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Startup Employees Face Worse Mental Wellbeing Than Founders Reveals Study
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CNBC TV18•08-10-2026, 15:40
Startup Employees Face Worse Mental Wellbeing Than Founders Reveals Study
- •A new study titled State of Mind reveals that 54.3% of startup employees in India suffer from low mental wellbeing, the highest among all surveyed groups.
- •Founders experienced the highest levels of worry but maintained higher energy and engagement compared to employees who showed lower interest and energy.
- •Nearly 47.5% of the 823 respondents scored at or below the WHO-5 wellbeing threshold, highlighting widespread systemic issues in startup workplaces.
- •The fear of speaking up is prevalent, with 34.8% of respondents feeling unsafe to admit they are struggling, and those who felt unsafe had significantly worse wellbeing.
- •Long working hours heavily impact mental health, with 51% of those working 50 hours or more weekly falling at or below the wellbeing threshold.
Key Questions Answered
Startup employees are the worst-off group regarding mental wellbeing in India's startup ecosystem, with 54.3% reporting low wellbeing according to the State of Mind study.
Long working hours significantly impact wellbeing; 51% of respondents working 50 or more hours a week scored at or below the WHO-5 wellbeing threshold, compared to 37% working under 40 hours.
The study's final analysis carried forward 823 responses out of 1,040 received after conducting attention checks, consisting of 347 founders, 300 employees, 124 investors, and 52 ecosystem supporters.
