Indian businesses increasingly prioritising mental wellbeing, say commentators

A recent report from the global consultancy firm McKinsey found that four in every 10 people employed in the corporate and government sectors of India’s economy showed high levels of burnout, distress, anxiety and depression. The report, Employee mental health and burnout: A time to act, surveyed 15,000 employees and 1,000 HR decision-makers in Asian countries including India, and concluded that ‘toxic workplace behaviour’ was the biggest single reason for employees reporting poor mental health and burnout.

Studies also indicate that mental health issues have been the primary cause for over a quarter (28 per cent) of employee resignations in recent times. Moreover, reports also reveal that two out of five employees are battling with depression in the workplace today.

Employees ‘increasingly seeking wellbeing support from employers’

Meanwhile, the 2023 Deloitte India Benefits Trends Survey reveals a dramatic shift in the kind of benefits and working conditions Indian employees are seeking from employers, with wellness, safety and work-life balance all now a greater priority for staff. 

Before Covid-19, cash-based incentives held more appeal for employees. However, in the aftermath of the pandemic, there has been a shift towards wellness and safety, according to the Deloitte survey, exclusively shared with The Economic Times.

As millennials and Gen Z-s now make up around 65 per cent of today’s workforce, companies are actively reimagining their benefits packages to align with this group’s expectations, and to remain attractive in the competitive talent market, the report adds.

The range of forward-thinking benefits includes gender-neutral leave policies, mental wellbeing support, childcare benefits beyond the statutory requirements, virtual care programmes, hybrid work models, expanded insurance coverage, and more, reports The Economic Times.

Against this backdrop, many companies are stepping up their efforts to address the mental health challenges faced by employees.

FMCG (fast moving consumer goods giant) major Procter & Gamble’s ‘Employee Assistance Programme’ aims to provide mental wellbeing support to employees and their families through a 24/7 helpdesk with professional counselling support. “P&G Health has also invested in proactive mental and physical healthcare with health check-ups, increased access to the best mental health experts, and the company has tie-ups with the best hospitals across the country to take care of any health issues,” said a company spokesperson.

P&G India had previously announced that it is further bolstering its mental wellbeing initiatives with the ‘Happy Minds 2.0’ programme, which shifts the focus from mental health to mental wellbeing. It consists of a range of initiatives, including counsellor services at the workplace, preventive mental health check-ups, enhanced awareness among company leadership to identify mental wellbeing impact indicators within work groups, and increased flexible working arrangements for employees, among other measures.

At Tata Consultancy Services (TCS) there are specially designed tools for associates to take advantage of, empower themselves, and gain control of their mental health. An interactive initiative called TCS Cares helps associates to cope with mental health issues such as anxiety, stress, and depression. Timely and relevant interventions and offerings have been designed keeping in mind the specific needs of the company’s associates. 

TCS Cares offers one-on-one professional counselling sessions, self-help resources, peer group counselling and employee wellness webinars, including question and answer sessions with experts.

Online mental health support ‘is growing’

Meanwhile, mental health advice platform Amaha has partnered with more than 50 companies to provide mental health support to their workers.

According to Amaha’s founder Dr Amit Malik, an accessible and customised mental health service can decrease stigma, diminish the risk of severe mental health problems and improve employees’ overall wellbeing.

“The IT industry has been experiencing increasingly high rates of mental health concerns and employee burnout post pandemic,” stated Malik. “Amaha’s mental health interventions helped de-escalate the high risk for burnout and severity of mental health concerns by improving employees’ sleep quality and overall wellbeing.”

The Economic Times recently reported that a host of mental health platforms are hoping for strong expansion in their business model and reach due to increased corporate partnerships and the government’s policy interventions aimed at boosting public awareness of the benefits of good mental health.

Archana Bisht, founder of 1to1help.net, an employee assistance programme service provider, told The Economic Times at least 3,000 corporates are currently using some form of its emotional wellness solutions, and the company expects usage to grow 10-fold over the next few years. The company adds it will add more wellbeing tools, including AI-powered ones, to its arsenal.