Indian professionals hesitant to make mental health conversations at work: Report

New Delhi, Oct 10 Indian professionals continue to be hesitant to make mental health conversations at work, over fear of being perceived as incapable and judged, according to a report on World Mental Health Day on Friday.

World Mental Health Day is observed every year on October 10 to raise awareness about the importance of mental well-being and fight against the stigma surrounding it.

The report by job portal Naukri, based on a survey covering 19,650 job seekers, showed that 31 per cent of employees feared voicing out mental health issues for the fear of being viewed as incapable.

Nearly 30 per cent worried about being judged by colleagues, while 21 per cent reported fear of being dismissed as someone who makes excuses. Another 21 per cent believe it could impact their career growth.

Nearly three out of four Indian professionals hesitated to be transparent about taking time off for mental health reasons.

Nearly half of employees -- 45 per cent -- said they would simply mark it as a general sick leave. Only 28 per cent felt comfortable being explicit about the reason.

About 20 per cent said they would rather avoid taking leave at all, while 9 per cent would fabricate a different excuse entirely.

The report showed that poor work-life balance is the top reason (39 per cent) affecting mental health at work. It was followed by micromanaging bosses (30 per cent), lack of recognition (22 per cent), and fear of making mistakes (10 per cent).

Notably, 60 per cent of people pointed out the need for flexible work options, followed by stress-management workshops (22 per cent), paid mental health days (10 per cent), or managerial training (9 per cent).

More than one in four professionals working in the pharma sector say lack of recognition is what's really hurting their mental wellbeing. However, in KPO and research roles, it's the micromanaging boss (33 per cent), while in design and hospitality, the stigma runs deeper -- roughly 28 per cent admitted they'd skip taking leave altogether rather than mention mental health.

On the other hand, the BFSI sector showed more openness, with over 30 per cent willing to disclose mental health as the reason.

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