India tops in workplace burnout survey with 59% reporting symptoms

A new survey on employees' well-being has revealed that India topped the rank in workplace burnout. According to the McKinsey Health Institute’s 2023 survey, "India respondents reported the highest rates of burnout symptoms at 59%".

Younger workers aged 18 to 24, employees from smaller companies, and all workers who are nonmanagers reported higher burnout.

Cameroon, a country in Central Africa reported the lowest rates of burnout symptoms at workplaces at 9%. The global average of burnout was 20% but cognitive, exhaustion, and emotional impairment varied.

Indian employees reported the highest level of workplace exhaustion at 62%, followed by Japan (61%). Switzerland reported the least level of workplace exhaustion at 22%.

The report has come days after Infosys co-founder NR Narayana Murthy stirred a controversy on social media when he said young people should work 70 hours a week to level up the country's productivity. While some business tycoons defended his remark, other lambasted for apparently promoting an "overwork culture".

On the other hand, India ranked 2nd in holistic health of employees after Turkey in McKinsey Health Institute’s 2023 survey.

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The survey, conducted on 30,000 employees in 30 countries around the world, reported positive overall holistic health at workplaces. While Japan stood at the bottom in a global ranking of employees’ well-being, measured by assessing physical, mental, social, and spiritual health at 25%, Turkey was highest at 78%, followed by 76% for India and 75% for China. The global average was 57%.

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As per the report, respondents in larger companies (more than 250 employees) had higher holistic-health scores than those in smaller companies. Within the role, managers had the highest holistic health scores, while all other workers reported lower holistic health.

According to the McKinsey survey, employees who had positive work experiences reported better holistic health, were more innovative at work, and show higher job performance.

“For most adults, the majority of waking daily life is spent at work,” the report’s authors wrote. “That offers employers an opportunity to influence their employees’ physical, mental, social, and spiritual health.”