Indian workforce facing chronic illness, poor mental health, burnout: Report

Bengaluru, May 29 (IANS) A silent health crisis is brewing within corporate India, with a significant number of employees suffering from chronic illness, poor mental health, and burnout, according to an alarming report on Thursday.

The report by Plum, India's leading employee health benefits platform, showed that chronic illness hits working professionals by the age of 40. The report noted that 40 per cent of employees take at least one sick day each month for mental health reasons, and 1 in 5 are considering quitting due to burnout.

Alarmingly, the data reveals a consistent pattern across the onset of major health conditions: heart disease (by age 32), cancer (by age 33), diabetes (by age 34), chronic kidney disease (by age 35), cerebrovascular disease such as strokes, ischemia (by age 36)

This early onset not only threatens individual well-being but also puts long-term pressure on workforce productivity, healthcare costs, and India’s economic potential.

Chronic disease costs companies up to 30 days per employee every year in productivity losses and disengagement.

The report urged Indian companies to redefine "value" in employee benefits, prioritising prevention, holistic care, and addressing the unique needs of their workforce.

"We need to urge companies to think of healthcare beyond the transactional nature of insurance. True employee well-being lies in providing access to holistic healthcare solutions that encompass mental, physical, and social well-being," said Abhishek Poddar, Co-founder of Plum.

"Our report underscores the urgency for a comprehensive approach that empowers employees to take charge of their health journey, including addressing the specific mental health needs of different demographics within the workforce," he added.

Despite the growing burden of disease, only 20 per cent of companies offer regular health check-ups, and even when available, just 38 per cent of employees use them, said the report.

In addition, mental health issues are escalating quickly: with anxiety being the leading concern.

The data also shows a gender divide in access and stigma with men dominating healthcare utilisation (58 per cent) in the 30-49 age group.

However, women in the 50-59 age group account for 68 per cent of benefit utilisation. This is due to the typical age for menopause and perimenopause onset, and years of deprioritising their own health due to caregiving roles often lead to late detection and more severe conditions, finally pushing them to seek treatment.

--IANS

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