Nearly three out of four Indian professionals still hesitate to be transparent about taking time off for mental health reasons, according to a new survey by Naukri covering 19,650 jobseekers to mark World Mental Health Day.
The reluctance shows up in different ways. 45% said they would simply mark it as a general sick leave. Only 28% felt comfortable being explicit about the reason. What's more concerning is that 19% would rather avoid taking leave at all, while 9% would fabricate a different excuse entirely.
Why the hesitation? The top fear is being viewed as incapable, a concern shared by 31% of respondents. Beyond that, 27% worry about judgment from colleagues, while 21% fear being dismissed as someone who makes excuses. Another 21% believe it could impact their career growth.
When it comes to what's actually affecting mental health at work, poor work-life balance tops the list at 39%. Micromanaging bosses aren't far behind at 30%, followed by lack of recognition at 22% and fear of making mistakes at 10%. Asked what single intervention would help most, 60% pointed to flexible work options—significantly ahead of stress-management workshops (22%), paid mental health days (10%), or managerial training (9%).
Micromanagement, Lack of Recognition Add to Workplace Mental Strain
While work-life balance issues dominate overall, certain sectors tell a different story. Take pharma, where ~28% professionals say lack of recognition is what's really hurting their mental wellbeing. In KPO and research roles, it's the micromanaging boss—cited by about a third of respondents at 33%.
Experience level also shapes what stresses people out. Those who fear making mistakes? One in three are early in their careers, with 0-3 years of experience. On the flip side, senior professionals with 15+ years of experience most often point to micromanaging bosses as their main issue.
Younger Professionals Least Likely to Disclose Mental Health Leave
The comfort level around transparency varies sharply by career stage. Freshers and early-career professionals (0-5 years) are the most guarded—only around 25% would call a mental health day what it is, while 43% would code it as sick leave. Compare that to senior professionals, where approximately 40% said they'd be open about it.
Industry culture matters too. The BFSI sector shows more openness, with over 30% willing to disclose mental health as the reason. But in Design and Hospitality, the stigma runs deeper—roughly 28% admitted they'd skip taking leave altogether rather than mention mental health.
Fear of Being Judged Still Keeps Workplace Mental Health Conversations Silent
The fear of judgment cuts across industries, with more than 30% worried that mental health conversations could damage their professional reputation. This is especially pronounced in Aviation (42%) and Automobile (33%), where performance standards leave little room for perceived vulnerability.
Real Estate shows an interesting outlier. Here, it's less about appearing incapable (29%) and more about what colleagues might say—37% cited judgment from peers as their primary concern.
Career stage shifts the nature of these fears. Early-career professionals (around 30%) worry more about seeming incapable, while those with 15+ years of experience are more concerned about colleague judgment, at 40%. It's a shift from "Can I do this?" to "What will people think?"
Seniors Prefer Stress Workshops, Younger Professionals Seek Flexibility
When asked what would actually help, the answer is clear: flexibility. Over 60% said flexible work hours would make the most difference. The demand is highest in Emerging Technologies (71%) and BPO (61%)—sectors where long or irregular hours are part of the job.
Senior professionals with 15+ years show a slight preference shift, with around one in three favoring stress-management workshops. Still, among early- to mid-career professionals, 63% stick with flexibility as their top choice over formal training.
Perhaps most telling: only 10% thought paid mental health days would be the most impactful change. The message seems to be that people want everyday solutions—not just occasional breaks.
