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The 1993 movie A Few Good Men tells the story of two U.S. Marines court-martialled for the death of a fellow Marine, Private Santiago, at Guantanamo Bay, Cuba. Following orders, the Marines carried out a code red, an illegal punishment for Santiago’s perceived failings. It is later revealed Santiago had heart disease, but the base’s toxic, macho culture labelled him a slacker. The superior officer is arrested for ordering an illegal punishment. While the Marines are cleared of murder, they are found guilty of unbecoming conduct. The plot highlights how unchecked social rules and the lack of grievance redressal can be a fatal mix.
I recount this in the context of the tragic death of Anna Perayil, a young chartered accountant who died of heart disease worsened by overwork. Around that time, I spoke to Aarvi, a 26-year-old client who shared her experience at an event management company, where she worked gruelling 17-hour days for 14 months. Constant travel, sleepless nights, and a relentless pace wore her down. She initially enjoyed the adrenalin rush but soon tired of the incessant workload and the toxic work culture.
When asked why she stayed on for so long despite having no financial pressures, Aarvi revealed that peer pressure and fear of being labelled a quitter and a loser kept her there. She feared other jobs would be equally demanding. She only left after an illness forced her to go home and recuperate, which gave her the necessary time to reflect. Today, she works for a social sector company and enjoys the impact her organisation makes on fellow citizens. Her pay is sufficient to sustain an independent, comfortable lifestyle. The job also leaves her time to pursue other interests.
Aarvi admitted she was unaware of labour laws, such as limits on working hours, mandatory breaks, and earned leave provisions, which exacerbated her helplessness. The fortuitous illness gave her the breathing space to realise she could make a conscious choice.
This is reminiscent of how workplace sexual harassment was once shrouded in silence until the 1997 Supreme Court judgement in the Vishaka case set guidelines for interpreting sexual harassment at the workplace. It enforced a grievance redressal ecosystem that victims could easily access. Social attitudes took time to adjust, but today most organisations, including small and medium enterprises, are sensitised on this issue.
The issue of unreasonable working hours and stress needs to be highlighted similarly. Employees must know that unreasonable demands on this score are illegal. Companies should provide accessible grievance redressal mechanisms. Laws like the Shops and Establishment Act should be emphasised in employee induction programmes. Initially, larger companies will become sensitised to these issues and it will then spread to smaller organisations gradually. Employees who value work-life balance can seek help if they are mistreated for resisting excessive workloads.
One way to encourage transparency is for large companies to report audited HR (Human Resources) metrics, including employee turnover, satisfaction, and complaints and resolution data on issues related to sexual harassment or workload. This data could guide job seekers toward companies that value work-life balance.
Truth be told, while societal norms often favour conformity, allowing useful changes to emerge—like providing a safe space for handling the grievances of non-conformists—is a must for a robust system to evolve and keep up with changing norms. The loss of young Anna’s life is a tragedy. If this tragedy shifts workplace attitudes, it won’t have been in vain.
The writer heads Fee-Only Investment Advisors LLP, a Sebi-registered investment advisor; X (formerly Twitter): @harshroongta
Disclaimer: These are personal views of the writer. They do not necessarily reflect the opinion of www.business-standard.com or the Business Standard newspaper
(A slightly different version of this column first appeared in the Business Standard on Oct 21, 2024)