A new Naukri Pulse 2025 survey of 19,650 professionals across India reveals that stigma around mental health remains deeply rooted in workplaces, even as awareness grows. Nearly one in three employees say they avoid discussing mental health for fear of being seen as incapable.
Fear Still Rules Over Openness:
While India has made continous strides in mental health awareness, the workplace remains a sensitive zone. Nearly 3 in 4 respondents said they hesitate to be transparent about taking time off for mental health reasons. About 45pc said they would report mental health leave as regular sick leave. Only 28 pc would disclose the real reason. 19 pc would skip leave altogether, and 9 pc would cite another excuse entirely. The biggest barrier is PERCEPTION.
“The fear of being judged as weak or unreliable still overshadows progress in workplace mental health conversations,” said the Naukri content team.
Key Highlights from the Survey:
19,650 professionals across India participated.
73 percent hesitate to discuss mental health at work.
31 percent fear being seen as incapable.
39 percent cite poor work-life balance as their biggest stressor.
30 percent report micromanagement as a key cause of workplace stress.
60 percent want flexible work hours over workshops or paid leave.
25 percent of early-career professionals are open about mental health leave, compared to 40 percent among seniors.
Aviation (42 percent) and Automobile (33 percent) sectors show highest fear of judgment.
Emerging Tech (71 percent) and BPO (61 percent) sectors show strongest demand for flexible work.
What’s Hurting Indian Employees Well-being?
Poor work-life balance tops the list of workplace stressors at 39 percent, followed by micromanaging bosses (30 pc), lack of recognition (22 pc), and fear of making mistakes (10 pc). In sector-specific findings, pharma professionals (28 pc) cited lack of recognition, while those in KPO and research (33 pc) pointed to micromanagement as their biggest challenge.Experience also plays a role. Early-career professionals worry about making mistakes, while senior employees are more frustrated by micromanagement.
Stigma Still Runs Deep!?
Comfort with transparency varies by industry and career stage. In BFSI, over 30 percent of professionals would disclose mental health reasons. In contrast, in Design and Hospitality, 28 pc said they would skip leave entirely rather than admit mental health issues. The fear of judgment is universal. In Aviation, 42 pc worry that speaking up could harm their image, while Real Estate (37 pc) professionals said peer judgment was the greater concern.
“The data reflects a workforce that does not need permission to rest. It needs TRUST” the Naukri report concludes.
What Employees Want to See Change?
The strongest message from the survey is that workers want flexibility, empathy, and real change, not symbolic policies. Six in ten professionals said flexible work hours would improve mental health more than any other measure. Senior professionals with 15 or more years of experience slightly prefer stress-management workshops, but the overwhelming majority across age groups still prioritize flexible schedules, healthier workloads, and supportive leadership. Only 10 pc believe paid mental health days would make a major difference, showing that people want sustained balance, not one-off benefits.
