Nearly 50% of corporate employees in India are facing high stress levels, according to a new report by fitness and wellness platform, cult, as extended working hours and the pressure to remain constantly connected continue to blur the boundaries between work and personal life. The trend is prompting organisations across sectors to ramp up spending on employee wellness initiatives in a bid to improve productivity, engagement and talent retention.

The report, titled The Always On Epidemic, found that nearly 50% of corporate employees in India experience high levels of stress, with many struggling to disconnect from work beyond office hours. Only 19% of respondents said they felt fully in control of their work life and personal boundaries, highlighting the growing impact of what the report describes as India Inc.’s “always on” culture.

The stress is also influencing lifestyle behaviour. Nearly 30% of professionals surveyed admitted to relying on unhealthy coping mechanisms such as stress eating and excessive screen time, while around 40% said they use fitness activities to manage work-related anxiety.

Why are companies sharply increasing investments in workplace wellness?

The findings come at a time when India’s corporate wellness industry is witnessing rapid growth. According to the ‘Indian Enterprise Wellness Landscape Report’, commissioned by cult and conducted by Kantar, the corporate wellness market across India’s six largest metros is expected to cross ₹4,000 crore by 2027, growing at a CAGR of 5.6%.

The report suggests that wellness programmes are no longer being treated as optional employee benefits but are increasingly becoming part of core business strategy. Adoption has been particularly strong among Global Capability Centres (GCCs) and companies in the BFSI sector, both of which continue to operate in high-pressure work environments.

Yoga has emerged as one of the most widely adopted wellness interventions across corporate campuses, with participation rates ranging from 73% to 90%, while in-house gyms and corporate fitness memberships are also seeing strong traction.

Bengaluru, home to a large concentration of GCCs and technology firms, accounts for nearly 23% of India’s corporate wellness market, underlining how workplace stress and wellness spending are becoming closely linked in the country’s tech-driven urban centres.

The report argues that wellness spending is increasingly delivering measurable business outcomes. According to the study, companies investing in employee wellbeing are seeing returns ranging between 300% and 600% through improved productivity, lower absenteeism, stronger retention and better talent attraction.

How is workplace stress impacting retention and productivity?

However, the findings also reveal the scale of employee disengagement. Around 56% of respondents fall into what the report categorises as the “Monday to 5” segment — employees who continue to work but remain mentally disengaged. Another 24% belong to the “Exhausted 12+ Hour” category, regularly working beyond sustainable limits and approaching burnout.

The gender gap in workplace stress is also widening. About 72% of women reported elevated tension levels compared with 54% of men.

The business implications are becoming difficult for companies to ignore. Nearly half of employees surveyed said they are actively seeking new job opportunities, while poor mental health is estimated to cost Indian employers close to ₹1.1 lakh crore annually through productivity losses, absenteeism, healthcare costs and employee attrition.