A Call for Change: The Cost of a Toxic Work Culture
Last week, we tragically lost a bright young professional, Anna Sebastian Perayil, at the age of 26. As a Chartered Accountant working at EY Pune, Anna’s commitment to her work was beyond admirable. However, her untimely passing—reportedly due to overwhelming work stress—has sparked an important conversation about the intense pressures employees face in corporate environments.
Anna’s story mirrors the struggles of countless employees—long hours, overwhelming workloads, and responsibilities far beyond their roles. It’s time we ask ourselves: What kind of workplace culture are we creating, and how can we do better?
At InfiniteRise, we believe workplace culture is about more than just productivity—it’s about creating environments where employees can thrive without sacrificing their well-being. Every organization has the power to build supportive, resilient cultures that balance performance with well-being.
Key Areas for Improvement in Workplace Culture
💡 Leadership and Managerial Development: Leaders must recognize the signs of burnout and take accountability for creating a culture that prioritizes well-being. Leadership development is essential to cultivating a healthy workplace where employees feel supported rather than overwhelmed.
💡 Workplace Engagement: Genuine employee engagement programs and mental health initiatives go beyond surface-level efforts like team-building activities or wellness perks. Investing in meaningful, long-term engagement strategies fosters a culture of balance and sustainable performance.
💡 Culture of Ownership: Employees need to feel empowered to manage their workloads and raise concerns when they feel overwhelmed. A culture of ownership creates psychological safety, where employees know they are supported in addressing workload issues.
💡 Culture of Joint Ownership: Many companies struggle because they operate in silos, placing tremendous pressure on individuals rather than promoting cross-functional collaboration. To build resilient workplaces, organizations must improve the heart of the business—strengthening relationships, communication, leadership, and culture. Joint ownership of challenges across departments can ease pressure on individuals and foster innovation. we need to move from blame game culture to empowering joint ownership. This will further put less pressure on employees. Most recently in my podcast with Vishal Sharma, ED & CEO of Godrej Chemicals has shared his views on moving away from the Blame game to empowering ownership that will accelerate business results
Why This Matters
Anna’s story is a stark reminder of the high cost of toxic work cultures. When employees are pushed to their limits without proper support, both individuals and organizations suffer. As leaders, we must reflect on our role in fostering workplaces that support well-being, collaboration, and resilience.
How InfiniteRise Can Help
At InfiniteRise, we are dedicated to creating empowered workplace cultures that balance performance and well-being. We offer advisory and workshops, Managerial development programs, and strategies focused on fostering engagement, joint ownership, and employee empowerment.
Our mission is to positively impact 5,000 people by 2025, helping organizations create resilient, thriving environments where employees can reach their full potential. with the same mission, i started a podcast channel where we invited leaders to share their best practices in activating workplace culture.
If you’re ready to make a change and build a healthier workplace culture, we’d love to help. Reach out to learn more about how InfiniteRise can support your team with leadership development, engagement strategies, and cultural transformation.
Final Thoughts
We all have a responsibility to build workplace cultures that empower our people to succeed without compromising their health. Let’s take this opportunity to create meaningful change—together.
Engage with Us
Have thoughts on this topic? We’d love to hear from you. How is your organization fostering a culture of well-being and empowerment? Share your ideas and insights by replying to this newsletter or joining the conversation on our social media channels.
