The silent killer: Work stress continues to claim lives of employees; what can be done?
Pune losing her life to work stress and burnout has once again raised concerns about India’s workplace culture.
In the current employment landscape, where the hustle culture or “always available” attitude is promoted, employees are receiving the impression that the only way to succeed is to sacrifice their personal lives and disrupt their work-life balance. However, engaging in such a practice for a long period can lead to devastating consequences. While many organisations continue to claim that they have supportive policies for employees in place, it’s important to know what is the ground reality and what can be done to completely eliminate the possibility of such episodes.
Key factors contributing to stress
Ranaq Sen, Head of People, WorkIndia, lists heavy workloads, long working hours, and unrealistic expectations that leave employees mentally exhausted as some of the common factors responsible for elevated stress levels in employees. Besides, he says, the pressure to consistently meet high-performance standards adds to this burden, leading to burnout.
Most importantly, he highlights that young employees feel overwhelmed by constant connectivity, making it difficult to disconnect. Also, toxic work environments, fuelled by poor interpersonal relationships or workplace politics, further strain mental health. Unfortunately, mental health support is either minimal or stigmatised, preventing employees from seeking help, he adds.
Aditya Narayan Mishra, MD & CEO of CIEL HR, expresses a similar opinion. He says the
