Mental Wellness Takes Centre Stage Among Corporate Employees: Plum’s telehealth data
Plum has observed a 4x increase in telehealth consultation bookings from its customers over the last seven months, for issues pertaining to employees’ mental health. Analyzing its telehealth data, Plum noticed that over 77% of mental health consultation bookings came from young adults aged 21 and 30, followed by 17% from millennials aged between 31 and 40.
Catering to 2000+ corporations and start-ups and insuring over 350,000 lives spread across the country’s metro and non-metro cities, Plum’s telehealth insights also show that a whopping 60% of total consultation bookings came from women for issues ranging from anxiety, stress, depression, and, in some cases, their relationships. About 69% of total mental health consultation bookings came from metro cities.
Dr. Seema P Nambiar, MPhil and PhD in Clinical Psychology (one of Plum's mental health experts), said, "In 2022, we saw many people going back to their old work-from-office routine. This had an impact on employees' personal lives, requiring readjustment to an earlier lifestyle leading to stress for many. Interpersonal and relationship stress are also very common in those in their early adulthood.
Educated urban youth are more conscious and aware of their mental health, and perceive seeking help to be less stigmatising compared to older individuals. Viewed from a broader lens, I strongly believe that instead of having a band-aid approach to mental health, it would be great if corporations and start-ups could bring about structural changes that could foster a better work-life balance for employees," Dr. Nambiar added.
Saurabh Arora, co-founder and CTO of Plum, said, "Mental health was historically considered a taboo subject, and people with mental health issues were often stigmatised, shamed, and marginalised. Fortunately, in recent years, attributed to the COVID-19 pandemic, there has been a shift in attitudes and a greater awareness around mental health. We are now seeing more people coming out and voicing their struggles with mental health, and this is a positive step towards breaking down the stigma. In order to create a supportive environment for those with mental health issues, companies should create safe spaces for their employees. The increase in our consultation bookings reflects our partners' and our own collaborative efforts to foster a culture of care and understanding of mental health and ensuring that employees feel comfortable discussing their struggles.”
Plum also observed that in the recent three months, on average, a patient took a minimum of five to a maximum of 15 sessions in a month. This calls attention to companies to be wholly prepared for managing the mental wellness of their employees. Companies can do so by making mental health consultations a mainstream employee health benefit that can be easily accessible by all employees. In addition, companies must work towards creating a work-culture where employees learn to make their mental health a priority, and have facilities and the safe space to seek help and support for it.
