HONG KONG, October 2, 2017 /PRNewswire/ --
- 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
Cigna Corporation (NYSE: CI) released today the results of
its 2017 Cigna 360° 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° 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.
Media contacts:
Sabrina Cheung
Head of Business Communications
Cigna International Markets
sabrina.cheung@cigna.com
Tel: +852-2297-5178
Gareth Ingham
Associate Director, Business Communications
Cigna International Markets
gareth.ingham@Cigna.com
Tel: +852-2297-5184