80% of expats are struggling with mental health at work, says report covering 16 countries

Four in every five (80%) expat employees are experiencing negative mental health symptoms as a direct result of their working environment,  according to the fourth non-native Mind Health Report produced by international health insurance provider, AXA - Global Healthcare.

Workplace wellbeing has continued to decline for non-native employees in this latest report ‘A Global State of Mind’, which detailed findings from a study of 1,458 non-native workers across 16 countries, and found that almost half (49%) of non-native employees have experienced burnout as a result of their job.

The range of mental health conditions revealed:

• 54% report trouble sleeping
• 53% report a loss of interest or pleasure in usual activities
• 51% difficulty concentrating
• 48% report feelings of worthlessness
• 48% report a loss of self-confidence
• 37% report appetite or eating disorders

Incidence of mental health conditions among non-native workers has risen by 10% since 2022, yet there has been a 9% decrease in the number of non-natives seeking professional help to support their wellbeing.

Over a third (38%) are self-managing their condition; an interesting result given that more than a quarter (29%) were dissatisfied with their company’s psychological support services. However, 62% of those who self-manage their mental health have admitted that their conditions are not well-managed.

The findings make clear that non-native employees are struggling significantly more with their mental health than working natives. Non-native workers are 22% more likely than natives to attribute their mind health conditions to working factors, and are also more likely to experience symptoms, such as a loss of pleasure in usual activities (18%), feelings of worthlessness (20%) and appetite or eating disorders (16%).

More than a quarter (27%) of non-native employees have been on sick leave once or more for problems relating to their mind health over the last 12 months – 17% higher than sickness rates among their native peers. Non-natives are also 50% more likely to have been on sick leave multiple times across the last year.

The findings paint a troubling picture of an increasingly unhappy non-native workforce struggling with burnout, sickness and disengagement at work. Employers must invest in the right support and take proactive steps to close the mind health gap between their native and non-native employees or face significant consequences to staff retention and business success.

Xavier Lestrade, CEO of AXA - Global Healthcare said: “It’s a concerning trend to see that mind health among the non-native community has been worsening year-on-year. The pandemic years have impressed upon employers the need to support good health among their employees, but effective mental health support is becoming paramount for companies to create a healthy working environment.

“Health insurance policies which offer dedicated mental health support in multiple languages can help businesses to bridge the wellbeing gap for their non-native workforce, ensuring that the experience of working overseas remains successful and rewarding for both individuals and businesses worldwide.”