A report has warned of a potential mass exodus of expat employees from the global workforce as a result of a looming mental health crisis.
The Mind Health Report from AXA – Global Healthcare has revealed that four in five (81 percent) employees who live and work overseas – known as global non-natives – are planning a “great escape” from their jobs due to poor mental health.
Researchers found that 80 percent of global non-native employees are experiencing at least one mental health symptom and 49 percent are struggling with burnout.
It found that 42 percent of this group of employees want to be less involved in their job and only 48 percent would approach their manager for support with mental health.
Employee dissatisfaction
A third, 33 percent, of non-native employees are looking to quit or change their job to address their poor mental health. In comparison, just 21 percent of native employees expressed the same intentions.
Almost half, 45 percent, of non-native workers are also looking into upskilling options, such as training courses, to help them move roles.
The report said people are considering their options because they don’t have the mental health support at work. More than a quarter (29 percent) of non-native staff are dissatisfied with their company’s psychological support services and therefore are 16 percent more likely than their native peers to have a negative experience after suffering poor mental health.
More than half (52 percent) non-native employees are not comfortable discussing a mental health concern with their managers.
Manager burnout
Non-native managers also consistently report higher rates of work-related mental health challenges.
Almost two thirds (58 percent) of non-native managers are experiencing burnout, compared with 52 percent of their native peers, and 35 percent have taken sick leave as a result. Non-native managers are 23 percent more likely than managers working in their home country to have taken sick leave at least once in the last 12 months.
Samantha O’Donovan, chief people officer for AXA – Global Healthcare, said: “To learn that a large portion of the non-native community is considering leaving or changing their job for mental health reasons is a major concern for employers and healthcare service providers worldwide.
“The financial implications notwithstanding, businesses and leadership teams have a duty to support and develop their people, and this latest edition of our Global Mind Health Report suggests that their ability to provide the right support to employees is in decline.
“Managers are cornerstones of company culture, and bear much of the responsibility for cultivating a mentally safe working environment. Yet they’re often the ‘squeezed middle’ between the pressures of meeting their people management responsibilities and operational priorities. Arming managers with the skills they need to offer mental health support to the colleagues they manage, as well as the resources to manage their own wellbeing, will help to make sure this crucial branch of business remains resilient, inclusive and compassionate in the face of mind health challenges.”
