Every second working professional is prone to mental health issues: Survey

Tired, stressed employees are quite common in any office. And research says that such employees have trouble with productivity. These are signs of poor mental health. What's alarming, however, is the high instance of such employees in any organisation.

A survey by Mpower, an initiative by The Aditya Birla Education Trust, reveals that about 1 in 2 corporate employees are at risk of poor mental health. The poll, which covered 3,000 corporate employees from 8 cities and 10 sectors, including e-commerce, FMCG and hospitality, shows that nearly 8 in 10 employees have skipped work for at least two weeks in the past year due to mental fatigue, while 9 out of 10 employees feel they lack a work-life balance.

“A lot of people that come to me say they are working odd hours, their family life is suffering. They don't have time for themselves. Clinically we are seeing all of that and the impact that it is having but I think for us also it was quite startling that people are now vocalising that they felt they didn't have work-life balance,” says Dr Sapna Bangar, Psychiatrist & Head, Mpower Centre.

The survey also found that female employees are more prone to mental health issues. 56 percent of the women polled were found to be at risk, compared to just 41 percent of the males. One of the key reasons identified for this is that female employees feel they face more gender bias and stereotyping. An overwhelming 80 percent of the female respondents felt they have faced stereotypes pertaining to maternity leaves and menstrual cycles, as well as a feeling that they may put the job second once they get married.

India's booming e-commerce sector ranked the highest among the 10 sectors assessed for being high-risk when it comes to mental health. 64 percent of the respondents from this sector were found to be at risk of poor mental health. The FMCG, automobile, healthcare and hospitality sectors also scored over 50 percent, making them high-risk.

So what are the predominant factors affecting mental health at the workplace? There are four: work-related stress including long working hours without breaks, problems on the home front, anxiety over finances and physical health-related concerns.

As per the survey, about half the respondents are not satisfied with their salaries, while nearly 70 percent felt they are expected to work even when on vacation. Experts say the survey highlights the pressing need for employers to create a safer work environment, identify early signs of poor mental health among employees, and normalise mental health leaves.

"Start the correct work culture. Create a safe work environment where mental health is not stigmatised. Have a mental health relief policy. Encourage people to talk about mental health so it's not stigmatised,” recommends Parveen Shaikh, VP - Operations, Mpower. “What they need to stop doing is judgement. For example, when someone says I'm really upset and if people say ‘go walk’. Stop doing that. Stop that judgment. Stop giving those unscientific solutions to somebody's problems,” she adds.

The report by Mpower also recommends offering health and wellness programs, addressing gender inequality and promoting flexible work arrangements to ensure the mental well-being of employees.