Stressed at work, but still better off

Here’s something that’s not news: The Indian worker is more stressed out than before the recession hit. Something that’s not new but encouraging all the same is the fact that when placed against the rest of the world, they are less stressed out by a big margin, according to a global survey which was released recently by Regus.

Ananya Devram, a corporate trainer and etiquette expert says that her clients, a majority of whom are from the corporate world, have closer family ties which make them more able to deal with workplace pressures. “It was a very difficult year for workers in the country but people in India also have better social ties outside of work which helps them on many levels,” she adds.

Although fewer Indian employees have felt their stress levels increase, it cannot go unnoticed that over half felt more strain. A study by the Indian Council for Research on International Economic Relations found that India’s rapid economic expansion has boosted corporate profits and employee incomes, but has also sparked a surge in workplace stress and lifestyle diseases that few Indian companies have addressed.

Dr Hamid Ali, a family physician specialising in lifestyle diseases says that it’s not only the corporate sector that has felt the effects of stress. “Life is very different today so it’s not just young people but people from all age groups who are feeling the heat. But just like there are more problems, there are also more solutions,” he says.

Company size has also had an influence on the level of stress increase experienced in recent years. The survey found that workers in mid-sized Indian companies (50-249 employees) experienced a greater rise in workplace stress. “This could be because there is less staff handling more responsibility. Obviously it will have an effect on them,” says Devram.

Rohin Malhotra, an MNC employee in Mumbai agrees that his company has it easier in India. “I was sent to to Singapore for a month and I didn’t get a single day off and it’s much more professional there. I work late in Mumbai too at times but at least they understand that I have a family and don’t force work on me,” he says.