55% of India’s employed professionals are feeling stressed: LinkedIn survey

NEW DELHI: Amid the changing world of work and jobs in the last 18 months, over half (55%) of India’s employed professionals are feeling stressed at work, according to a new Workforce Confidence Index survey by

LinkedIn.

When asked about the primary reason for work stress, work-life imbalance, insufficient incomes and slow career progress emerged as the top causes.

Around 34% professionals cited balancing work with personal needs as the main factor, 32% said it was not making enough money and 25% said it was slow career advancement.

The survey included 3,881 employed professionals and was conducted from July 31 to September 24, 2021.

Meanwhile, India’s overall workforce confidence remained steady with a composite score of +55 from July 31 to September 24, despite drastic transformations in the world of work.

Around 1 in 3 professionals were optimistic about the availability of jobs (36%) and improved control over expenses (30%).

“These stressful times of change have impelled the need for greater flexibility and work-life balance among professionals, but our survey reveals a wide gap between what employees need and what employers are offering to cope with stress,” said Ashutosh Gupta, India Country Manager, LinkedIn.

Many professionals expect greater flexibility and work-life balance, and these two factors will be critical talent drivers in the coming years.

For instance, while nearly half of (47%) employed professionals wish to end work at reasonable hours, only about one-thirds (36%) were actually able to do so. While 41% planned for time-off, only 30% could do so in the past two months.

“These alarming statistics reflect the urgency for companies to understand how creating a culture that encourages work-life balance and prioritises wellbeing is critical moving forward,” Gupta said

The survey also found some inter-generational differences, with younger professionals finding it easier to take a break than older ones.

Millennials were 2x more likely to take time-offs, while Gen Z professionals were 1.5x more likely to take breaks during the day, as compared to Baby Boomers.

Boomers were 1.5x more likely to be open with their colleagues about mental health and stress in comparison to millennials as well as Gen Z professionals.

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