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It's troubling to read recent stories about young workers allegedly succumbing to work-induced stress, anxiety and depression. In India, news has emerged about the death of a 26-year-old woman after just four months in her first job as an accountant at a large global consultancy. In the UK, a junior investment banker died after working 100-hour weeks. In South Korea, long working hours have been linked to depressive symptoms and even suicide.

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Just one story like this is too many. But unfortunately, anxiety, stress, depression and burnout are prevalent globally. In India, 76% of workers complained about a stressful work environment, and 49% said poor mental health was negatively impacting their productivity at work. And in the US, 43% of surveyed adults feel more anxious than they did last year, up from 37% in 2023 and 32% in 2022.

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But whether the cause of these mental health conditions comes from inside or outside of the workplace, it doesn't have to end up as another senseless tragedy.

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It's troubling to read recent stories about young workers allegedly succumbing to work-induced stress, anxiety and depression. In India, news has emerged about the death of a 26-year-old woman after just four months in her first job as an accountant at a large global consultancy. In the UK, a junior investment banker died after working 100-hour weeks. In South Korea, long working hours have been linked to depressive symptoms and even suicide.

Just one story like this is too many. But unfortunately, anxiety, stress, depression and burnout are prevalent globally. In India, 76% of workers complained about a stressful work environment, and 49% said poor mental health was negatively impacting their productivity at work. And in the US, 43% of surveyed adults feel more anxious than they did last year, up from 37% in 2023 and 32% in 2022.

But whether the cause of these mental health conditions comes from inside or outside of the workplace, it doesn't have to end up as another senseless tragedy.

There are many actions businesses and the people who work in them can take to recognize the signs of mental health issues and offer an array of crucial supports.

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\r\nMental health in the workplace

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The workplace itself, unfortunately, can be a key reason for rising rates of mental distress. The World Health Organization lists an array of workforce factors that can be detrimental to mental health, including being under-skilled for the work required, experiencing limited support from colleagues or supervisors, having long, inflexible working hours, and working in an organizational culture that enables negative behaviors.

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But people also face stressful or challenging events in their personal lives that are difficult to leave behind when they start their workday. In addition to personal circumstances like a health concern or family crisis, there are global stressors like geopolitical and socio-political conflict, the threat of climate change, and economic pressures.

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It's well documented that depressive and anxiety disorders peaked during the pandemic, but studies also show that even before 2020, mental disorders were the leading cause of the global health-related burden, with depressive and anxiety disorders seen as leading contributors.

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And in India, according to one study, 80% of survey respondents displayed at least one symptom of stress, and 69% had at least one symptom of depression.
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A wide array of workplace mental health supports

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There is clear evidence that poor mental health-and specifically depression and anxiety-is associated with lost productivity, mainly in the form of absenteeism and presenteeism. For this reason, many employers are stepping up their efforts to both mitigate the workplace circumstances that can cause mental health issues and provide support to workers suffering from them.

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Here are a few important ways employers can provide mental health supports:

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• \r\n
• Train and deploy mental health allies. There are few things more powerful than having a trusted peer who can provide meaningful, confidential support during a difficult time. Businesses can make sure their employees have that by deploying a network of volunteers specifically trained with the knowledge and skills to recognize when someone might be in need of mental health support; provide a "safe place" for non-judgmental, confidential conversations; and refer that person to the right mental health resources.
  \r\n
  \r\nAt Cognizant we have over 200 mental health allies globally who are trained and certified for this role. Through a learning program focused on common mental health conditions, safety planning, diversity and bias, and communication skills, these associates are able to provide support to their colleagues and advocate for positive mental health and well-being.
  \r\n
  \r\n
• \r\n
• Promote employee assistance and other wellness programs. Many large organizations offer free, confidential counseling, information and resources through an employee assistance program (EAP). Unfortunately, however, many employees are reluctant to make use of them. The reasons are varied; in some cases, people simply don't know these services exist or find them too complex to navigate. Too often, however, employees fear the stigma of asking for help or distrust that their use of the EAP (or the confidential information they share) will somehow make it back to their manager or an HR representative.
  \r\n
  \r\nThis is where mental health allies can play a big role. Supported by ample company-led communication, allies can promote and normalize the use of these programs, and help their colleagues navigate them. At Cognizant, we regularly publish and distribute the phone numbers and websites our associates and their families globally can contact to get live assistance on mental health information, resources and counseling about any work, personal or family issues at no cost.
• \r\n

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Mental health in the workplace

The workplace itself, unfortunately, can be a key reason for rising rates of mental distress. The World Health Organization lists an array of workforce factors that can be detrimental to mental health, including being under-skilled for the work required, experiencing limited support from colleagues or supervisors, having long, inflexible working hours, and working in an organizational culture that enables negative behaviors.

But people also face stressful or challenging events in their personal lives that are difficult to leave behind when they start their workday. In addition to personal circumstances like a health concern or family crisis, there are global stressors like geopolitical and socio-political conflict, the threat of climate change, and economic pressures.

It's well documented that depressive and anxiety disorders peaked during the pandemic, but studies also show that even before 2020, mental disorders were the leading cause of the global health-related burden, with depressive and anxiety disorders seen as leading contributors.

And in India, according to one study, 80% of survey respondents displayed at least one symptom of stress, and 69% had at least one symptom of depression.

A wide array of workplace mental health supports

There is clear evidence that poor mental health-and specifically depression and anxiety-is associated with lost productivity, mainly in the form of absenteeism and presenteeism. For this reason, many employers are stepping up their efforts to both mitigate the workplace circumstances that can cause mental health issues and provide support to workers suffering from them.

Here are a few important ways employers can provide mental health supports:

• Train and deploy mental health allies. There are few things more powerful than having a trusted peer who can provide meaningful, confidential support during a difficult time. Businesses can make sure their employees have that by deploying a network of volunteers specifically trained with the knowledge and skills to recognize when someone might be in need of mental health support; provide a "safe place" for non-judgmental, confidential conversations; and refer that person to the right mental health resources.
  
  At Cognizant we have over 200 mental health allies globally who are trained and certified for this role. Through a learning program focused on common mental health conditions, safety planning, diversity and bias, and communication skills, these associates are able to provide support to their colleagues and advocate for positive mental health and well-being.
  
  
• Promote employee assistance and other wellness programs. Many large organizations offer free, confidential counseling, information and resources through an employee assistance program (EAP). Unfortunately, however, many employees are reluctant to make use of them. The reasons are varied; in some cases, people simply don't know these services exist or find them too complex to navigate. Too often, however, employees fear the stigma of asking for help or distrust that their use of the EAP (or the confidential information they share) will somehow make it back to their manager or an HR representative.
  
  This is where mental health allies can play a big role. Supported by ample company-led communication, allies can promote and normalize the use of these programs, and help their colleagues navigate them. At Cognizant, we regularly publish and distribute the phone numbers and websites our associates and their families globally can contact to get live assistance on mental health information, resources and counseling about any work, personal or family issues at no cost.

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• \r\n
• Tailor information to specific groups. Many businesses host affinity groups for a variety of demographics and populations. At Cognizant, 60,000 associates have joined an affinity group, whether for Black, Latin and Indigenous, LGBTQ+ or Pan-Asian associates, People with Disabilities, Veterans, Women and more.
  \r\n
  \r\n These groups offer an opportunity to open up conversations about stressors these particular people might experience that could lead to mental health issues. Affinity group discussions could focus on imposter syndrome, for instance, or micro-aggressions and how to effectively deal with these. LGBTQ affinity groups could offer support when anti-LGBTQ sentiment is on the rise in particular geographies, or provide support and guidance for people whose children are coming out.
  \r\n
  \r\n
• \r\n
• Foster a culture in which it's safe to seek help. Unfortunately, there's still a high level of stigma attached to asking for help at work, let alone asking for mental health supports. To ensure people feel safe and empowered to ask for help, employers need to foster an inclusive environment in which everyone can bring their whole self to work and feel safe talking about topics related to mental health.
  \r\n
  \r\n Too often-particularly in specific cultures-people don't feel they have the privilege to push back on negative workplace conditions like long hours or the need for weekend and after-hours work. If employers can't create an environment in which employees feel safe enough to speak up when things don't feel right, they need to offer a confidential way to express their experience and seek help when needed.
  \r\n
  \r\n
• \r\n
• Promote healthy work activities. With more people returning to the office for at least a portion of the week, it's becoming even more important for employers to encourage employees to take regular breaks, engage in physical activity or take advantage of wellness practices like meditation.For people working remotely and, in the office, employers shouldoffer opportunities for all these activities and promote the importance of engaging in them.
  \r\n
  \r\n At Cognizant, we also promote a healthy work-life balance-such as flexible work hours and time away from work policies-so associates have the time to recharge and maintain their well-being.
  \r\n
• \r\n

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Employees need to protect their mental health at work

\r\n

But there's another side to increasing awareness of mental health in the workplace: getting the word out to employees themselves. As we've seen through too many tragedies, employees don't always recognize their own limits or feel empowered to speak up when circumstances at work don't feel okay.

\r\n

It's important for employees-especially as stress, anxiety and depression rise worldwide-to understand the importance of mental health, recognize their own strengths, weaknesses and boundaries, and seek out the supports available to them.

\r\n

If there is one thing, I want to convey to anyone who's feeling pressured at work, it's that help is closer than you think. When something doesn't feel right, don't keep it to yourself. Seek out the array of meaningful supports that are waiting for you.

\r\n"}}" id="text-ddb9827d89" class="cmp-text">

• Tailor information to specific groups. Many businesses host affinity groups for a variety of demographics and populations. At Cognizant, 60,000 associates have joined an affinity group, whether for Black, Latin and Indigenous, LGBTQ+ or Pan-Asian associates, People with Disabilities, Veterans, Women and more.
  
  These groups offer an opportunity to open up conversations about stressors these particular people might experience that could lead to mental health issues. Affinity group discussions could focus on imposter syndrome, for instance, or micro-aggressions and how to effectively deal with these. LGBTQ affinity groups could offer support when anti-LGBTQ sentiment is on the rise in particular geographies, or provide support and guidance for people whose children are coming out.
  
  
• Foster a culture in which it's safe to seek help. Unfortunately, there's still a high level of stigma attached to asking for help at work, let alone asking for mental health supports. To ensure people feel safe and empowered to ask for help, employers need to foster an inclusive environment in which everyone can bring their whole self to work and feel safe talking about topics related to mental health.
  
  Too often-particularly in specific cultures-people don't feel they have the privilege to push back on negative workplace conditions like long hours or the need for weekend and after-hours work. If employers can't create an environment in which employees feel safe enough to speak up when things don't feel right, they need to offer a confidential way to express their experience and seek help when needed.
  
  
• Promote healthy work activities. With more people returning to the office for at least a portion of the week, it's becoming even more important for employers to encourage employees to take regular breaks, engage in physical activity or take advantage of wellness practices like meditation.For people working remotely and, in the office, employers shouldoffer opportunities for all these activities and promote the importance of engaging in them.
  
  At Cognizant, we also promote a healthy work-life balance-such as flexible work hours and time away from work policies-so associates have the time to recharge and maintain their well-being.
  

Employees need to protect their mental health at work

But there's another side to increasing awareness of mental health in the workplace: getting the word out to employees themselves. As we've seen through too many tragedies, employees don't always recognize their own limits or feel empowered to speak up when circumstances at work don't feel okay.

It's important for employees-especially as stress, anxiety and depression rise worldwide-to understand the importance of mental health, recognize their own strengths, weaknesses and boundaries, and seek out the supports available to them.

If there is one thing, I want to convey to anyone who's feeling pressured at work, it's that help is closer than you think. When something doesn't feel right, don't keep it to yourself. Seek out the array of meaningful supports that are waiting for you.

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