India Leads in Workplace Burnout: 59% Report Burnout Symptoms, Reveals Survey

A recent survey conducted by the McKinsey Health Institute in 2023 shed light on the state of employees’ well-being in workplaces, with India taking the lead in workplace burnout. According to the survey, a staggering 59% of Indian respondents reported experiencing burnout symptoms.

Demographic Variations in Burnout

• The survey revealed that burnout was more prevalent among certain demographic groups. Younger workers, aged 18 to 24, were particularly affected.
• Additionally, employees in smaller companies and those in non-managerial roles reported higher levels of burnout.

Controversy Surrounding Overwork Culture

• This report comes shortly after NR Narayana Murthy, co-founder of Infosys, made controversial remarks on social media, suggesting that young people should work 70 hours a week to boost the country’s productivity.
• While some business leaders defended this perspective, others criticized it for seemingly promoting an unhealthy overwork culture.

India’s Positive Ranking in Holistic Employee Health

• Interestingly, the survey also highlighted a positive aspect of India’s workplace environment. India secured the second position in holistic employee health, just behind Turkey, in the McKinsey Health Institute’s 2023 survey.

Global Comparison of Employee Well-Being

• The survey encompassed 30,000 employees across 30 countries and evaluated various facets of well-being at work, including physical, mental, social, and spiritual health.
• Japan ranked at the lowest end of the spectrum with a mere 25% well-being score, while Turkey claimed the top spot with 78%, closely followed by India at 76% and China at 75%.
• The global average for employee well-being was 57%. Notably, employees in larger companies (those with more than 250 employees) reported higher holistic health scores than their counterparts in smaller firms.
• Managers, within their roles, scored the highest in terms of holistic health, whereas non-managerial employees reported comparatively lower well-being.

The Impact of Positive Work Experiences

• The survey emphasized that employees who reported positive work experiences tended to have better holistic health. They also displayed higher levels of innovation in their work and exhibited improved job performance.

Influencing Employee Well-Being at Work

• The report’s authors emphasized the significance of the workplace in influencing the physical, mental, social, and spiritual health of employees, considering that a significant portion of adults’ daily lives is spent at work.
• This finding underscores the opportunity employers have to positively impact their employees’ overall well-being.

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