Request a call back

Submit your details with a brief note about your organisation and we shall fix an appointment at your convenience. Your details will be kept confidential at all times.

Why Psychologically Safe Workplaces Are Needed to Combat Depression & Burnout

In India, a staggering 42.5% of the private sector workforce is depressed. As per a study by the Economic Times conducted on the eve of World Health Day, there has been a 45-50% increase in employees suffering from anxiety and depression along with several other psychological and physical disorders. The study also suggests that the leading causes for these issues are the demanding schedules at work, causing higher stress levels among employees. This eventually results in burnout that also affects the employee's personal and social life, apart from impacting their productivity at work. This necessitates the importance of a psychologically safe workplace, not only for the employees' well-being but also for a better business outcome.

What are the top physical and mental issues faced by the private sector workforce?

42.5%
Anxiety & Depression

23%
Obesity

9%
High Blood Pressure

8%
Diabetes

5.5%
Spondylosis

While employees suffer from burnout, it falls upon the organisation to find the root cause behind the issue and take steps to tackle the challenges. One of the ways they can prevent employees from feeling stressed and anxious is by inculcating a culture of well-being in the organisation. Prioritizing physical and other elements of well-being encourages employees to live a healthy, meaningful and productive work life while also supporting their team members in their ideal work-life balance.

On the other hand, if the organization's culture promotes working long hours, during off-days and generally putting work before personal life, the burnout-inducing habits are difficult to break.

What are the five elements of well-being?

An important aspect of promoting a psychologically safe and well-being-focused work culture is understanding employee needs and problems. Managers must actively reach out to employees and understand what's hindering them from achieving their goals. A Gallup study shows that employees whose manager is always willing to listen to their problems are 62% less likely to be burned out.

While taking into consideration the employees' opinions, managers must create an environment of support, so every team member feels important and included. This also encourages teamwork, where employees can help one another when they begin to see signs of anxiety or stress and managers can build cohesive teams with deep bonds. Ultimately, by connecting the employees' work to the company's mission or purpose, managers can make the employees feel valued and negate burnout.

How can organisations fight depression and burnout?

Inculcating physical, social, community, financial and career well-being

Addressing issues causing stress and burnout

Encouraging teamwork and shared accountability

Designing a Psychologically Safe environment

India's corporate industry needs a wake-up call to deal with staggering figures of depression and burnout. Several companies are now focusing on psychologically safe initiatives at the workplace by collaborating with platforms like 1to1 Help. Today, we are trusted by over 800 corporates where we transform the professional and personal lives of 4.2 million employees with our tech-assisted, evidence-led psychological counselling services and comprehensive wellness solutions. With a specialised suite of products for the industry that are personalized to employee cohorts, 1to1help is transforming the way organisations focus on psychological safety.

Resources -