Many expats suffering from stress and burnout, says Cigna
Nine in ten expats are suffering from stress, and 98 per cent have experienced burnout in the past year, according to a survey by cross-border health care insurance provider Cigna International
The Cigna 360 Global Well-Being Survey, which surveyed over 3,000 expats from around the world, also found that nine in 10 said that they felt ‘helpless, trapped or defeated’, while 20 per cent of respondents said that their stress levels were ‘unmanageable’.
Of those who said that they were stressed, 41 per cent said that the stress prevents them from sleeping at night, while a third (33 per cent) said that they suffer from depression.
The leading causes of stress cited by respondents to the survey were largely economic in nature, and include the cost-of-living crisis (34 per cent), personal finance (31 per cent), and uncertainty about the future (28 per cent).
In addition, only four in ten respondents said that they were able to maintain their current standards of living.
Despite a good work-life balance being critical to reducing stress, 89 per cent said that they were working in ‘always-on’ conditions, while more than half are working out of hours at least four days of the working week.
Given these conditions, many are looking to change their lifestyle. Almost three quarters (73 per cent) said that they have ‘re-evaluated life’s priorities’ since the pandemic, with more than a quarter of aspiring expats saying that flexible hours are a must, and 16 per cent saying that they want to be able to work remotely from any location in the world.
“The last few years have been especially challenging for the globally mobile, said Arjan Toor, CEO of Cigna Europe. “As global issues continue to hit the headlines daily, it’s no surprise that they are taking a toll on the well-being of expats. The exciting globally mobile lifestyle that once appealed to so many, may have changed forever.”
“These figures are concerning, and it’s more important than ever that people are taking time to look after their whole health. They must take positive actions to reduce stress and avoid burnout,” Toor added.
Jérôme Droesch, CEO of Cigna MEA and SEA, spoke about how to tailor health insurance cover to the needs of expatriate employees in the May edition of ITIJ.