Mumbai: Happiest Places to Work®️ has unveiled its much-anticipated 2025 Happiness Research Report, titled “How Happy is India’s Workforce?” — a comprehensive study powered by the Happiness Research Academy, mapping the state of happiness and well-being across India’s corporate ecosystem.
The report presents an eye-opening view of workplace sentiment, revealing that 66% of India’s workforce feels unhappy at work, despite rising productivity levels. It highlights a significant emotional gap across industries, underscoring the need for organizations to reimagine their people strategies with a stronger focus on trust, connection, and recognition.
Key findings from the 2025 report include:
- High dissatisfaction: 54% of employees want to leave their current jobs.
- AI readiness gap: 58% value continuous skill development, but 42% do not prioritize upskilling.
- Trust deficit: Only 52% of employees feel confident using digital tools.
- Generational divide: Gen X reports the highest happiness (6.6), while Baby Boomer women record the lowest (5.0).
- Regional variation: Rajkot leads with a happiness score of 7.2, while Delhi/NCR trails at 5.0.
- Industry contrast: E-commerce tops with a 7.2 score, while Consumer Durables and Healthcare report the lowest (4.2).
- Evolving priorities: Work-life balance (18%) and growth opportunities (16%) are most valued beyond salary.
The research underscores a growing disconnect — while India advances digitally, emotional well-being at work has not kept pace, signaling a quiet crisis within corporate India.
Raj Nayak, Founder and Managing Director, Happiest Places to Work®️, said, “Happiness at work is not a passing trend, it is a survival metric. When employees feel loved, involved, and cared for, organizations thrive. The message from this research is simple yet urgent: leaders must put human happiness at the centre if they want organizations that last. This report is a wake-up call for India Inc. to place happiness at the heart of every business strategy.”
Achal Khanna, CEO, SHRM APAC & MENA, added, “Workplaces today are at an inflection point. Productivity has risen, technology has accelerated, but emotional well-being has not. Employees increasingly look for trust, recognition, and inclusion. Our support to encourage this initiative with Happiest Places to Work®️ will enable organizations to move beyond compliance and policies to building cultures that truly value people.”
SHRM India, as the Knowledge Partner for the initiative, supported the 2025 Happiness Research Report and its broader mission to strengthen workplace well-being and build people-first cultures across India.
The Happiness Research Academy continues to pioneer data-driven approaches to understanding happiness and its deficit within India’s workforce. The 2025 Report builds upon years of behavioral and emotional analytics to offer actionable insights for leaders aiming to create happier, more resilient organizations.
