29 March 2024

Expat Loneliness: Cultivating Meaningful Connections with the Wellbees Challenge!

In today’s global business landscape, there's no denying the opportunities for corporations and expats alike. Yet, amid these opportunities lie numerous challenges. Expats seeking career advancement by pursuing job opportunities in various countries often immerse themselves in entirely new cultures. Within these cultures, they frequently encounter feelings of loneliness and struggle with adaptation.

So, how can companies ensure expats feel integrated and supported? Let's take a closer look at the situation with a series of questions.

Do your employees feel psychologically safe?

According to a PwC Study across the MENA, US, and Europe, two key factors stand out regarding employee wellbeing: psychological safety and inclusive management.

Psychological safety refers to creating environments where employees can freely share their feelings, thoughts, and challenges and feel genuinely listened to by their employers. Unfortunately, psychological safety scores are the lowest in the MENA region.

Stress is recognized as one of the most significant determinants of psychological safety. Gallup's findings underscore the alarming rise in employee stress levels over the past 15 years. Expats experiencing 'hurry sickness,' working in fast-paced environments, and feeling their lives are consumed by work often find themselves unable to communicate their difficulties, lacking a supportive environment to seek solutions to improve their wellbeing.

Does your culture prioritize inclusivity and diversity?

Inclusive management recognizes the diverse wellness needs of employees, understanding that each employee is unique and their wellness requirements can differ significantly. Multiple new cultures can coexist harmoniously. Otherwise, expatriation may continue to be a profession characterized by stress and loneliness, with long working hours and a lack of social interaction, a fundamental human need.

Do you provide physical and mental support to your employees?

When discussing employee wellbeing, we're actually referring to eight dimensions: physical, spiritual, intellectual, occupational, environmental, financial, emotional, and social wellbeing. Our research, which involved 250,000 employees and data from various organizations, indicates that the nine areas expats prioritize—diet and fitness, mental health, mindfulness, safety, family and friends, climate, culture, quality of life, and health—are directly linked to these eight factors. Providing support that addresses all these areas is essential for promoting holistic wellbeing.

The rise of a $60 billion wellbeing industry makes it clear that employee wellbeing is no longer a luxury but essential for fostering a sustainable, productive, and positive business environment. Research from MetLife confirms that it is now a fundamental need. Generation Z’s entrance into the workforce and increasing expectations underscore that a future of prioritizing employee wellbeing is a necessity.

Enter the Wellbees Challenge!

At Wellbees, we address all eight dimensions of wellbeing and offer employees solutions. Our platform delivers a personalized experience tailored to individual needs, allowing users to track their progress within the app. Additionally, users can access written and audio content and receive one-on-one expert support based on the issues that matter most to them.

And what about social bonds? That's where we shine! We're here to help expats ease loneliness through on-site events, webinars, challenges, clubs, and The Wellbees Challenge!

How about experiencing the power of connecting for a good cause?

While addressing expat loneliness, the Wellbees Challenge also boosts employee engagement and consistently achieves outstanding results year after year!

The Wellbees Challenge, running from May 1st to May 22nd, will unite 100+ countries and 80+ companies, with over 250,000 participants. Throughout this exciting three-week intercompany challenge, your employees can discover the transformative potential of movement on an individual level and as a collective. They can establish fresh connections within your company and beyond, significantly increasing engagement levels. The icing on the cake is we’ll donate to UNICEF for companies that hit their target to create a positive impact. ????

By participating in the Wellbees Challenge, EXPATS can discover safety and a sense of belonging, experiencing the satisfaction of connection and solidarity. Meanwhile, YOUR COMPANY can become an integral part of a global social responsibility movement, taking tangible action to address employees' loneliness and transform their lives from challenging to exciting.