India’s Leadership Is Missing from the Workplace Mental Health Conversation, MindPeers Data Reveal
Analysis of 52,000+ therapy sessions highlights declining engagement among senior managers and emerging risks for organisations
New Delhi | February 11, 2026 — New data from MindPeers suggests that India’s workplace mental health challenge is no longer limited to younger employees. An analysis of mental health engagement patterns shows that senior managers and leaders are increasingly disengaging from formal support systems.
An analysis of 52,445 anonymised therapy sessions conducted between January - December 2025 shows that participation among professionals aged 35 to 55 declined sharply from 34 percent to just 5 percent during the year. At the same time, employees aged 18 to 35 accounted for nearly 90 percent of mental health support usage, pointing to a widening wellbeing gap at leadership levels.
The findings are drawn from MindPeers’ 2025 Employee Wellbeing Report, based on an analysis of behavioural, emotional, and physical wellbeing data collected across corporate, startup, and SME employees in metro, Tier 1, and Tier 2 cities in India.
Key insights from the 2025 data:
Leadership wellbeing is being overlooked
The sharp decline in engagement among mid and senior level professionals suggests that many workplace wellness programmes are designed primarily for younger employees. As a result, leaders are managing career plateaus, sandwich generation responsibilities, and decision fatigue without structured mental health support.
Women are seeking support in significantly higher numbers
Women accounted for 68.4 percent of all therapy users in 2025, representing a 25 percent increase over the year. The data shows a clear link between menstrual health and workplace performance, with women reporting lower motivation and higher fatigue during high distress cycles. Despite this, most organisations continue to lack formal policies or accommodations addressing menstrual health at work.
Hybrid work is contributing to emotional disconnection
Concerns related to attachment and isolation increased by 34 percent over the year. Employees reported feeling disconnected despite frequent digital interaction. This group also showed lower motivation, higher absenteeism, and an increased risk of attrition, highlighting the emotional cost of hybrid work models.
Employees are moving towards proactive mental health support
One positive trend emerged during the year. The share of returning therapy users increased from 33 percent to 40 percent, indicating a shift towards ongoing mental health engagement rather than crisis driven intervention. Anxiety related crisis cases declined in the second half of 2025.
Commenting on the findings, Kanika Agarwal, Founder, MindPeers said,
“The 2025 data shows that while conversations around mental health have expanded, access to support remains uneven. Senior leaders are carrying significant emotional and decision making pressure, yet many do not feel comfortable seeking help. When leadership wellbeing is ignored, the impact is felt across teams and organisational culture.”
As organisations move further into 2026, the data suggests that mental health initiatives need to evolve beyond one size fits all approaches. Experts warn that continued neglect of leadership wellbeing could affect productivity, decision quality, and long term organisational resilience at a time of ongoing economic and workforce uncertainty.
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