mental health
EVIDENTLY, EXPATS FACE SIGNIFICANT STRESS,
WHICH CAN EXACERBATE MENTAL HEALTH CONCERNS
AND EVENTUALLY IMPAIR PERFORMANCE.
Without support, mental health conditions may aggravate feel-ings
of being overwhelmed and unwelcome in their new homes
and, ultimately, affect a company’s bottom line. Mental health con-ditions
can negatively impact performance, including increased
absenteeism and decreased productivity and may lead to employ-ees
abandoning their assignments and moving home. Since
employees are any company’s most valuable asset, employers must
offer resources that allow expats to navigate mental health services.
EMPLOYER RESPONSIBILITY
To help prevent the onset of anxiety and other mental health con-ditions
and promote productivity, provide a detailed pre-trip plan
to employees that includes information on their destination’s cul-ture
and health system to help them make informed decisions
about their care. If employee expectations are realistic, they are less
likely to experience culture shock and dissatisfaction with their
new assignments.
Before travel, it’s also essential that employers work with an
insurer who understands the nuances of the insurance compli-ance
requirements of the intended destination to ensure that expats
are covered. Many companies mistakenly assume that an out-of-country
benefit of a domestic plan is sufficient to cover their expat
employees. However, these policies only cover emergency care and
may have a clause excluding pre-existing conditions, hindering
employees from seeking mental health treatment and, potentially,
exacerbating conditions.
Similarly, because nearly a third of adults are living with a men-tal
health condition, it is essential that employers offer a health
plan inclusive of mental health services. One such option is to pro-vide
an Employee Assistance Program (EAP) during assignments,
which provides confidential assessments and services to help resolve
employees’ personal or work-related problems that may impact job
performance, health or mental and emotional well-being. At best,
these programs not only tackle mental health concerns when they
arise, but encourage broader employee wellness to address issues
before they escalate.
EMPOWERING EMPLOYEES
There are several resources employees can also utilize to prepare for
the trip, monitor their mental health and find care. Before travel,
expats should check out resources like Aetna’s Care and Response
Excellence (CARE) team, which provides a 24/7 year-round service
to help expats understand how the health care system works in their
new country, where their nearest approved medical centres are and
what to do in the case of an emergency.
If further counselling is needed, there are many virtual health
services that employees can take advantage of while abroad. For
instance, Aetna’s In Touch Care offers one-to-one on-going sup-port
to vulnerable members, ensuring that wherever they are in
the world, they have quick and easy access to the help they need.
The program also offers members personalized care support and
tools and programs to engage them early and keep them motivated.
Similarly, vHealth, initially launched in India and expanding glob-ally,
enables members to connect with doctors remotely, via mobile
phone, tablet or laptop, and is designed to reduce the need for phys-ical
consultations. These services can be especially helpful in areas
where care may not be easily accessible or where mental health may
be stigmatized.
BECOME A RESOURCE
Employees may feel isolated due to cultural stigma of mental health
conditions in their new home, intensifying feelings of loneliness and
reducing productivity. For this reason, it is essential for employers to
become a resource for employees abroad. When possible, employers
should support their workforce and try to alleviate stress and anxi-ety
so that employees can focus their full attention on work.
By demonstrating commitment to supporting mental health,
employers create an environment where employees feel com-fortable
discussing concerns before they escalate. If employers
provide consistent support for expats, they can help their employ-ees
acclimate to their new home and improve retention rates during
international assignments. n
Jason McCormick is the head of sales and services for Canada at
Aetna International.
Culture shock, homesickness and social isolation are
common among relocated employees
Aleksandr Davydov/123rf.com
38 ❚ DECEMBER 2018 ❚ HR PROFESSIONAL
/123rf.com