Workplace Burnout in India — Why India's Hustle Culture Is Breaking Its Workforce
Hustle harder. Work smarter. Sleep when you're dead. These phrases have become the unofficial mantras of India's professional culture — and they are costing us dearly. Workplace burnout in India has reached alarming levels, with the country consistently ranking among the most overworked nations in Asia. Workplace burnout in India is not just about working long hours. It is a state of chronic physical and emotional exhaustion caused by sustained overwork, unrelenting pressure, and insufficient recovery. The World Health Organisation now classifies burnout as an occupational phenomenon, signalling how serious and widespread the problem has become. India's IT hubs, startup corridors, and corporate towers are ground zero for burnout. Employees in Bengaluru, Hyderabad, and Mumbai frequently report working 60 to 70-hour weeks. Constant access to messaging apps leaves little downtime. Back-to-back meetings add to the strain. Since the pandemic, the line between home and work has ...