report experiencing at least one mental health symptom and almost half (49%) are struggling with burnout – being overwhelmed physically, emotionally and mentally – as a result of their job. The impact on retention, succession planning and


the costs of assignment failure is clear. AXA Global Healthcare’s findings revealed that 81% of globally mobile workers have at least one exit strategy from their current job to help them manage the impact of work on their mental health.


their focus with employee value, cost pressures and talent objectives to address how their benefit programmes align to retirement and financial wellbeing initiatives”. To this point about where responsibility sits, and


what employers can do, two-thirds of employers and employees canvassed for Winckworth Sherwood’s survey agree that there is still too much emphasis on individuals taking care of their mental wellbeing, rather than changing the corporate culture to make it more supportive. This makes leadership important across the organisation so people can be real and open around seeking help without stigma or fear.


MENTAL HEALTH IN GLOBALLY MOBILE POPULATIONS This level of openness can be particularly difficult on assignment because of cultural norms, uncertainty around support networks and the expectation to hit the ground running. It is therefore vital employers take a mindful approach to workplace wellbeing in the global context. With an integrated, holistic approach to wellbeing the goal, how close are employers to getting this right for both globally mobile populations and employees at large? An excellent starting point to show where global


mobility and employers with mobile employees can enhance their mental wellbeing offering is the latest instalment of AXA Global Healthcare’s annual benchmark report, ‘A Global State of Mind’. It compares the experience of people working in their country of birth with those born overseas. The sample of 1,458 is drawn from 16 countries,


including the UK, Ireland, China, the US, Germany, Italy, Thailand, Philippines, Japan, Turkey and Mexico. This gives a great insight into the key relocation hotspots. Overall, it finds that the number of people reporting mental wellbeing struggles is at the same level today as a year into the pandemic. A full 80% of overseas employees


43


A KEY MANAGEMENT ISSUE In terms of the support on offer, more than a quarter (29%) of expats are dissatisfied with their company’s psychological support services. They are 16% more likely than their native peers to have a negative experience following a mind-health concern. AXA Global Health says this could explain why more than half (52%) of non- native employees would not feel comfortable discussing a mental health concern with their managers. Sadly, managers themselves consistently report higher


rates of work-related mental health challenges than the workforce at large. Nearly two-thirds (58%) of non- native managers are experiencing burnout, compared with 52% of their native peers. More than a third (35%) have taken sick leave for this. They are also 23% more likely than native managers to have taken sick leave at least once in the last 12 months. “Managers are cornerstones of company culture,


and bear much of the responsibility for cultivating a mentally safe working environment,” explains Samantha O’Donovan, chief people officer for AXA Global Healthcare. “Yet they’re often the ‘squeezed middle’ between the pressures of meeting their people management responsibilities and operational priorities.


GLOBAL LEADERSHIP WELLBEING


Page 1  |  Page 2  |  Page 3  |  Page 4  |  Page 5  |  Page 6  |  Page 7  |  Page 8  |  Page 9  |  Page 10  |  Page 11  |  Page 12  |  Page 13  |  Page 14  |  Page 15  |  Page 16  |  Page 17  |  Page 18  |  Page 19  |  Page 20  |  Page 21  |  Page 22  |  Page 23  |  Page 24  |  Page 25  |  Page 26  |  Page 27  |  Page 28  |  Page 29  |  Page 30  |  Page 31  |  Page 32  |  Page 33  |  Page 34  |  Page 35  |  Page 36  |  Page 37  |  Page 38  |  Page 39  |  Page 40  |  Page 41  |  Page 42  |  Page 43  |  Page 44  |  Page 45  |  Page 46  |  Page 47  |  Page 48  |  Page 49  |  Page 50  |  Page 51  |  Page 52  |  Page 53  |  Page 54  |  Page 55  |  Page 56  |  Page 57  |  Page 58  |  Page 59  |  Page 60  |  Page 61  |  Page 62  |  Page 63  |  Page 64  |  Page 65  |  Page 66  |  Page 67  |  Page 68  |  Page 69  |  Page 70  |  Page 71  |  Page 72  |  Page 73  |  Page 74  |  Page 75  |  Page 76  |  Page 77  |  Page 78  |  Page 79  |  Page 80  |  Page 81  |  Page 82  |  Page 83  |  Page 84  |  Page 85  |  Page 86  |  Page 87  |  Page 88  |  Page 89  |  Page 90  |  Page 91  |  Page 92  |  Page 93  |  Page 94  |  Page 95  |  Page 96  |  Page 97  |  Page 98