6 important considerations for an international wellbeing strategy
As international business grows, so will the challenges for employers to take on responsibility for workers across multiple countries with differing cultures, legal systems and healthcare provision.
Ensuring equitable and effective health and wellbeing support is no easy task. What works well in one market may not be suitable, or compliant, in another.
Here are six crucial things to consider for an international wellbeing strategy that is both consistent and effective.
1. Understanding the healthcare landscape
Every country’s healthcare ecosystem is shaped by its culture, history and legal framework.
In some regions, such as the UK, public health institutions provide the cornerstone of care, which employers may then choose to supplement with private medical insurance or cash plans. In others, such as the US or the Middle East, employer-sponsored healthcare is the main source of treatment – a necessity, rather than a nice-to-have.
Developing a global wellbeing strategy starts with understanding the nature and quality of public provision, the cost structures and employee expectations.
Even the most generous global policies can fail to meet local needs without this foundation.
Employers that take the time to map the differences, with guidance from experienced global benefits advisers, can ensure their provision is competitive and compliant.
They can also avoid the risk of denting employee trust and morale by unintentionally creating inequalities between different locations.
2. Aligning benefits with local legislation
The legal requirements around employee health benefits can vary widely from country to country. In France, for example, employers have to offer health cover to all employees. In Singapore, contributions to the Central Provident Fund take precedence.
Global organisations have to understand the current regulations and anticipate changes to employment law, taxation and data protection regulations. An effective governance framework can help maintain oversight.
Global principles and company values should be established by central HR or benefits teams. It is then the job of local HR representatives to apply these and tailor them, when necessary, to meet local requirements.
3. Fostering a unified wellbeing philosophy
The most successful global wellbeing strategies tend to be built on clear, central philosophies that reflect a business’s values and goals, whilst allowing for local interpretation.
A company, for example, may base its wellbeing strategy on the four pillars of physical, mental, financial and social health. How these pillars will look, however, will differ from one country to the next.
In the UK, the focus might be on mental health awareness, while in Asia the priority might be financial security and family wellbeing.
The challenge lies in balancing consistency with cultural nuance.
A company’s global wellbeing vision should be clear to employees wherever they are based, but equally, programmes should be designed to take account of local realities.
Cultural awareness training can play an important role here in helping HR and benefits professionals navigate this with empathy and respect.
4. Supporting globally mobile and remote workers
The boundaries between home and host countries have become increasingly blurred by a rise in international assignments and an uptick in hybrid and cross-border remote working.
With more and more employees finding themselves living and working abroad on a temporary basis, or even indefinitely, new challenges have emerged, from healthcare access and benefits continuity to duty of care.
In many cases, employees may be unfamiliar with local healthcare systems and may struggle to access medical support in their native language. Furthermore, there is a risk of them feeling socially isolated from colleagues and their local community.
Effective benefit programmes and well-communicated mobility policies can help mitigate these challenges.
Irrespective of where employees are based, international PMI will give them continuous access to healthcare, while services such as emergency medical evacuation, virtual GPs and multilingual counselling will help give them peace of mind.
For employees on long-term assignments, employers should consider extending benefits to family members and offering support for everything from relocation to schooling.
And above all else, good communication is paramount. Employees should be clear on what support is available to them and how to access it.
5. Prioritising mental health across cultures
Although open discussions about mental health and emotional wellbeing is actively encouraged in many cultures, in others it remains taboo, with a perceived stigma deterring individuals from seeking help.
International employers should look to establish frameworks for mental health support that can be adapted locally.
Regular training can help managers identify employee who are struggling to cope and respond appropriately, wherever this may occur, while benefits such as employee assistance programmes (EAPs) can be offered in multiple languages and time zones.
Empathy and understanding should ultimately be embedded into an organisation’s culture to ensure employees everywhere feel safe and supported.
6. Using technology to improve global wellbeing
A global benefits or wellbeing platform can give greater visibility into how employees are engaging with health and wellbeing programmes in different regions.
This, in turn, enables trends in different countries and regions to be more easily identified and addressed, whether this be a rise in musculoskeletal conditions or more cases of stress-related absence.
It must be remembered, however, that regulations such as GDPR and local privacy laws impose strict requirements on how health and benefits data is handled.
Employers must ensure that their technology systems meet the highest standards of data protection and employee consent.
Creating a globally consistent, locally relevant culture of care
Investing time and expertise into creating a consistent, culturally aware global wellbeing strategy can lead to meaningful and lasting benefits for both businesses and employees.
Employers can rest assured that wellbeing initiatives are relevant and effective in every region.
Moreover, a shared sense of belonging sends a powerful message that every employee matters, regardless of where they are in the world.
Supplied by REBA Associate Member, Everywhen
With 23 years’ experience, we are one of the UK’s largest independent employee benefits consultancies.
