Rethinking mental health at workplace

A software engineer in Bengaluru struggles with burnout, overwhelmed by long hours and an “always-on” work culture. A garment factory worker in Delhi faces daily anxiety about job security, knowing that a single mistake could cost her employment. A delivery rider in Mumbai battles the pressures of meeting unrealistic targets, often pushing through exhaustion to earn enough to survive. These stories, though vastly different, highlight a common reality – mental health at work is not just a corporate concern; it’s an issue that cuts across industries, hierarchies, and economic classes.

In recent years, workplace mental health has become a buzzword in corporate India. Many organisations now offer mindfulness apps, Employee Assistance Programmes (EAPs), and even in-office yoga sessions. While these initiatives are a step in the right direction, they often reflect a narrow understanding of workplace mental health. This excludes millions of workers in the informal sector – domestic workers, migrant workers, and those in challenging or high-risk work environments with little job security or mental health support. To create truly inclusive and effective mental health initiatives, we must move beyond surface-level interventions and address systemic gaps that impact all employees, not just those in corporate settings.

Each industry must tailor its mental health initiatives to its workforce’s unique challenges and stressors. Workplace mental health does not affect all employees in the same way. Women, individuals from marginalised caste backgrounds, LGBTQ+ employees, and neurodivergent individuals often face compounded stress due to systemic biases, yet many workplace mental health programmes fail to acknowledge these realities. To bridge these gaps, some organisations are joining forces in meaningful collaborations that create real change. For instance, a tech company in Bengaluru recently partnered with a neurodiversity-focussed organisation to create an inclusive hiring process. They adjusted their interview formats, introduced flexible work arrangements, and provided dedicated mentors for neurodivergent employees. The result? Improved retention rates and a more engaged workforce.

Too often, workplace mental health interventions focus on individual resilience – offering meditation workshops, stress management seminars, or therapy referrals. While these can be valuable, they fail to address systemic issues such as unrealistic workloads, toxic leadership, and job insecurity. In India, despite regulations mandating mental health insurance coverage, gaps between policy and implementation remain evident. While yoga sessions can be useful, fair wages, gender pay parity, adequate maternity leave, anti-discrimination policies, and job security would have a far greater impact on mental well-being.

Fixing systemic flaws

Workplace mental health needs are constantly shifting due to larger economic, political, and social forces. The Covid-19 pandemic brought this into focus – suddenly, mental health concerns were not just about workplace stress but also about isolation, grief, and financial insecurity. Remote work has blurred boundaries, creating an “always on” culture that leaves workers feeling unable to disengage. Similarly, economic downturns, layoffs, and geopolitical shifts have ripple effects on employee well-being.

Another pressing concern is the advancement of AI and automation and we can expect ripple effects of this rapidly evolving technological revolution. Organisations must take responsibility by investing in upskilling and reskilling initiatives, equipping employees to navigate transitions.

Workplace mental health cannot be addressed without tackling stigma. Many employees stay silent, fearing judgement or career repercussions. Organisations must dismantle these fears, making mental health a core priority rather than an afterthought. Leadership plays a pivotal role – when leaders openly discuss stress, burnout, and mental health, they create a culture where seeking support is seen as a strength, not a weakness.

Meaningful partnerships between organisations, mental health professionals, and NGOs can complement workplace programmes to address diverse mental health needs. Consider the example of a media professional who was struggling with remote work pressures. Her company’s EAP fell short, so she turned to an external mental health initiative offering peer support circles – an approach her employer later adopted through a formal partnership.

By working with mental health organisations, companies can also develop initiatives that go beyond token efforts and address deep-rooted systemic issues. For example, a manufacturing company in Pune collaborated with a mental health NGO to provide stress management workshops tailored to factory workers. Unlike traditional corporate wellness programmes, these sessions focussed on financial stress, shift work fatigue, and family pressures – issues more relevant to this workforce. The initiative led to reduced absenteeism and improved morale.

At the heart of the conversation on workplace mental health lie some critical questions: What do employees truly want and need? And just as importantly, who gets left behind in our current models and approaches?

(The writer is a professor at the Department of Clinical Psychology, NIMHANS; this is the eleventh of a DH-NIMHANS series of stories on mental health)