India is forecasted to become a $7 trillion economy by 2030, and the journey towards this economic high seems to be taking a toll on people’s work-life balance. As per surveys, Indian employees are overworked and underpaid when compared to their global counterparts.
Here’s a full picture of the ongoing scenario in the Indian workplace.
Are Indian Employees Working Too Much?
According to a survey carried out by Regus, a workplace solutions provider, more than 50% of Indian employees work for 8 hours per day and still have to take their work home. This is one of the reasons why people feel frustrated even if they are doing what they like.
The survey claimed that workers in smaller businesses are made to work 11 hours a day, three times more than those in larger ones. They get no time to rejuvenate. The lack of quality time with friends and family takes a toll on their mental health and they get stuck in the sleep-work loop until retirement.
According to Regus, “Over half of workers in India work well over eight hours a day and over 40 per cent regularly take work home to finish in the evening”
“This study finds a clear blurring of line between work and home. Sustained economic growth in the last 3-4 years and substantial outsourcing work done by Indians have contributed to longer working hours,” said Madhusudan Thakur, Regus’ Vice President of South Asia.
“The long-term effects of this overwork could be damaging both to workers’ health and overall productivity as workers drive themselves too hard and become disaffected, depressed or even physically ill,” he further added.
While the 9 to 5 jobs are predominant in our country and pay enough to make both ends meet, the employees in this sector feel stuck and are often given the tag of “corporate majdoor”. 45% of Indian workers work for nine to eleven hours daily, which is 38% more than their global counterparts.
The survey also revealed that 10% of Indian employees work for even more than 11 hours sometimes, giving away their Sundays as well.
44% of Indians take their office tasks home at least three times a week. This is taken to be one of the reasons why most students wish to move abroad for work or in search of better opportunities.
Read More: Amazon Warehouse Workers Reveal Job Is Like Being “Trapped In A Jail”
How Are Indian Employees Reacting?
According to Network 18, an Indian media conglomerate, India stands seventh on the list of countries with the longest workweeks, which includes, the United Arab Emirates, Gambia, Bhutan, Lesotho, Congo, and Bhutan. The countries with the shortest working hours are Iraq, France, and Austria among others.
According to a 2024 Gallup State of the Global Workplace report, a whopping 86% of Indian employees are not satisfied with the outcomes of their job and feel that they are “suffering” and “struggling” at their workplace while only a handful 14% feel that they are really “thriving”, while the global average in the latter category is 34%.
The report highlights how the mental health of Indian workers is at stake. If they are not doing well emotionally or physically, ultimately their work gets affected. It said that over 35% of them feel daily anger when at work while a whopping 31% of them could feel their mental health deteriorating, and are undergoing stress and anxiety.
An additional factor that negatively affects the well-being of employees is loneliness. Most of the time, they have to leave their hometown and settle far away from their family and friends for work. Even if it is work-from-home, they do not get the time to meet people or their colleagues or even their friends.
The Gallup report advises that despite the work pressure, employees must prioritise mental health. “Employees who dislike their jobs tend to have high levels of daily stress and worry, as well as elevated levels of all other negative emotions,” the report highlighted.
Talking about dissatisfaction and the problems the workers are facing at their workplace, can vent out their negative feelings. It can also help employers understand and create sustainable solutions for an improved work-life balance.
“Employers should provide appropriate benefits and flexibility to support employee wellbeing without neglecting their greatest lever on employee life evaluation: building productive, high-performing teams,” said Gallup.
Image Credits: Google Images
Feature image designed by Saudamini Seth
Sources: Firstpost, Mint, The Times of India
This post is tagged under: work, workplace, mental health, employees, employers, company, global, report, studies, depression, stress, anxiety
Disclaimer: We do not hold any right, or copyright over any of the images used, these have been taken from Google. In case of credits or removal, the owner may kindly mail us.
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