Around 4 in 5 or 80 per cent of expat employees are experiencing negative mental health symptoms due to their working environment, indicating a concerning decline in workplace wellbeing, according to AXA.
According to the report “A Global State of Mind” which surveyed 1,458 expat workers across 16 countries, nearly half experienced job-related burnout and various mental health issues, including 54 per cent with trouble sleeping, 53 per cent with a loss of interest in usual activities, 51 per cent with difficulty concentrating, 48 per cent with feelings of worthlessness, 48 per cent with a loss of self-confidence, and 37 per cent with appetite or eating disorders.
Expat workers’ mental health issues have grown by 10 per cent since 2022, yet the percentage of them seeking professional help has dropped by 9 per cent during that same period. Even though 29 per cent of respondents are unhappy with their company’s support services and 62 per cent acknowledge that their illnesses are not well managed, over a third of them are managing their conditions on their own.
The findings show that compared to native workers, non-native workers are 22 per cent more likely to blame work-related problems for their mental health issues. Additionally, they report greater rates of symptoms, such as eating disorders or hunger disorders (16 per cent), feelings of worthlessness (20 per cent), and decreased enjoyment of routine tasks (18 per cent).
Additionally, non-natives are 50 per cent more likely to have taken multiple sick leaves in the same period. Over the past year, more than a quarter or 27 per cent of non-native employees have taken sick leave for mental health issues, 17 per cent higher than their native counterparts.
AXA – Global Healthcare CEO Xavier Lestrade says: “It’s a concerning trend to see that mind health among the non-native community has been worsening year-on-year. The pandemic years have impressed upon employers the need to support good health among their employees, but effective mental health support is becoming paramount for companies to create a healthy working environment.
“Health insurance policies which offer dedicated mental health support in multiple languages can help businesses to bridge the wellbeing gap for their non-native workforce, ensuring that the experience of working overseas remains successful and rewarding for both individuals and businesses worldwide.”