From happiness surveys, movie nights to power naps and digital detoxes, a new era of employee care is emerging in the corporate world. Facing the silent crisis of burnout at the workplace, more companies are paying attention to emotional and systemic wellness strategies for employee welfare.
A recent joint report by MediBuddy and the Confederation of Indian Industry (CII) reveals that 71% of employees in India face lifestyle-related health risks, with limited access to preventive and personalised care.
Even more alarming, mental health-related OPD claims have risen by 30-50%, and 86% of workers report struggling with mental health issues due to workplace stress, a trend contributing to a 15% spike in mental health cases across the country. Simultaneously, dissatisfaction is driving attrition.
The foundit Appraisal Trends Report 2025 found that 86% of professionals plan to switch jobs in the coming months, despite salary hikes. Ironically, those who received the highest increments over 20% are the most eager to leave.
While 74% of surveyed employees received raises this cycle, sectoral disparities and modest bump-ups have left many feeling undervalued. The survey was based on responses from 5,108 employees across industries and functions.
Preventive Wellness Over Perks
“Addressing employee wellbeing requires more than isolated wellness initiatives,” said Satish Kannan, Co-founder & CEO of MediBuddy. “It demands a structural shift toward OPD-first, digitally-enabled care models that prioritise mental health, inclusivity and personalisation. Our app provides round-the-clock access to licensed counsellors and psychiatrists, confidentially, so employees can manage stress, anxiety, and emotional wellbeing before it escalates.”
At Compass Group India, a food & facility management solutions company, which employs over 40,000 people nationally and 580,000 globally, wellness isn’t an afterthought, it’s built into every layer of the employee experience. “We take a multi-dimensional approach, from mental health helplines and structured rest breaks for frontline teams to multilingual upskilling via our in-house app, Samarth,” said Manika Awasthi, Chief People Officer, Compass Group India. “These aren’t just reactive solutions but they’re preventive tools that foster resilience. We’re seeing better engagement, lower absenteeism, and a workforce that feels genuinely supported,” added Awasthi.
For proptech startup NoBroker, the approach is both structured and individualistic. Activities range from cricket tournaments and treks to desk yoga and financial literacy sessions. But behind the fun lies a framework of analytics and empathy.
“Burnout isn’t a buzzword; it’s real and rising,” said Amit Kumar Agarwal, CEO, NoBroker. “We track lead indicators like absenteeism, happiness index, and performance drops. If someone scores low, we reach out within 24 hours. It’s a mix of scalable systems and very personal interventions,” added Agarwal.
The startup’s employee assistance programme allows staff to seek professional mental health help confidentially. Spiritual well-being sessions, nutrition advice, and financial wellness workshops, besides movie outings and fun Fridays, help the teams bond.
From Digital Detox to Nap Pods
Even startups are investing in emotional cohesion. Priya Bisht, HR manager at digital health platform Clinikally, said regular team-building activities, festive celebrations, and offsite retreats help strengthen alignment with company goals. “These touchpoints improve morale and cross-functional collaboration,” said Bisht, adding, “It encourages cross-team interactions, which, in turn, align employees with company goals.”
Workplace stress also contributes to productivity and retention crises. Mondelez India deals with emotional and financial well-being of employees with year-round initiatives through multiple finance awareness workshops. “Our recent launches of the car lease programme and voluntary NPS investment campaign empowers employees to make informed decisions to maximise the return on their compensation. Our holistic ‘Live Well’ strategy, built on the pillars of physical, emotional, and financial wellbeing to support every colleague; our partnership with Cult Fit fosters a culture of fitness and proactive health. Maternity, elder care programmes and childcare solutions help colleagues thrive both personally and professionally,” said Nagina Singh, senior director, people lead, Mondelez India.
Harshavardhan Kundalkar, chief people officer, Daimler Truck Innovation Center India (DTICI), a global innovations centre, said, “Workations, wellness leaves, health check ups enable employees to blend work with rejuvenation and prioritise wellbeing.”
Sleep is the new currency of performance for mattress and sleep solutions company Duroflex, where science-backed power nap pods in offices help employees reboot. “Technology was designed to simplify work lives, however, the unintended consequence has been a culture of constant connectivity. This relentless ‘always-on’ culture, often at the expense of sleep, has become one of the leading contributors of burnout in today’s workforce,” said Ritu Bhardwaj Moitra, CHRO at Duroflex Group, adding how quick naps reset attention, reduce stress, and enhance creativity. “I’ve started advocating digital detox, which significantly enhances both productivity and mental well-being,” she added.
Source – https://www.financialexpress.com/life/corporates-go-all-out-to-fight-staff-burnout-fires-3941772/