Mental Wellness: Key to Employee Well-being - Report

New Delhi, Sep 13 (PTI) Mental wellness has become a core part of employee well-being programmes, with 74 per cent of employers incorporating mental health services as part of insurance packages offered to their workforce, a report said.

Companies are expanding outpatient care and counselling services to support both physical and mental well-being, boosting productivity, Prudent Insurance Brokers said in its report covering 3,100 organisations across various sectors.

As per the report, competitive employee packages are key factors in attracting top talent, with 75 per cent of employees preferring companies that offer comprehensive benefits like healthcare, wellness, and flexible options.

The report emphasised that companies have rapidly shifted towards Outpatient Department (OPD) benefits and preventive healthcare, with a 30-40 per cent increase in uptake.

Sectors like Banking, Financial Services and Insurance (BFSI), Healthcare, Power, and Engineering emphasise preventive screenings, annual checkups, and mental health support, it said.

The median sum insured of Rs 10,000 is considered the most preferred coverage, followed by the sum insured of Rs 15,000 in various active OPD programmes in the market, it added.

The demand for pet care benefits is also rising, particularly in IT/ITES and e-commerce sectors, catering to younger employees and those with pets, it noted.

In the next 5 to 10 years, personalisation will be stronger, Pavanjit Singh Dhingra, joint managing director, Prudent Insurance Brokers, said.

As the workforce will comprise multi-generational team members, there will be a greater need to offer customised and relatable benefits, partners and wellness aggregators will need to be more flexible and accommodate the evolving needs, he added.