Why Mental Health Must Be Built Into Workplace Culture; Know From An Expert

For Gen Z in particular, mental health is paramount: 86 per cent of Gen Z employees in India consider mental health care plans non-negotiable, seeing them not as perks, but as essential baseline support. This change isn't merely about empathy, but about sustainability. Research indicates that poor mental health has a direct effect on productivity, retention, and overall morale, with a majority of corporate professionals in India indicating anxiety or depression due to work-related stress. Millennials and Gen Z, now a significant force in the labour force, find mental health support essential, prompting businesses to rethink leave policy, insurance, and manager sensitisation. In conversation with The Daily Jagran, Geetha Shamanna, Director – People & Experience, GALE India, emphasises the shift from gesture politics to internal changes that incorporate mental well-being into workplace culture itself.

To their credit, many companies have started responding. Wellness initiatives, flexible work options, and Employee Assistance Programs are steps in the right direction. But the gap between intent and impact remains wide. According to Deloitte India’s 2023 Workforce and Well-being Survey, over 80 per cent of employees said their mental health challenges were directly linked to work. That number isn’t just high; it’s a red flag. It tells us that we need to move beyond surface solutions to build something more lasting and real.

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Because the truth is, this isn’t just about occasional stress. Conditions like anxiety and depression are now among the most common, and invisible, health concerns, with 42.5 per cent of corporate employees experiencing an anxiety order or depression. Employers can do their part by at least making sure that the workplace is a safe space where they get the necessary help.

To safeguard their employees' interests, organisations are now proactively considering the inclusion of comprehensive clinical mental health support like therapy, medication, or hospitalisation in their benefits. Geetha Shamanna states, This proactive approach aims to build an employee-friendly bridge, addressing the current need of such intensive care and acknowledging it within existing systems.

Mental Health In Workspace Culture (Image Credits: Canva)

Time To Rethink What Support Means

Supporting mental health at work can’t just be performative. It has to be built into the structure and policy, so that the employees feel they have been cared for and support is readily available.
Some signs of real support include:

Leave policies that treat mental health on par with physical health

Insurance that covers therapy, medication, and hospitalisation

Hotline Access to trained mental health professionals, maintaining confidentiality

Manager sensitisation, to handle employees with care and without bias

Flexibility to allow for recovery, especially when the healing process isn’t linear

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A work environment where asking for help is met with support, not judgment
None of this is radical. It’s foundational. These changes signal whether a workplace is truly people-first or simply says it is.

Mental health influences everything — productivity, collaboration, retention, and morale. The companies that understand this treat mental wellness not as a one-off effort but as a shared leadership responsibility.

At the end of the day, this is about trust. The organisations that lead with this mindset won’t just do better by their teams; they’ll be better equipped for the future.