Why Smart Workplace Benefits are a Must for Tackling Stress Among Expats

In this iPMI Global Expatriate Life article, Virginie Faucon, relocation expert at AXA Global Healthcare talks about smart workplace benefits and how they can benefit expatriates. 

April’s Stress Awareness Month is a timely reminder that the well being of globally mobile employees is more than just a tick-box exercise – it’s a business essential. For expats adjusting to life overseas, the stresses and emotional burden of relocating can be subtle, slow-burning and all too easily overlooked. 

For employers and insurers alike, this highlights an evolving duty of care – one that must start from the very first day of placement. Proactively addressing these challenges is not only the right thing to do, but also key to fostering a resilient, productive, and committed international workforce.  

So what challenges are expats really facing – and how can smarter benefits help them stay healthy, happy, and productive abroad? 

The pressures of living and working abroad 

Loneliness, homesickness, culture shock, and the challenges of navigating new healthcare systems are all common experiences among expats.  

Expats and wellbeing professionals often talk about the six-month slump – a dip in morale that often strikes around the half-year mark, that can quietly lead to a reduction in productivity, engagement, and even employee retention. In reality, these issues can arise at any time. And, if left unaddressed, they may escalate into more serious conditions such as chronic stress or burnout. 

As part of our 2024 Mind Health Report, we surveyed nearly 1,500 expats across 16 countries. The results laid bare the sobering state of mental wellbeing across the global expat community and the negative impact work can have.  

Nearly half (49%) of all survey respondents reported experiencing burnout due to their jobs – a 14% increase compared to the local population. Among those affected, only 44% had sought help from a healthcare professional.  

The evolving needs of expats 

As the number of global expats grows, so too does the complexity of the challenges they face, both personally and professionally. The increasing mobility of workers across borders has created a diverse expat population, each with their own unique set of stressors and experiences.  

Many expats find themselves far from their support networks, trying to adjust to an unfamiliar healthcare system and often struggling with language barriers. These factors can make it more difficult to connect with others, build a support community, or access appropriate mental health resources. All these challenges combine to create a unique set of pressures that can have a serious impact on an expat's overall wellbeing, making it essential for employers and individuals alike to recognise and address the mental health needs of this growing demographic. 

The role of proactive healthcare 

Our research, coupled with our own experience of working with expats, clearly demonstrates that proactive support is crucial in safeguarding and managing employee mental wellbeing. Findings from our Mind Health report point to a need for better onboarding processes, continued cultural education, and, perhaps most importantly, comprehensive, human-centred health benefits that offer more than just emergency cover. The days of reactive insurance are behind us; expats need holistic packages that include mental health support, access to local GPs, and wellness initiatives designed for mobile lifestyles. 

AXA Global Healthcare’s all-in-one healthcare app has been designed to offer a solution to this, providing integrated access to policy documents, claims, and virtual care services. Users can also benefit from personalised wellbeing services which have been carefully curated to support people’s health and wellness no matter where they are in the world as well as the ability to easily search and access local medical facilities from the AXA network of 2.1m medical providers worldwide.  

The app also offers access to a range of virtual healthcare services, including teleconsultations with doctors in multiple languages, access to a second medical opinion service, and even mental health counselling. These give more control to expats to manage their health and wellbeing wherever they are in the world. 

These smart benefits offer something as simple as knowing where to go when you’re not feeling yourself, physically or emotionally, and that can make all the difference. A joined-up approach between HR, insurers, and local providers ensures that the employee experience doesn’t stop at the airport gate. 

As employee demand for mental health resources grows, global health insurance providers must offer wraparound services that help expats thrive in all ways of life. Stress doesn’t always wait until working hours, which is why services such as 24/7 multilingual helplines and access to counselling like those provided by AXA Global Healthcare’s all-in-one app are essential. 

Comprehensive support over a basic service  

So, as we mark Stress Awareness Month, it's a good time for employers to pause and reflect: are we genuinely doing all we can to support the wellbeing of our expat employees? Are the benefits we offer tailored to their specific and evolving needs?  

The answer to these questions could be the difference between a thriving international placement and a repatriation request – the latter of which can be costly and disruptive for both the employee and employer.