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 “always available” mindset — especially in sectors like IT, finance, healthcare and professional services — has been the prime cause of increasing stress levels. In addition, tight deadlines and uncertainty add to the pressure, and younger employees continue to sacrifice work-life balance to prove themselves.
“Companies often overlook stress management, focusing on short-term goals without fully integrating wellness programmes into their culture. Without leadership buy-in and structural changes, stress management remains a low priority,” he adds.Deloitte’s Women @ Work 2024: A Global Outlook highlights key workplace challenges for women. It shows that 48% of those surveyed were concerned about mental health and 50% reported increased stress. A lack of flexibility and poor work-life balance contribute to job changes, with 95% feeling flexible work limited career progression, says Siddhant Jain, Co-Founder & CEO, VdoCipher, referring to the Deloitte survey.In his opinion, enhancing the activity of a human being or employee without enhancing the mental and physical capabilities is bound to cause issues: which in extreme conditions can lead to serious mental or physical diseases.
Vidyut Lata Dhir, a psychologist and professor of management studies, says there is never one cause for stress. A multitude of factors can lead to mental and physical exhaustion. The triggers may be similar, but the reaction of each individual can be quite different.
“Most workplaces are driven by quarterly and monthly targets amid increasing competition in the marketplace. The pressure of achieving targets and deadlines is relentless. This pressure may be driven by the work culture deliberately created to have an ‘overachieving’ organisation,” says Dhir, also a consultant and author.
Talking primarily about new employees, she says there is constant pressure to do well in new jobs, which pushes individuals to worry about progression and rating at the end of the year. Also, the high competition among the workforce gives a feeling that every extra effort counts.
At the cultural level, she adds that individuals are conditioned to feel guilt and shame when they don’t fit in with the societal norms of performing and achieving. Hence, when someone fails to meet a target or deadline, it lowers their self-esteem.
Actions companies can take
The best strategy to manage workplace stress is to measure it, evaluate it and then act on it, says Amit Jain, CEO, TeamLease HCM. Employers can measure workplace stress by conducting surveys and interviews that focus on employee sentiments, such as employee pulse surveys, exit interviews, etc.
Plus, he says, employee activity trackers are also effective at showing if people are working beyond their schedules, or not taking enough breaks. Next, measures like implementing an employee wellness programme or promoting a culture of frequent rewards and recognition can be of immense help. However, such strategies would not be implemented if the leaders do not acknowledge stress at work, he adds.
Narayan says: “Companies should promote open communication, train managers to spot stress early, and implement flexible work options. Investing in mental health resources and leadership development is essential. These changes aren’t just costs — they are strategic imperatives that boost employee engagement, productivity, and brand loyalty, driving long-term success.”
As managers play a critical role in fostering a culture of well-being by promoting work-life balance, Sen says training managers to recognise the signs of burnout and stress is essential. Also, they must set realistic expectations, ensuring that workloads and deadlines are manageable. Mental health support should be readily available, including access to counselling services, mental health days, and workshops on stress management.
Apart from this, leadership can play a transformative role by recognising and rewarding employee achievements and promoting open communication to address issues before they escalate, he says.
Organisations need to recalibrate on several levels to ensure that there are no “triggers” in the system and that their culture is not the “cause”, says Dhir. She points out that numerous widely used individual-level wellbeing interventions have emerged, such as mindfulness, resilience training and well-being apps, which support the development of conscious coping strategies to handle work demands better. Also, tactical solutions such as realistic task management, open communication lines and clearly defined career trajectories can help. Counselling services have expanded, and staff members are encouraged to seek help, but they are still “reactive measures”, she adds.
“As an organisation, we have to create an inclusive, collaborative environment where employees feel valued and safe. Recognise contributions, provide regular feedback, and celebrate successes, both big and small. An open-door policy can help management understand and address well-being challenges early,” says Jain, while talking about the measures organisations must take to eradicate the concerns around workplace stress.
This is an issue that has always existed but that doesn’t mean we have to normalise its disturbing existence. Especially in the modern world, where the concept of extended work hours is being equated with growth and career success, more and more people are glorifying the concept of overworking.
Sure, over the last few years, several organisations have implemented policies around mental health and overall employee well-being. But if stress is still claiming lives, then we are not doing something right. The need of the hour for organisations is to reform their policies and introduce new measures to offer unmatched support to their employees.