According to a new report by digital health benefits platform ekincare, mental wellness usage across corporate India has surged 44% since 2023, marking a significant shift in employee attitudes toward workplace mental health. The report, titled From Silence to Signal: India Inc.'s Mental Wellness Reckoning (2023–2026), analysed over 6,000 counselling sessions booked across ekincare's corporate client base between 2023 and 2026. As reported by Business Standard, counselling sessions rose sharply between 2023 and 2025, with 2026 already on track to match or exceed last year's numbers.
The report reveals a strong generational divide in mental health usage patterns. Employees aged 20-25 recorded 203% growth in counselling usage between 2023 and 2025, significantly outpacing other age groups. In comparison, the 26-30 age group saw 27% increase, while the 31-35 group recorded just 18% growth. According to ekincare's analysis, employees above the age of 35 carry the highest clinical burden, with 44% of sessions in this age group linked to anxiety, depression or mood-related concerns. The report notes that mental health concerns evolve with different life stages, with younger employees mainly reporting anxiety and self-doubt, while older workers face family and caregiving pressures.
Despite the surge in bookings, the report highlights a troubling contradiction with 26.6% of employees who booked counselling sessions never attending them. As reported by Business Standard, 58% of employees attended only one session and did not return, while first-time users were especially likely to skip sessions. The report found that phone consultations recorded higher no-show rates than video sessions, suggesting that psychological safety at workplaces may be the real challenge rather than awareness alone.
Among industries, the Banking, Financial Services and Insurance (BFSI) sector recorded the sharpest increase at 408%, which researchers linked to high-pressure work environments, regulatory stress and demanding client-facing roles. The Healthcare and pharma sector saw 122% growth, suggesting that burnout among medical professionals is becoming increasingly visible. Meanwhile, IT and software, which historically led workplace wellness adoption, saw relatively modest growth of 11%. According to ekincare's co-founder Dr Noel Coutinho, the challenge is no longer about convincing employees to use counselling programmes, but about ensuring systems are equipped for the scale and complexity of emerging demand.
The report identifies significant differences in how men and women describe mental health struggles, highlighting what researchers call the 'articulation gap'. 25% of counselling sessions among women were linked to relationships and intimacy, which was nearly double the rate seen among men. Among men, sessions were more commonly linked to 'self-identity and growth', with 'personal issue' emerging as the most frequently used description, accounting for 62% of such cases. The report warns that many workplace mental health systems still rely heavily on self-reported categories, which may fail to capture the real nature of employee struggles.
