2017 Cigna 360 degree Well-being Survey — Positive Aspects of Working Overseas Often Overshadowed by Health and Financial concerns
— Globally mobile individuals perceive themselves as worse-off than individuals who reside in their home country and have not taken overseas assignments
— Family time and support are major concerns
— Many worry about the financial consequence and availability of medical care in the event of major illness — 40 percent have no company medical benefits at all
HONG KONG, July 27, 2017 /PRNewswire/ — Cigna Corporation (NYSE:CI) released today the results of its 2017 Cigna 360 degree Well-being Survey – Globally Mobile Individuals. The findings reveal that people working overseas generally perceive themselves as worse-off compared to individuals who reside in their home country and have not taken overseas assignments, when it comes to their physical, social, family and even financial well-being.
Overall, the well-being index score for globally mobile individuals is 61.5 points, which is 1.8 points lower than their domestic counterparts. The most significant gap is in family well-being, which is 9.4 points lower.
“The results show that globally mobile individuals are more concerned than the general working population about their own health and well-being, and that of their families,” said Jason Sadler, President, Cigna International Markets. “Without exception, this group is worried about the consequences of personal or family member illness; an issue compounded by a gap in health benefits provided by their employers. Cigna has a long history of supporting globally mobile individuals. We conduct this research to help us continually improve the range of health benefits and wellness solutions we offer them around the world.”
This survey follows the publication of the 2017 Cigna 360 degree Well-being Survey in April, which looked at five underlying trends that affect the health, well-being and sense of security of people around the world. In this study, Cigna examined the perceptions of globally mobile individuals living and working in 20 markets about their outlook on the same trends – physical, financial, social, family and work health.
The bright side of being globally mobile
International exposure is a significant draw to working overseas. Globally mobile individuals highlighted the opportunity to accumulate wealth, better career prospects, good working hours and positive relationships with co-workers as bright aspects of their experience.
But there are also challenges
While individuals have the opportunity to accumulate wealth while working overseas, only a third of respondents considered their current financial situation satisfactory. Lack of time spent with their family and their children’s education are other concerns; exacerbated by not having a family support network around them.
Globally mobile individuals often experience anxiety and all respondents are concerned about illness. Cancer and accidents are their main worries, followed by mental illness, such as depression. Twenty-five percent of globally mobile individuals raised concerns about diseases associated with alcohol; significantly more so than the general working population.
Safety concerns and long-distance loneliness
Globally mobile individuals feel the world looks less secure due to political turmoil and other macro-economic factors. One-third of respondents feel less safe than they did 24 months ago. This sense of insecurity was highest in the U.S., with 42 percent of respondents feeling less safe, and in Africa, where 31 percent have an issue with their safety.
Many respondents also report having problems socialising outside of work. One-fifth suffer from loneliness, which increases to nearly one quarter for those who are single or live alone.
Minding the gap
A significant gap in health insurance coverage may contribute to elevated levels of concern.
“The survey shows health benefits are a very important factor when deciding to take an overseas posting,” said Mr. Sadler. “Despite this, there is a significant gap. A surprising 40 percent of respondents do not have any medical benefits offered by their company, and 15 percent have no health coverage at all.
“There is a clear need for employers to pay attention to the health and well-being of their globally mobile employees. This duty of care should extend outside of the office when employers are interacting with their families and the local community.”
About the Research
A total of 2,003 online interviews were conducted with globally mobile individuals aged 25-59 who are working in markets outside of their birthplace across 20 markets in Asia Pacific, Europe, Middle East, Africa and the United States.
About Cigna
Cigna Corporation (NYSE:CI) is a global health service company dedicated to helping people improve their health, well-being and sense of security. All products and services are provided exclusively by or through operating subsidiaries of Cigna Corporation, including Connecticut General Life Insurance Company, Cigna Health and Life Insurance Company, Life Insurance Company of North America and Cigna Life Insurance Company of New York. Such products and services include an integrated suite of health services, such as medical, dental, behavioral health, pharmacy, vision, supplemental benefits, and other related products including group life, accident and disability insurance. Cigna maintains sales capability in 30 countries and jurisdictions, and has more than 95 million customer relationships throughout the world.
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