Corporate India's Mental Health Crisis

Young people in their 20s who work in the corporate sector are more likely than those in their 40s to experience anxiety and depression, according to a recent pan-India study. This is possibly due to living and working away from home, changing professions, and even managing meaningful relationships. The fact that some employees displayed symptoms of elevated suicide risk, however, is concerning.

Despite their lower representation in the workplace, a higher percentage of women than men displayed signs of anxiety, which were linked to hormonal, societal, emotional, and even relationship issues, according to the Emotional Wellbeing Report 2024, Insights for 2025 study, which was conducted among those working in the corporate sector, including insurance, financial, and banking services (1^✔ ✔Trusted Source
Young corporate employees are more stressed than the middle-aged: Study

Go to source).

Over 83,000 counselling sessions, 12,000 optional screenings, and over 42,000 evaluations were examined for the study by 1to1help.net, the top employee assistance program (EAP) service provider in India, between January and November 2024 (2^✔ ✔Trusted Source
State of Emotional Wellbeing Report 2024

Go to source). According to the study, 67% of workers over 45 reported having anxiety, whereas over 90% of workers under 25 said they did.

Increased Use of Counselling Services

According to Mahua Bisht, CEO of 1to1help, "Our pre-screening data suggest that several people who seek counselling for the first time are dealing with anxiety and despair. "Over 30% of them tested positive for severe depression and anxiety."

She reported that the results also demonstrated "the crucial role managers play in the well-being of their teams, given that 59% of employees who their managers referred exhibited signs of suicidal risk and a tendency towards self-harm."

According to the research, corporate employees are using counselling services more frequently, with mental health concerns up to 15%. In comparison to prior years, mental health was one of the top two problems for which employees sought help.

Counselling for mental health issues such as anxiety, depression, and stress increased by 15%. While workplace concerns accounted for 11% of overall counselling sessions, workplace relationship-related discussions ranked first, accounting for 23% of all such discussions.

Benefits of Counseling for Mental Health Issues

According to the survey, people are becoming more aware of the importance of mental health and no longer consider it a taboo subject, which has pushed them to seek counseling for mental health issues such as anxiety, sadness, and stress.

Men increased their use of counseling by 7%, accounting for 70% of financial sessions. This reflects their concerns about economic distress and cultural pressure associated with their role as the family's 'breadwinner'. However, more women stepped forward.

It stated that 53% of those who initially tested positive for depression had a significant decrease in depression symptoms, while 48% reported decreased anxiety.

"These results show that structured counselling can effectively address emotional challenges and promote well-being in a short period," the article stated.

References:

1. Young corporate employees are more stressed than the middle-aged: Study - (https://www.newindianexpress.com/lifestyle/health/2025/Jan/24/young-corporate-employees-are-more-stressed-than-the-middle-aged-study)
2. State of Emotional Wellbeing Report 2024 - (https://1to1help.net/state-of-emotional-wellbeing-report-2024/)

Source-Medindia