New Delhi, 14 October 2025 — HCL Healthcare, a leading employer-health provider in India, has published findings from a large-scale study titled Demystifying Mental Health at the Workplace, analysing more than 4,200 emotional-wellness consultations across five major Indian employers. The study highlights pervasive emotional distress and calls forA new HCL Healthcare study reveals an alarming mental health crisis in the Indian corporate sector, with 84% of employees reporting low mood and 60% showing signs of anxiety, coupled with widespread poor sleep.

 strategic, systemic reform to make workplace well-being a business imperative.

Key findings
• 84% of employees reported persistent low mood or depressive thoughts.
• 59% exhibited symptoms of moderate to severe anxiety.
• 50% sleep less than seven hours a night; 1 in 5 report poor sleep quality.
• Employees under 25 are especially vulnerable: 21% reported suicidal ideation.
• Women accounted for 54% of consultations; 85% of consultations were from employees under 40.

“These findings signal a structural challenge, not an individual failing,” said Dr Samir Parikh, Chairperson, Fortis National Mental Health Program and Adayu, a Fortis Group company. “Organisations must adopt preventive mental-health approaches that combine leadership commitment, open dialogue and accessible psychological first-aid to build resilience and productivity.”

Drivers of distress
The study identifies five principal emotional stressors: self-esteem and overthinking (34%), relationship and family stress (27%), pre-existing mental-health conditions (18%), career-related stress (14%), and chronic-illness related distress (5%). Notably, more than 60% of stressors are personal and relationship-based rather than purely work-related—underscoring the need for holistic employer responses.

Business case for prevention
“Emotional health is central to organisational performance,” said Mr Shikhar Malhotra, Director, HCL Corporation and CEO, HCL Healthcare. “Our research shows preventive, timely emotional-health interventions can yield up to a 2.5× ROI through lower absenteeism, higher productivity and improved retention. But impact requires sustained, high-quality services—both digital and on-site—backed by data and integrated into business processes.”

A strategic roadmap
The report recommends an integrated approach combining policy, practice and partnerships: normalise mental-health conversations through leadership and peer networks; ensure seamless access via on-site clinics and 24/7 digital platforms; equip managers with mental-health literacy and first-aid skills; and apply evidence-based frameworks such as the Job Demands-Resources model to design interventions.

Way forward

The study endorses a hybrid dual-access model that marries the human reassurance of on-site care with the privacy and immediacy of digital tools. Delivering this model at scale requires partnering with organisations that can integrate clinical rigor, digital capability and on-site presence—so employee well-being is woven into the architecture of business strategy.