Mental health benefits at work: Are they enough?

Mental health at work: The post-pandemic world order has seen a rise in corporate employees seeking support for their mental health, with corporates stepping up to bridge the gap for support.

According to American Express’ recent trend index, 80 per cent of Indians have started prioritising their mental health at work, more compared to previous years.

This stems from a need for recognising issues like depression, anxiety and other lifestyle disorders which have now become common for employees. 

An ASSOCHAM report suggests about 42.5 per cent of corporate sector workers in India have a diagnosis of depression or general anxiety disorder.

Aanandita Vaghani, Founder and Mental Health Counselor at UnFix said, “This points to a serious issue in the corporate workforce. From professional experience, I see that leaders are incorporating employee wellness as part of their health benefits.” 

Work-life balance (67 per cent), flexible work options (61 per cent), and a supportive work environment (60 per cent) have become the top drivers for job satisfaction, as per the Amex Trendex findings.

Vaghani agrees, saying that personal time and self-care becoming more of a priority, reducing the stigma of boundary-setting in the workforce.

Corporates are stepping up

Suman Rudra, CHRO at JSA Advocates and Solicitors shares they have observed a renewed emphasis on employee welfare, including mental health support and flexible work arrangements. 

“At JSA, our growth trajectory has prompted us to expand and transition to more spacious facilities. Alongside this expansion, we're prioritizing our team's well-being by organizing mental health consultations, regular health check-ups, nutrition and dietary consultations, and one-on-one sessions with counsellors. These initiatives underscore our commitment to fostering a holistic work environment.”

Infact, the Amex Trendex also finds how 78 per cent of Indians report their workplace offers health and wellness benefits, with 84 per cent of them becoming ‘very likely’ to utilise these benefits in 2024.

This also has an impact on productivity, since 82 per cent of Indians feel they are much more likely to reach their goals if supported by their workplace, as per Amex Trendex.

Is it enough?

Vaghani feels employee wellness initiatives are more of a ‘tick box’. 

“While something is better than nothing, a poorly qualified therapist can sometimes lead to worse, not better mental health outcomes,” she shared.

Outlining the role of AI in this trend, she said it attempts to create personalised health plans for employees, thereby increasing accessibility to mental health care. 

“AI can provide helpful information by regular check-ins. A significant drawback however, is that the most important aspect to successful therapy includes the relationship and rapport between a therapist and client - one that AI falls short of fulfilling,” she noted. 

Seeking Support

Shumita Kakkar, Founder and COO at Gurugram-based United We Care shared more females visit their facilities at 62.2 per cent, with 37.8 per cent  participation from men.

In contrast, astrology-based consultation NumroVani sees higher traction from men for consultation.

In terms of cities, Mumbai, Bengaluru and Delhi see the highest traction as per both the therapists we spoke to.

United We Care, which engages with 30-40 corporates on a monthly basis, said it has started acquiring 2-3 corporates on a monthly basis with US operations on the rise.

In terms of sectors most affected by mental health worries like anxiety and depression, BFSI and Manufacturing were the most affected. 

Sidhharrth S Kumaar, Chief Happiness Officer at NumroVani said the consulting number at the corporate level is moreover flat.

“The interest to implement the same is quite high, however, cost is one deterrent which makes the implementation slightly low.”

The company is seeing more startups in its corporate engagements, at present with about 20 companies. Kumaar says the most growth of their engagements has been driven by healthcare professionals and media professionals.