How can we help Expat Employees?: Reframing support for the Globally Mobile
Singapore has long been a launchpad for globally mobile professionals – those living and working outside their home country. Whether they’re expats building careers here or Singaporeans making their mark abroad, this community represents a critical part of the country's talent pool.
Yet, insights from the Cigna Healthcare International Health Study reveal a quieter truth: Many expat employees are struggling. And while they remain resilient, their well-being is under growing pressure.
To ensure globally mobile employees continue to thrive, both employers and benefits providers must rethink what meaningful support looks like.
Carol Tan , Head of Human Resources, Cigna Healthcare Singapore and Australia, shares, “Having HR and supportive colleagues leveraging on-the-ground knowledge, providing real-time practical and personalised support effectively reduces stress and increases inclusiveness for the globally mobile.”
The resilience – and reality – of Singapore’s globally mobile
Globally mobile individuals living in Singapore report some of the lowest well-being scores across the markets surveyed:
“Additionally, the stress from the process of moving, needing to adapt in a new environment, and being away from one’s usual social support networks can affect one’s mental health; such as an increased risk of depression and anxiety,” shares Min Lee Loh , Manager, Health & Clinical Services.
Moving beyond traditional benefits
Historically, support for mobile talent has centered on relocation logistics, compliance, and basic health insurance. But today’s globally mobile employees expect more, and rightly so.
True support must now span the full spectrum of well-being: from medical coverage to accessible mental healthcare to resources for helping individuals understand the new community they are in.
This is no longer about “perks” or incentives. It’s about building resilience in the workforce.
Employers who lead on this front will be better positioned to attract and retain high-caliber global talent in a world where flexibility and cross-border careers are quickly gaining popularity.
“Flexible work policies ease the pressures of Singapore’s always-on work life,” shares Carol. “It also gives the employees more time to adjust to their new country, and find their rhythm to settle into the office.”
“Employers may want to offer cultural training and language classes to help their expat employees integrate into local culture,” adds Min Lee. “This is, of course, in addition to comprehensive health insurance for employees and their dependents, with access to mental health support.”
Notably, the Singapore Business Federation 's 2024 National Business Survey found that 35% of companies listed “attracting and retaining talent” among their top five business priorities. At the same time, the proportion of firms who viewed Singapore as a "highly attractive global talent hub" dropped from 43% to 41% over the past year.
Taken together, these findings highlight a growing imperative: If Singapore is to remain a top destination for globally mobile talent, employers and benefits providers must evolve their support strategies to meet the real, lived needs of this community.
Redefining the role of health insurers
Group health insurers have a pivotal role.
“More than a payer, insurers should see how we can support our customers from end to end,” suggests Min Lee. “For example, offering resources and advice to access the local healthcare system, which may be unfamiliar to them; to providing emotional support through their healthcare journey.”
This begins with designing plans that look after people wherever they are:
As globally mobile lifestyles grow more fluid, benefits must keep pace in terms of coverage, ease of use, local relevance, and continuity of care.
Collaborating for long-term impact
However, addressing these evolving needs is not the job of any one player.
"Work culture also plays a pivotal role in supporting mental health. This is beyond employer benefits, but what one’s colleagues do as well. I remember that when a teammate was spending the year-end holidays alone, others stepped in to keep her company — showing how shared support truly lightens the load and increase inclusiveness,” reflects Carol.
Effective benefits and plan design requires more intentional collaboration between employers, insurers, brokers, and even employees themselves.
This means listening – through regular feedback loops, utilisation data, and most importantly: to one’s employees on what they need; and co-designing benefits around this.
It also means rethinking KPIs, not just on traditional operational metrics such as claims and costs, but on outcomes like engagement, mental health, and talent retention.
Whether it’s through a global benefits strategy or a market-specific initiative, the goal should be the same: To create a more responsive, human-centered system of support.
The opportunity ahead
Globally mobile professionals connected to Singapore represent some of the world’s most experienced, driven, and globally fluent individuals. Their careers may span continents, but the support they need must be grounded in trust, accessibility, and care – and this is the call that employers and insurers need to answer, to leverage and shape the future of global work.
At Cigna Healthcare, we are committed to being part of that solution. By integrating global health coverage with holistic support, we are helping the globally mobile thrive, professionally and personally.
Because in a world where mobility is a defining feature of modern careers, well-being should never be a limiting factor.