Inside India Inc’s Emotional Struggle: 84% of Employees Report Low Mood, Says HCL Healthcare

 HCL Healthcare, India’s leading employer-health provider, has shared key findings from more than 4,200 emotional-wellness consultations conducted across five major companies. These insights reveal a sharp rise in workforce emotional-wellbeing issues and demand a fundamental shift in how businesses build emotionally safe workplaces.

Understanding the workforce’s emotional landscape:

• 84% of employees reported persistent low mood or struggling with depressive thoughts
• 59% experienced moderate to severe anxiety
• 47% are getting less than the recommended 7 hours of sleep
• 20% reported consistently poor sleep quality

These figures point to a workforce stretched thin — not just by deadlines, but by self-doubt, relationship stress, and a lack of emotional recovery.

“We’re seeing a major shift in what drives efficiency—it’s not just skills or systems, but how well people manage their emotions,” said Mr. Shikhar Malhotra, Director, HCL Corporation and CEO, HCL Healthcare. “Our consultations show over 60% of employee stress comes from personal and relationship issues, not traditional career pressures. When ignored, these struggles quietly sap engagement and erode trust. For companies, investing in emotional health delivers clear returns: fewer sick leaves and absences, higher productivity, and stronger retention. We’ve seen organizations unlock up to 2.5× ROI through preventive care and timely emotional support. But this isn’t just about economics—it’s about culture. It’s about creating an environment where people feel safe to be seen as whole individuals, not just professionals. That’s the new metric of leadership. To achieve it, businesses must invest in continuous, high-quality emotional-health services—both digital and on-site—ensuring access is seamless, meaningful, and backed by data insights.”

 The Feelings Underneath in Indian Businesses

The results show a clear picture of what today’s corporate employees endure:

• Self-Improvement Challenges (34%): Poor self-esteem excessive thinking feeling alone
• Family & Relationship Stress (27%): Changes, family issues, problems with partners
• Pre-existing Psychological Conditions (18%): Dealing with depression, anxiety, OCD bipolar disorder
• Career-Related Stress (14%): Pressure from career choices setting goals, and balancing work and life
• Health-Linked Emotional Distress (5%): Coping with feelings from long-term health problems.

These findings — from a blended workforce (55% women, 45% men) — show that emotional health affects everything from productivity to loyalty and innovation.

 A Fresh Take on Balancing Life and Work

Companies need to shift from reactive wellness programs to proactive, culture-driven support systems. HCL Healthcare suggests three impactful ways:

• Widen Accessibility & Availability: Set up on-site clinics and digital platforms to offer round-the-clock emotional health support.
• Normalize Conversations: Establish an open environment of conversation with messages of leaders, peer groups, and private support channels.
• Prepare Leaders: Train managers with emotional intelligence to recognize and respond to emotional distress early and expand wellness options to cover therapy, help for families, and ways to handle stress.