mental health
Care from Anywhere
SUPPORTING THE MENTAL HEALTH OF A GLOBAL WORKFORCE
In the last century, the advancement of transportation and
communication technology has connected us and created an
international community. For companies, this means that a
global workforce is necessary to stay competitive in an inter-national
marketplace. While international assignments can do a
great deal to grow a company and its employees, as many as 50
per cent of international assignments fail – often due to mental
health issues that come with relocation. By implementing a plan
and providing comprehensive support before, during and after
employees’ assignments, employers can better support the men-tal
health of their global workforce and improve the success rate of
these assignments. What employers need to know before sending
an employee abroad are outlined below.
CHALLENGES OF A GLOBAL WORKFORCE
Employees who relocate abroad face unique challenges and obsta-cles.
According to the Worldwide Employee Relocation Council,
relocation is the third most stressful life event. Navigating new
languages and customs can lead to culture shock, homesickness
and social isolation. Coupled with the often lack of a support net-work
from friends and family, these feelings can evolve into stress,
depression, anxiety and other mental health conditions. One
study, conducted jointly by researchers Chestnut Global Partners
and the Truman Group, revealed that rates of mental health prob-lems
among expats are significantly higher than their counterparts
living at home, including risk of internalizing problems, external-izing
problems and substance use disorders. For instance, more
than 50 per cent of expats were at high risk of internalizing prob-lems
(such as anxiety and depression), 2.5 times more than their
home-based counterparts. Evidently, expats face significant stress,
which can exacerbate mental health concerns and eventually
impair performance.
By Jason McCormick
NAVIGATING NEW
LANGUAGES AND CUSTOMS
CAN LEAD TO CULTURE
SHOCK, HOMESICKNESS
AND SOCIAL ISOLATION.
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