National, 18th July 2024: YourDOST, one of India’s leading mental and emotional wellness companies, in its latest report titled “Emotional Wellness State of Employees” found that employees between 21 and 30, are the most stressed set of workers.
Of the total 5,000+ employees who were surveyed, staffers were found to be the most stressed — a whopping 64.-% of them to be precise. Workers in the age group of 31-40 were a close second as the poll found that 59.18% of them experienced high levels of stress. Interestingly, employees in the 41 to 50 age group were the least stressed cohort, the study revealed.
While the findings could be an indication that the younger set of employees were more open to discuss emotional and mental health, when compared to the older peers, they did experience higher stress levels because of their families, friends, and other related topics.
Dr Jini Gopinath, Chief Psychology Officer at YourDOST, said, “The shift in workplace dynamics, the evolution of remote and hybrid work models, has had an impact on the 21-30 age demographic. To support them, organizations should prioritize regular communication and engagement. Implementing frequent pulse surveys allows us to keep a finger on the pulse of our employees’ needs and challenges. We’ve also seen hosting regular webinars and company-wide programs fosters a sense of community and synergy, bridging the gap between age groups”
Self-improvement (35%) and Relationship problems (33%) rank highest among the reasons people seek counseling, followed by career anxiety. This implies the need for an employee support program that would cover a wide range of topics, such as career counseling, diversity, and mental health in addition to personal growth and development.
Psychological Disorders and sexual wellness were other topics of concern.
Women more stressed than men
After gathering responses from 5,000+ respondents, YourDOST found that at workplaces women were more stressed than men. Nearly three quarters, or 72.2%, of female respondents reported high-stress levels. In comparison, when men were asked the same question, 53.64% of them said they experience high-stress levels. No work-life balance, the lack of recognition, the constant low morale and the fear of always being judged are some of the major contributors to increased stress, as per women respondents.
Overall, on a year-on-year basis, there has been a 31% increase in employees reporting that they suffer from high and extreme stress levels, the study found.
“Organizations must implement comprehensive strategies that go beyond DEI workshops for women. By implementing targeted leadership development programs, fostering mentorship networks, offering comprehensive maternity support, and actively addressing unconscious biases, organizations can create an environment where women not only participate but thrive”
“While we’ve seen counseling plays a huge role in balancing stress- a supportive and inclusive environment in the workplace goes a long way in helping women at work manage their responsibilities in and out of work”, Dr Gopinath added.
The report was prepared after collecting responses from over 5,000 employees across India. They work in IT and Manufacturing, Transportation, staff and recruiting, Tech and media, Legal Services, Business Consulting and Services and more.