A wholesome, skilled banker walks into his workplace, making ready for an additional routine workday. Hours later, he collapses—useless. Trigger? Cardiac arrest. However was it actually only a medical subject, or was it the results of relentless office stress, harassment, and poisonous work tradition?
This isn’t fiction. That is the true story of Safi Khan, a former HDFC Financial institution worker who handed away on November 19, 2024. His spouse, Nida Mushir, didn’t simply grieve in silence—she took to LinkedIn to name out the system that failed him.
Her story isn’t an remoted one. In simply three months, three bankers from HDFC Financial institution misplaced their lives whereas at work.
The query is: What number of extra earlier than issues change?
The Story of Safi Khan: A Dying That May Have Been Prevented
Safi Khan had 22 years of banking expertise. A wholesome, vibrant man with no medical historical past. But, he collapsed instantly because of cardiac arrest.
His spouse, Nida, doesn’t imagine this was simply dangerous luck. She blames the poisonous work tradition, extreme stress, and fixed harassment that had pushed him past his limits.
Safi had already resigned months in the past, however was satisfied to return—solely to be subjected to the identical surroundings that he was making an attempt to flee.
Probably the most disturbing half? He isn’t the one one.
A Sample of Deaths: Three Bankers in Three Months
Nida’s put up uncovered a chilling development:
🔹 Sadaf Fatima (Lucknow Workplace) – Collapsed at work.
🔹 Shivam Mehrotra (Mumbai) – Died throughout a convention name.
🔹 Safi Khan (Mumbai) – Collapsed whereas making ready for a shopper assembly.
All three had been between 35-45 years previous, their finest years—wasted below excessive office stress.
This can’t be dismissed as a coincidence. It is a sample.
Why Are Banking Jobs Changing into Life-Threatening?
1. Excessive Gross sales Strain & Goal-Primarily based Harassment
- Staff face unrealistic gross sales targets, usually for merchandise like insurance coverage, bank cards, and loans.
- Managers threaten workers with poor value determinations and even job loss in the event that they fail to satisfy targets.
- Work hours stretch far past official timings, but banks refuse to compensate for time beyond regulation.
2. No Work-Life Stability, No Well being Consideration
- Leaves are handled like against the law, even for medical or household emergencies.
- Sick staff are pressured into working as an alternative of taking day without work.
- Many banks lack correct worker medical health insurance, even whereas forcing workers to promote insurance coverage insurance policies to prospects.
3. A Tradition of Worry and Silent Struggling
- Many bankers endure in silence as a result of complaining may price them their jobs.
- Poisonous managers manipulate staff into staying in insufferable situations.
- Psychological well being help is non-existent in most banks, regardless of growing circumstances of stress-related diseases.
Is RBI and HDFC Financial institution Ignoring Worker Effectively-being?
Nida immediately addressed HDFC Financial institution and the Reserve Financial institution of India (RBI), demanding solutions:
1️⃣ Why is taking depart handled like against the law?
2️⃣ Why are staff handled as expendable?
3️⃣ What number of extra lives might be misplaced earlier than insurance policies change?
4️⃣ Why does a financial institution that pressures workers to promote insurance coverage not present correct insurance coverage for workers?
She additionally revealed that she had emailed the authorities in December, anticipating motion—however solely acquired empty phrases of condolence.
If regulatory our bodies proceed ignoring these issues, how can they declare to be defending staff?
Banking in India: A Poisonous Job Disguised as a Prestigious Profession
Most individuals imagine that banking is a secure, respectable profession. However behind the excessive salaries and bonuses lies a brutal actuality that nobody talks about.
“Banking isn’t a job, it’s a sluggish poison.” – A typical phrase amongst staff who’ve felt the bodily and psychological toll of this trade.
The numbers don’t lie:
1. Rising circumstances of coronary heart assaults, despair, and nervousness amongst bankers.
2. File-breaking resignations from banks as staff search higher work-life stability.
3. Elevated suicides and psychological breakdowns because of insufferable work situations.
The system is breaking individuals sooner than they’ll get well.
What Must Change?
1. RBI Should Implement Work-Life Stability Laws
- Banks ought to have strict tips on work hours, depart insurance policies, and psychological well being help.
- Obligatory well being check-ups for high-stress roles must be carried out.
2. Banks Must Be Held Accountable
- Poisonous managers and unethical HR practices must be investigated.
- Banks have to be compelled to prioritize worker well-being as an alternative of simply earnings.
3. Staff Should Communicate Up
- The concern of job loss mustn’t silence real issues about office harassment.
- Worker unions and advocacy teams should push for coverage adjustments.
Remaining Ideas: Banking Ought to Not Value Lives
Safi Khan, Sadaf Fatima, Shivam Mehrotra—these names aren’t simply statistics. They had been actual individuals, with households, goals, and futures.
No job ought to take away your well being, happiness, or life.
No worker ought to concern going to work as a result of it is likely to be their final day.
Banking is supposed to construct futures, not destroy them.
Be part of the Dialog: Sufficient is Sufficient!
This has to cease. Should you’ve skilled office stress, depart harassment, or excessive stress, share your story.
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