Business & Money | Tuesday 9 July, 2019 12:00 am |

Aetna International, a leading global health benefits provider, has today released its 2019 International Workforce Well-being Survey. The research indicates that broader issues associated with settling into the UAE — such as building a strong social network or ensuring family members are supported ― pose challenges for expats and could have a significant detrimental impact on worker well-being and potentially, employee performance. 

 

The research, which surveyed UAE expats that were within the first five years of having moved to the country, revealed that 60 percent of expats find making friends to be one of the most challenging aspects of settling in, with a staggering 91 percent of those respondents saying it has had a negative impact on their well-being (compared with a global average of 43 percent). 41 percent of UAE expats also reported that they still do not feel part of a community. As suggested in Aetna International’s Expat Social Determinants Report 2019, this is more challenging to individuals than the professional requirements of their new job. 

 

Perhaps unsurprisingly, workers with families highlight the happiness of their children as one of the biggest contributors to their own well-being, with 56 percent of respondents suggesting that settling children was a hurdle when moving to the UAE and 86 percent citing it as consequently causing a negative impact on their well-being. On the flip side, over a third (38 percent) said the education of their children had the biggest positive impact on their well-being. 

 

Access to quality healthcare is also another critical factor. This is one area where the UAE seems to be outperforming other expat-friendly destinations, with 39 percent of UAE expat workers stating that having access to good medical care in the country has a positive impact on their well-being (compared to global average of 32 percent) and 35 percent of respondents confirming that they have visited a doctor in the first six months of their stay in the UAE. Interestingly, 54 percent of UAE expats said that they are highly likely to use virtual healthcare services to access primary care, 14 points higher than the global average. This suggests that UAE healthcare organizations are leading their global counterparts when it comes to innovation and leveraging technology to provide residents with applications that enable them to receive the highest quality care, but from the comfort of their home.   

 

Commenting on the findings of the research, David Healy, CEO Aetna International EMEA, said, “Thanks in large part to government initiatives like the National Programme for Happiness and Positivity, the UAE continues to rank at the top of the list of employment destinations for expats around the world.”

 

“Backed with this government support for employee health and wellness, the onus is now on regional businesses to do their part. Whether it be by providing social networking opportunities for younger single employees, assisting with the school application process for employees that have children or providing flexible and affordable healthcare plans, the findings from Aetna’s International Workforce Well-being survey stress the responsibility that local companies have in providing adequate care for their employee’s physical and emotional well-being. When executed well, these programmes — that focus on worker well-being both within and outside of the work environment ― can make all the difference in ensuring that international workers settle in nicely in the UAE,” he concluded.