The tragic news of a consultant in India dying by suicide as a result of suspected “immense pressure” at work has brought the issue of mental health in management consulting to the forefront once again. Saurabh Kumar Laddha, a Pune-based professional, worked for the American consulting and professional services behemoth McKinsey & Company.
Laddha reportedly took his own life by jumping from the ninth floor of his building after returning from a trip to Ahmedabad.
Laddha was said to be under enormous pressure. After interning with the company, he was hired and assigned to Ahmedabad, Gujarat. Laddha reportedly took his own life by jumping from the ninth floor of his building after returning from a trip to Ahmedabad. He was living with roommates at the time.
The tragic death of Saurabh Laddha
Saurabh Kumar Laddha, a 25-year-old McKinsey & Company consultant, came home from work on February 23, 2024. Though it all seemed like a normal work day, he was silently suffering from a battle with his mental health. That day he lost his battle to his suffering. At 11:15, Laddha jumped from the 9th floor of his apartment complex in Mumbai’s Wadala neighborhood. The jump proved to be fatal and he was declared dead on the spot. Both the health and the police review confirmed that the suicide was caused by ‘extreme workplace pressure’.
Saurabh Laddha was a graduate of IIT Madras and IIM Calcutta and has been a part of the strategy consulting firm since August 2022. According to media reports, the project he was a part of was mentally and physically draining. He disclosed the pressure he was under on the project during his most recent phone call with his girlfriend. The police also discovered messages that displayed his admission of the toxic work culture and work pressure.
Toxic workplace culture and McKinsey
After the incident of Laddha’s suicide became public, major publications covered it, and online discussions about it increased. Some people who had previously worked for or were familiar with the firm in question, McKinsey and Company, shared their perspectives on the situation. One of them even described the company culture as toxic. The company has previously made headlines for a variety of reasons, including questionable ethics in its practices, such as profiting from US government contracts and shielding troubled companies.
Most recently, McKinsey & Company was accused of working with authoritarian regimes around the world. McKinsey is also known for using a high-handed approach to dealing with serious allegations and avoiding accountability. Consultants accepted into the company are among the brightest minds in the country.
In response to the case, McKinsey stated that it is deeply saddened by the news and that it prioritises employee well-being and a supportive work culture that promotes open communication about mental health issues.
In response to the case, McKinsey stated that it is deeply saddened by the news and that it prioritises employee well-being and a supportive work culture that promotes open communication about mental health issues. Furthermore, the company provides a variety of support mechanisms for employees who are feeling overwhelmed by work-related stress.
McKinsey is working with the Indian police on this case. Laddha’s coworkers, including senior employees working on the same project, have been questioned as part of the investigation.
Less than a week after a senior journalist in Mumbai died from cardiac arrest following criticism from a colleague, this incident took place. This development has reenergised the discussion about work pressure online, including on LinkedIn, where many professional journeys now begin. These incidents repeatedly raise the question of whether work can remain just that, rather than becoming life in and of itself. It’s also about addressing the issue of workplace toxicity, whether in newsrooms or multinational consulting firms and moving beyond tokenism.
The importance of an open discourse on mental health and work-life balance
Mental health needs unashamed conversations. There should be openness in talking about the suffering you are going through mentally, the stigma the society still latches onto someone who openly talks about their mental health should be removed. The prescribed norms of the deemed acceptable standards of how a person should live their life are toxic. Leading a life that does not adhere to the societal timeline and resonates with a person’s individuality should be wholly accepted. Not everyone aspires to be enigmatic and super-successful. Embracing the life ideal of being balanced and wholesome in all aspects should be normalised.
As we navigate the demands of modern life, achieving and maintaining a healthy work-life balance is a never-ending journey of self-discovery and adaptation. In this pursuit, we must remember that balancing work and life is not a one-size-fits-all endeavour; it is about finding fulfilment in both areas rather than a strict 50/50 split. Meeting deadlines, spending time with friends and hobbies, putting sleep and nutrition first, and leaving work concerns at home are all part of achieving a healthy work-life balance.
However, striking this balance can be difficult, particularly when dealing with caregiving responsibilities, a demanding work environment, or health issues. Identifying an unhealthy work-life balance may be difficult, as long hours and stress can become normalised, especially if it’s been the norm for a while or within the workplace culture.
Achieving work-life balance- a way forward
Recent research highlights the need to regularly assess and improve work-life balance using a five-step approach to break the cycle of imbalance.
Firstly, we must take time to think about what is causing us stress and unhappiness, and how it is affecting both our work and personal life. We need to prioritise by thinking about what is most important to us and what we might be overlooking. We often don’t reflect on these things until something significant happens.
Secondly, it is important to be aware of how we feel in our current situation and consider if it brings us happiness or dissatisfaction. Being in touch with our emotions will help us make better decisions.
Thirdly, it is necessary to consider reevaluating our priorities by determining if sacrificing time with family for work or working weekends is negatively affecting our social life.
Fourthly, we should consider different options within our workplace that support our new priorities. This could involve discussing the possibility of having flexible working hours, utilising our allotted time off, or setting boundaries such as not checking emails during weekends.
Finally, we need to make the changes we have pinpointed, such as asking for flexible hours or using all of our vacation time, to create a more satisfying work-life balance.
The recent news of Saurabh Laddha’s suicide, an IIT and IIM graduate, has called into question the corporate world’s work-life balance. A person who can easily handle academic pressure will struggle to handle work pressure in the corporate world. The message to all the multinational corporations and firms is clear: they must give employees plenty of time to relax their bodies and minds; they are their employees, not their slaves.
The message to all the multinational corporations and firms is clear: they must give employees plenty of time to relax their bodies and minds; they are their employees, not their slaves.
It also applies to employees who do not want to work in a toxic workplace environment where their health is jeopardised. It is important to allow time for your health and don’t rush through the packages. Depression and deteriorating mental health are some of the main causes of suicide. Therefore, as a society, we need to make health a priority over a job.
