A significant percentage of employed professionals in India are feeling stressed at work, and work-life imbalance, insufficient incomes, and slow career progress are cited as top three causes of work stress in India, says a survey.

Leading online professional network LinkedIn has launched a special ‘mental health’ edition of the Workforce Confidence Index to address the prevalence of work stress in India, and how professionals expect greater flexibility to keep their mental health in check.

Based on the survey responses of 3,881 professionals from July 31 to September 24, the findings reveal that more than half of India’s (55 per cent) employed professionals are feeling stressed at work.

The latest edition of the Workforce Confidence Index revealed that India’s overall workforce confidence remained steady with a composite score of 55 from July 31 to September 24, 2021, despite drastic transformations in the world of work.

When asked to share their primary reasons for work stress, employed professionals cited ‘balancing work with personal needs’ (34 per cent), ‘not making enough money’ (32 per cent), and ‘slow career advancement’ (25 per cent) as the top three stressors at work today.

“These stressful times of change have impelled the need for greater flexibility and work-life balance among professionals. But our survey reveals a wide gap between what employees need and what employers are offering to cope with stress,” said Ashutosh Gupta, India Country Manager, LinkedIn.

Gupta further said that while nearly half of (47 per cent) employed professionals wish to end work at reasonable hours, only about one-thirds (36 per cent) were actually able to do so. And while 41 per cent planned for time-off, only 30 per cent could take time off in the past two months.

“These alarming statistics reflect the urgency for companies to understand how creating a culture that encourages work-life balance and prioritises well-being is critical moving forward,” Gupta said.

Amid such stressful times, 1 in 3 professionals are also seen drawing optimism from the availability of jobs (36 per cent) and improved control over expenses (30 per cent) in today’s recovering, yet competitive jobs marketplace.