The wellbeing of globally mobile workers is significantly lower than domestic workers, with loneliness, anxiety and fear of falling ill while abroad all fuelling a perception that they are worse off than individuals residing in their home country, new research has found.
Cigna’s 2017 Well-being Survey – Globally Mobile Individuals, has found that the wellbeing index score for globally mobile individuals is 61.5 points, 1.8 points lower than their domestic counterparts. The most significant gap is in family wellbeing, which at 56.7 is 9.4 points lower than the 65.8 for the general working population.
The study examined the perceptions of globally mobile individuals living and working in 20 markets with median liquid wealth of $243,000 about their outlook on five trends – physical, financial, social, family and work health.
Globally mobile individuals valued the opportunity to accumulate wealth, improve career prospects, enjoy good working hours and positive relationships with co-workers as bright aspects of their experience overseas. But only a third of respondents considered their current financial situation satisfactory, and cited lack of time spent with their family and their children’s education and the lack of a family support network around them as other negatives.
The report found 19 per cent of globally mobile individuals suffer from loneliness, rising to 24 per cent of those who are single or live alone.
Cancer and accidents are the main worries of globally mobile workers, followed by mental illness, such as depression. Twenty-five percent of globally mobile individuals raised concerns about diseases associated with alcohol, a significantly higher proportion than the general working population.
A third of respondents to the survey said they feel less safe than they did 24 months ago. This sense of insecurity was highest in the US, with 42 per cent of respondents feeling less safe, and in Africa, where 31 per cent have an issue with their safety.
The report suggests a significant gap in health insurance coverage may contribute to elevated levels of concern, with 40 per cent of respondents not having any medical benefits offered by their company, and 15 per cent having no health coverage at all.
Cigna International Markets president Jason Sadler says: “The results show that globally mobile individuals are more concerned than the general working population about their own health and well-being, and that of their families. “Without exception, this group is worried about the consequences of personal or family member illness, an issue compounded by a gap in health benefits provided by their employers.
“The survey shows health benefits are a very important factor when deciding to take an overseas posting. There is a clear need for employers to pay attention to the health and wellbeing of their globally mobile employees. This duty of care should extend outside of the office when employers are interacting with their families and the local community.”
