Young corporate employees are more stressed than the middle-aged: Study

The study found that while over 90% of employees under 25 reported experiencing anxiety, compared to 67% of those over 45.
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NEW DELHI: Living and working away from home, changing jobs, and even managing serious relationships are leading young people in their 20s, working in the corporate sector, to suffer from anxiety and depression more as compared to those in their 40s, a latest pan-India study said.

However, what is worrying is that some employees showed signs of high suicidal risk.

The study, Emotional Wellbeing Report 2024, Insights for 2025, conducted among those working in the corporate sector, including insurance, financial and banking services, also showed a higher percentage of women - despite their lower representation in the workplace - as compared to men showing signs of anxiety, linked to hormonal, societal, emotional factors, and even relationship issues.

For the study, 1to1help.net, India's leading employee assistance programme (EAP) service provider, analysed data from over 83,000 counselling sessions, 12,000 elective screenings, and over 42,000 assessments conducted between January and November 2024.

The study found that while over 90% of employees under 25 reported experiencing anxiety, compared to 67% of those over 45.

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“The data reveals a 22% increase in suicide risk and a 17% increase in distress cases compared to 2023. Alarmingly, 59% of employees referred by their managers showed signs of self-harm,” the report said.

In 30% of referred cases, employees showed signs of high suicidal risk, while 8% were work-related, highlighting the importance of holistic well-being support, the report added. "The increase in distress and suicide risk underscores the importance of accessible, reliable support and qualified counselling," the report said.

Increase in uptake of counselling services

According to Mahua Bisht, CEO of 1to1help, “Our pre-screening findings reveal that several people who reach out for counselling for the very first time are struggling with anxiety and depression. Over 30% of them screened positive for severe depression and severe anxiety.”

She said the findings also showed “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.”

The report highlighted an increase in the uptake of counselling services among corporate employees, with mental health concerns rising to 15%. As compared to previous years, mental health was one of the top two concerns for which employees reached out for counselling.

The support sought through counselling for mental health concerns such as anxiety, depression, and stress increased to 15%. While counselling related to workplace concerns constituted 11% of the total counselling sessions, workplace relationship-related discussions claimed the top spot, comprising 23% of all such discussions.

The report said that people are becoming more aware of the importance of mental health and no longer view it as taboo, which has led them to seek counselling for mental health concerns such as anxiety, depression, or stress, the report said.

Counselling uptake by men rose by 7%, with 70% of financial consultations undertaken by men. This reflects their worries about economic anxiety and societal pressure surrounding their role as the ‘breadwinner’ of the family. However, more women came forward to counselling sessions.

The report also highlighted the benefits of counselling.

It said that among those who initially screened positive for depression, 53% reported a significant decrease in depression symptoms, and 48% reported decreased anxiety.

“These results show that structured counselling can effectively address emotional challenges and promote well-being in a short period,” it said.

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