Supporting Expatriate Employees: A Guide

Canadian workers are burning out, and it’s costing more than we realize. A new Telus Health report (Oct 2025) found: 70% of employees say their productivity has declined due to worsening mental health. 59% feel somewhat or extremely burnt out. 49% cite financial stress as their top concern. And more than 60% either don’t know if they have mental-health benefits, or believe they don’t. That last point hits hard. It’s not that employers don’t care, it’s that most plans haven’t evolved fast enough to meet today’s realities. Mental health, burnout, and financial stress are now directly tied to productivity, retention, and culture. Employers who ignore that connection will keep losing their best people quietly. Sometimes the fix isn’t a higher spend, it’s better design, communication, and access. If you’re reviewing your benefits for 2026, it might be the right time to ask: - Are our employees aware of the mental-health and financial-wellness supports we already offer? - And are those supports enough for the workforce we have today? If you’d like a quick audit or benchmark of how your plan compares to similar organizations, I’m happy to share insights. #EmployeeBenefits #MentalHealth #HR #WorkplaceWellness #GroupBenefits #PeopleCorporation

A new workplace trend is emerging as Gen Z employees begin requesting “breakup recovery leave” to cope with emotional distress following relationship endings. The movement gained attention after a Gurugram startup employee candidly emailed their manager asking for time off due to a breakup, sparking national debate on emotional transparency at work. Experts say this reflects Gen Z’s prioritization of mental health and authenticity over traditional professionalism. Some companies are now reconsidering leave policies to accommodate emotional well-being, while others remain skeptical of formalizing such requests. #CityMagazine #GenZWorkCulture #BreakupLeave #MentalHealthMatters #WorkLifeBalance #EmotionalWellbeing #StartupCulture #NewWorkNorms

Absence tells a story - but it’s never just one story. Yes, the workplace matters. Culture, workload, and leadership all play a role. But there are also broader pressures: cost of living, stretched healthcare systems, and the long tail of the pandemic to name just a few. That’s why absence is still such a live issue as we head towards 2026. In multiple sectors, I’m still hearing deep concern from leaders. Absence is rarely just about work — but work can be part of the solution. When organisations create environments that support mental wellbeing, absence can ease, and people can thrive. 𝐖𝐡𝐚𝐭 𝐬𝐢𝐠𝐧𝐚𝐥𝐬 𝐚𝐫𝐞 𝐚𝐛𝐬𝐞𝐧𝐜𝐞 𝐫𝐚𝐭𝐞𝐬 𝐠𝐢𝐯𝐢𝐧𝐠 𝐲𝐨𝐮 𝐢𝐧 𝐲𝐨𝐮𝐫 𝐰𝐨𝐫𝐥𝐝? #humanresources #culture #hr #health

Organizations play a pivotal role in shaping the mental health landscape by implementing initiatives that support employee well-being. These initiatives not only benefit individual employees but also contribute to the overall health of the community. By promoting mental health awareness and providing support systems, companies can create a culture of care that extends beyond the workplace. While mental health is the primary focus, integrating physical health initiatives complements overall well-being. Programs that encourage physical activity, such as wellness challenges or access to fitness facilities, contribute to both mental and physical health, embodying the essence of mens sana in corpore sano. Stuward allows companies to measure the impact of mental health initiatives across teams, share insights with management, and build a stronger, healthier organizational culture. http://www.stuward.com/ #MensSanaInCorporeSano #MentalHealthEurope #WorkplaceWellbeing #EmployeeWellbeing #HRTech #PeopleAnalytics #EuropeanWorkplace #WellbeingStrategy #ProactiveCare #PsychologicalSafety #HealthyWorkplace #HRLeadership #WorkplaceInnovation #EmployeeSupport #CorporateWellness #OrganisationalHealth #ResilientTeams #DigitalWellbeing #WorkplaceCulture #Stuward Sources: • Mental Health Europe. (2025). Work and Employment. Retrieved from https://lnkd.in/daktRtFx • Eurofound. (2020). Working conditions in the European Union: Mental health and wellbeing. Retrieved from https://lnkd.in/d86sMKRt

"A new report shows burnout can cost Canadian employers up to $28,500 per employee each year in lost productivity, absenteeism, and turnover. The good news? Targeted benefit strategies—like mental health coverage, flexibility, and proactive wellness programs—can significantly reduce that loss. Protecting your team’s well-being protects your bottom line. https://loom.ly/cUj565U

🌿 Are We Looking After Ourselves? 🌿 I’ve just returned from having a horrible flu, and it’s been a moment of reflection. I'm quick to support others with their wellbeing, but why do I find it so hard to prioritise mine? In HR, we’re often the first to remind others to take time off, to ask for adjustments, to prioritise wellbeing. We advocate for inclusion, support, and psychological safety. But here’s the question I’ve been sitting with: Are we, as HR teams, listening to our own advice? Are we creating space for ourselves to rest, recover, and feel supported? It’s easy to get caught up in helping others and that’s what makes HR so powerful. But we’re not immune to stress, burnout, or the need for workplace adjustments. We deserve the same care we offer so freely. So this is a gentle reminder to all of us in HR: 💬 Check in with your own team. 🛠️ Make adjustments where they’re needed. 🧠 Prioritise phycological safety. 🌱 And yes, take the time to rest. Let’s lead by example, not just in policy, but in practice. #HRLeadership #WorkplaceWellbeing #InclusionStartsWithUs #RestAndRecovery #PeopleProfession #HRCommunity

Supporting Employee Mental Health: A Provincial Resource Approach With 6.1 million Canadians juggling work while caring for loved ones, employers need practical tools to support their teams' mental health needs. Our new provincial mental health resource guide addresses a critical workplace challenge: how to connect caregiving employees with appropriate support in their specific geographic region. 🔍 Key Workplace Applications: - Employee Assistance Program enhancement - Location-specific mental health referrals - Crisis intervention protocol support - Caregiver support group connections - Regional telehealth option awareness 💡 Why Geographic Specificity Matters: - Mental health services vary significantly by province - Local crisis lines provide culturally appropriate support - Regional funding and coverage differs - Community-based resources are most accessible HR professionals and team leaders: consider how location-specific mental health resources can strengthen your employee support systems. When we support our teams' mental health, we support business continuity, productivity, and workplace wellbeing. Access our provincial guide: https://lnkd.in/gJV-NjCT What mental health resources does your organization provide for employees across different regions? #WorkplaceMentalHealth #EmployeeSupport #HRLeadership #CanadianWorkplace #MentalHealthResources #HRProfessional

If 13% of your workforce isn’t thriving, what’s it really costing your business? Let's talk numbers - because the business case for supporting neurodivergent employees is impossible to ignore. Mental health issues cost NZ workplaces $4.5 billion every year. Only 1 in 4 workers are flourishing. And 84% of leaders admit they don't feel equipped to handle mental health challenges. So what happens? Performance plans. Warnings. Terminations. Repeat. But research shows that inclusive workplaces see a 32% boost in employee satisfaction and 43% increase in overall wellness. Diverse companies consistently outperform their peers financially. And for every $1 spent on mental health wellbeing programs, you'll get $2.30 back - an ROI of 2.3. 13.1% of workers identify as neurodivergent, and 32.1% believe their neurodiversity ha negatively affected their career opportunities. That's talent walking out the door - or never performing at potential. When organisations invest in proper training and individuals receive genuine support, 95% report improved mental wellbeing. Productivity increases. Engagement soars. The question isn't whether you can afford to support neurodivergent employees. It's whether you can afford not to. #InclusiveWorkplace #NeurodiversityAtWork #MentalHealthNZ #BusinessCase #WorkplaceWellbeing #RemarkableMinds #ADHDAwareness

Younger workers are showing higher rates of burnout than any other age group and that should make us stop and listen. Many are entering the workforce under pressure to perform, while navigating uncertainty and often lacking the psychological safety to speak up when they’re struggling. What this tells us is simple… wellbeing strategies need to be age-aware. Support must evolve with the needs and expectations of the younger generation if we want them to thrive—not just survive—at work. https://lnkd.in/e3_VAFyi #EmployeeWellbeing #WorkplaceCulture #MentalHealth

#OccupationalMedicineunfiltered 🔹 Post 1/4 — “Burnout Isn’t a Diagnosis. It’s a System Warning.” Since my morning post, I’ve received several DMs and WhatsApp messages asking me to expand on the issue of wellness within the broader framework of occupational health — especially the systems logic behind it. Many colleagues made thoughtful points. I do recognize that “burnout” has become the fashionable label of the decade — but most of the solutions being marketed feel like trends: unanchored in outcome measures, and offering little evidence of lasting impact. Here’s what worries me most: In many organizations, particularly those employing large numbers of expatriate workers, the wellness narrative is overshadowed by job insecurity. When people are anxious about their employment status, they can’t meaningfully engage in discussions about workload, psychological safety, or structural imbalance. And so the system quietly fails — not through individual weakness, but through design flaws. From a systems-analysis lens, both physical and psychosocial hazards follow the same logic: Inputs: workload, exposure intensity, organizational design Processes: how the system manages recovery, control, and support Outputs: worker health, safety, and performance If the inputs exceed the system’s adaptive capacity, failure occurs — whether through cochlear damage or burnout. The solution isn’t resilience training. It’s exposure control. In short: Workplace health is not about tougher workers. It’s about smarter systems. Do like, comment and repost. ⛓️💥 American College of Occupational and Environmental Medicine Society of Occupational Medicine American College of Preventive Medicine (ACPM) Canadian Mental Health Association Royal College of Physicians and Surgeons of Canada College of Physicians & Surgeons of Alberta (CPSA) College of Physicians and Surgeons of Ontario Canadian Medical Association Ontario Medical Association #OccupationalHealth #SystemThinking #WorkplaceWellness #PsychosocialRisk #Burnout #Leadership #WorkDesign