World Mental Health Day 2026: HR leaders push for empathy, realistic workloads and safer workplace conversations

As India marks World Mental Health Day on 10 October 2026, workplace mental health remains a concern for employers, with workload management, leadership behaviour and access to support emerging as key areas of focus.

The latest annual workplace health and safety statistics from the Health and Safety Executive (HSE) show that an estimated 964,000 workers experienced stress, depression or anxiety caused or made worse by work in 2024/25. Mental health conditions remained the leading cause of work-related ill health.

An estimated 1.9 million workers experienced work-related ill health during the year, while workplace injuries and ill health together resulted in 40.1 million working days lost.

Priyanka Aparajita, VP - HR, Brand & Communications at BCE Global Tech; Saloni Dagly, HR Director at Onsurity; Yashica Aggarwal, Human Resources professional at Pee Safe; and Monika Nahal, HR Manager at Glam21, share their perspectives on changing workplace attitudes, employee stress and the role employers can play in supporting mental wellbeing.

Workloads and competing demands

Workplace stress, burnout, performance anxiety and difficulties balancing professional and personal responsibilities remain recurring concerns. 

Sustained pressure can become harder to manage when employees are also dealing with financial uncertainty, caregiving responsibilities and personal challenges.

“What has evolved is the openness with which people engage in these conversations. Mental wellbeing is increasingly viewed as a shared responsibility and an essential part of the overall employee experience,” Aparajita said.

Clear priorities, realistic expectations and timely access to professional care can help employees manage these demands. As Dagly put it, “Clear priorities, realistic expectations, and timely access to professional care can make support more meaningful.”

Work-life integration is particularly important for employees balancing work with caregiving and other responsibilities. 

Flexibility can help employees manage competing demands, while trust and clear expectations can reduce the pressure to remain constantly available.

These challenges can be especially visible in fast-moving sectors such as beauty, where product launches and shifting consumer expectations can put teams under pressure. “The beauty industry is fast-paced, with frequent product launches, changing marketing strategies and rising customer expectations,” Nahal elaborated.

Regular communication, realistic timelines and an understanding of employees’ capacity are therefore important when managing workloads.

Psychological safety at work

Greater openness about mental health does not necessarily mean employees feel comfortable disclosing personal concerns. 

Fear of judgement or possible career consequences can prevent people from seeking help, particularly if they worry that discussing stress could make them appear less capable.

The response to a request for support can determine whether employees feel safe raising concerns again.

“The real test is how an organisation responds when someone asks for help. Is the conversation handled sensitively? Is their privacy respected? Does support follow?” Dagly said.

Confidentiality, approachable managers and non-confrontational conversations can help create an environment in which employees feel more comfortable speaking up. Regular check-ins and opportunities to provide feedback can also help organisations understand whether employees feel heard.

Psychological safety depends not only on encouraging employees to speak, but also on how managers handle those conversations and whether meaningful support follows.

Managers and early signs of burnout

Managers may notice changes in employee behaviour or performance that warrant a conversation, but these should not be treated as grounds for diagnosing a mental health condition.

Potential signs of distress can include changes in attendance, participation or work patterns, as well as persistent fatigue, reduced engagement and difficulty concentrating. 

The appropriate response is to check in privately, understand whether workload or other work-related factors are contributing to the situation, and discuss what support may be needed.

Aparajita emphasised the importance of recognising potential distress, listening actively and respecting confidentiality. Where concerns require specialised intervention, employees can be directed to HR or professional support services.

“A private check-in about workload and support needs is a useful starting point, without asking employees to disclose more than they are comfortable sharing,” Dagly said.

Empathetic communication, timely check-ins and realistic workload management can help managers address concerns without making assumptions about employees’ personal circumstances. 

The focus should remain on listening, respecting boundaries and addressing work-related pressures where possible.

Technology and mental health support

Digital platforms and wellbeing applications are creating additional ways for employees to access counselling, mindfulness and stress management resources. 

These tools can make support more convenient, but their effectiveness also depends on privacy, trust and access to qualified professionals.

Digital resources can provide access to professional counselling and self-guided support, while technology can simplify access to healthcare benefits and consultations. 

Wellness applications may also help employees practise mindfulness and manage stress.

AI could have a role in identifying workload patterns and informing workforce planning. However, such applications need to complement human support rather than replace it, particularly when employees are dealing with sensitive or complex concerns.

“Technology should not be a substitute for empathy, and the privacy of employees needs to be protected at all times,” Aggarwal said.

For employers, the challenge is to ensure that digital tools are used responsibly, employee information remains protected and technology does not become a substitute for addressing excessive workloads or gaps in management support.

What lies ahead

Greater acceptance of mental health as part of overall wellbeing offers some encouragement, but awareness alone cannot resolve workplace pressures.

Empathetic management, flexible policies where possible and accessible support systems remain important to making that shift meaningful.

Progress can also be reflected in everyday interactions: an employee raising a concern before it escalates, a manager responding thoughtfully, or someone accessing professional care without unnecessary barriers.

Aparajita hopes mental health conversations will eventually become as natural as discussions about physical health, without employees fearing stigma or damage to their careers.

“My aspiration is that employees feel comfortable reaching out for help early, without worrying about stigma, judgment, or career implications,” she said.

Ultimately, the challenge for employers is to translate growing awareness into everyday workplace practices. Realistic workloads, confidentiality, empathetic management and access to appropriate support can help create environments where employees feel able to raise concerns and seek help when they need it.