comes from the top of the management. If the top of the management fails to recognize HR issues and values, the culture of the company goes for a toss.
Therefore, the company’s values, mission, and vision should be strictly adhered to. Working on the off, being unable to take leaves, getting bashed unnecessarily, rigidity and lack of flexibility, such as working from home or flexible timings, and no fun Fridays or leisure activities, create an extra burden.
Third is indirect warnings like layoffs, ratings, probation extensions, and promotion delays, among other pressures, which create extra panic in employees’ minds. Then a sudden job shift, role shift, or transfer in case you do not comply. All this weighs down heavily on an employee.”
Prevailing mental health conditions have become so common among corporate employees that innumerable cases are pending against big and highly glorified companies. The mental and physical health issues are so severe that this topic can no longer remain in case files.
The big promises by the so-called ‘corporate companies’, are fulfilled, ending with us in hospital beds rather than in workplaces.
We are their best partners in crime because we don’t want to find the loophole and run out of the cycle, rather we stick to the rat race for incentives and stability in life, deteriorating our mental peace. It all boils down to, “Voila, Corporate Sector promises you a never-ending race”.

People strive hard for their initial 20 years to become capable enough to be recruited by these companies which are glorified amongst youth. Then, they strive hard for their remaining years to keep their boats sailing in this pool of small, big, and bigger sharks, claiming to be the best. Why can’t we see the relentless chase we are involved in just to get off one hook and end up on another?

I am sure all of us have a clear motivation for getting a chance to work in these companies so that we fulfill our “childhood dreams” of traveling or enjoying life with friends and families. We rely on our skills and the companies we are hired into for giving us that opportunity but end up cribbing for the rest of our lives or even worse, ending our lives.

26-year-old Anna Sebastian Perayil, a young woman from Kochi, Kerala, was eager to explore new opportunities.

Source: dailymail.co.uk

When she received a job offer from EY’s affiliate SRBC in Pune, she pursued her dreams, despite her parents’ concerns. Tragically, Anna passed away in July due to a heart attack after just four months in Pune. Her mother expressed deep sorrow and criticized the glorification of overwork culture. She revealed that Anna worked relentlessly, often without breaks or compensation, even falling ill while working on a weekend.

Anna’s aspirations were far-reaching. She aimed to gain experience at a Big Four firm, pursue a CA qualification, and ultimately work for organizations like the UN and WHO to make a humanitarian impact. Her untimely demise cut short her promising career and left her family heartbroken.

Several recent cases have brought the issue of toxic corporate culture into the spotlight. Employees in high-stress fields, particularly tech and finance, have reported extreme burnout, isolation, and pressure from unrealistic expectations set by management. These cases are often linked to excessive working hours, lack of support, and little appreciation for mental well-being. Tragically, some employees felt so overwhelmed and unsupported that they believed there was no escape from their circumstances.

“A healthy environment is one where people feel respected and valued.”

One’s mind would have been through a turmoil of emotions reading all of the circumstances discussed above. Addressing these issues requires a shift from merely maximizing productivity to genuinely prioritizing employee well-being. Yet, if we choose this cycle for ourselves, it is only fair for us to know a way out. Let’s glimpse over a few solutions to combat challenging work environments.

1. Establish Clear Work Boundaries:

Companies should have defined policies on working hours, especially when working at home. This allows an employee to unplug and recharge. There also must be discouragement towards sending emails or other forms of communication outside regular hours.

2. Encourage Mental Health Days and Breaks:

Mental health days become part of regular time off awards, which removes the stigma associated with the need for mental health. Regular breaks should be present, whether short or long, to avoid Burnout.

3. Develop Supportive Management Practices:

Training managers to recognize signs of stress, burnout, and mental health issues can create a supportive environment. Managers should be encouraged to have open conversations about mental health and to provide resources or accommodation when needed.

4. Focus on Work-Life Integration:

Instead of expecting employees to work 24/7, companies can focus on creating a work environment where productivity is balanced with well-being. Allowing flexible work schedules and giving autonomy over one’s work can empower employees to integrate work with personal life in a healthy way.

5. Provide Access to Mental Health Resources:

Offering counseling services, mental health workshops, and even digital mental health tools can be a crucial support system for employees. Ensuring these services are easily accessible and confidential can make it easier for employees to seek help.

6. Reward and Recognize Work Ethically:

Companies should move away from solely rewarding employees for putting in long hours.Instead, they can emphasize results, creativity, and effective time management, promoting a culture that values balance and effectiveness.

Staying in a toxic environment means constantly breathing in negativity, which can eventually seep into you and lead to creating your own. There are impossible, difficult, emotionally immature people, with low self-esteem, and values, in practically every community. These people operate at very low frequencies. To feel a sense of superiority and boost the ego, to protect the weak person inside they have to display a facade of false power, by criticizing, judging, complaining, blaming, finding fault, and putting down others.

You will notice these counterproductive people pick on those who succumb to them and do not protest or resist. They will avoid the tough guys, being weak themselves. Remember, aggressiveness, passiveness, or passive aggressiveness, will only get you turned into their frequency. Assertiveness is the only best way. Don’t worry about how others feel or think, just get tough, and focus on your life, it is imperative that you stay clean.

Source: markcperna.com

The hostile corporate culture has caused damage to the mental well-being of employees, in some tragic cases, even pushing them to make suicide attempts. Companies need to be brought to book and create a culture where workers feel worthwhile, dignified, and cared for. Employees with boundary setting, mental health care, and healthy integration can start piecing together a culture that serves the greater good without killing its productivity.