A silent but serious health crisis is emerging within India’s cor-porate corridors, with working women particularly bearing the brunt. A recent report by a leading employee health benefits plat-form in India, sheds light on a distressing trend—women profes-sionals are silently battling chronic illnesses, mental health struggles, and burnout, often without adequate support.
Burnout, chronic illness striking younger
According to the report, major chronic diseases are hitting em-ployees shockingly early: heart disease by age 32, cancer by 33, diabetes by 34, kidney disease by 35, and strokes and ischemia by 36. By age 40, chronic illness becomes common across the workforce. Additionally, nearly 40% of employees take at least one sick day a month for mental health, and one in five is serious-ly considering quitting due to burnout.
Gender divide in health access
The report also highlights a concerning gender disparity in healthcare access and utilisation. While men in the 30–49 age group dominate in using health benefits (58%), women in the 50–59 bracket account for 68% of utilisation—primarily due to menopause and perimenopause-related complications. Years of caregiving and self-neglect often delay diagnosis for women, leading to more severe health outcomes that force them to seek care later in life.
Mental health crisis growing among working women
Mental health concerns are also escalating, with anxiety topping the list. Despite this, only 20% of companies offer regular health check-ups, and even when available, less than 40% of employees make use of them. Social stigma and the fear of being perceived as weak often keep women from voicing their mental health struggles, further exacerbating the crisis.
Call for preventive, holistic care
Experts stressed the importance of redefining employee healthcare. “We must go beyond transactional insurance. True well-being involves access to preventive, mental, physical, and social healthcare solutions,” he stated. He emphasized the urgen-cy for tailored strategies that address the distinct health needs of women and empower them to take control of their health jour-neys.
With chronic illness costing companies up to 30 days per em-ployee annually in productivity losses, investing in women’s health is not just humane—it’s smart economics. The corporate sector must act now to support its female workforce or risk a full-blown health crisis.
Source – https://www.thehansindia.com/featured/women/women-in-the-workforce-at-breaking-point-976241