Chandigarh, Oct 10: Nearly three out of four Indian professionals (75 per cent) hesitate to be transparent about taking leave for mental health reasons, fearing they will be perceived as “incapable,” according to a report by job portal Naukri.
The survey, conducted across 19,650 job seekers from 80 industries, revealed that stigma remains a major barrier. About 31 per cent of respondents said their top fear is being seen as incapable, 27 per cent worry about judgment from colleagues, and 21 per cent fear being dismissed as someone who makes excuses. Another 21 per cent felt that admitting mental health struggles could negatively affect their career growth.
The report also looked at how employees manage mental health leave. Nearly half (45 per cent) said they would mark it as a general sick day, while only 28 per cent felt comfortable specifying the reason. Nineteen per cent preferred to avoid taking leave altogether, and 9 per cent admitted they would fabricate an alternate excuse.
Poor work-life balance emerged as the top factor affecting mental health at work, cited by 39 per cent of respondents. Other reasons included micromanaging supervisors (30 per cent), lack of recognition (22 per cent), and fear of making mistakes (10 per cent).
When asked about potential interventions, 60 per cent of professionals said flexible work options would help the most, followed by stress-management workshops (22 per cent), paid mental health days (10 per cent), and managerial training (9 per cent).
The report also highlighted differences across career stages. Freshers and early-career professionals (0–5 years) were the most guarded, with only 25 per cent willing to openly cite mental health as the reason for leave, compared to 43 per cent who would code it as sick leave. Experienced and senior professionals were more forthcoming, with around 40 per cent willing to be transparent.
The findings underscore the continuing stigma around mental health in Indian workplaces and highlight the urgent need for awareness, supportive policies, and flexible work practices to help employees manage stress and maintain wellbeing.
