Supporting the Financial Health of Globally Mobile Employees: What Employers Need to Know

Supporting the financial health of globally mobile employees is essential for assignment success and overall well-being. This includes addressing health care costs, family needs, and local system navigation to reduce stress and improve health outcomes.

International assignments continue to play a critical role in global workforce strategies. Whether employees are relocating for leadership development, project-based work, or long-term assignments, employers face an important challenge: helping globally mobile employees maintain financial stability while living and working abroad. Financial pressures can affect the success of an assignment, influencing employee well-being, engagement, and performance.

Financial health for globally mobile employees is the ability to manage day-to-day expenses and navigate financial challenges while living or working across countries. For those navigating unfamiliar health care systems, financial concerns can influence both health decisions and overall well-being.  

Our research suggests that financial uncertainty is a significant concern for many globally mobile employees [1]. Family finances, work-life balance, and uncertainty about the future can all contribute to stress. Some employees may also delay or avoid health care because of concerns about cost or unfamiliarity with local health care systems.

Common financial stressors for globally mobile employees include:

• Uncertainty around health care costs and access
• Education expenses for children
• Career disruption for accompanying partners

When financial concerns go unaddressed, they can affect employee resilience, productivity, and overall assignment success. Financial health is an important component of whole-person health. For globally mobile employees, financial concerns and health care decisions are often closely linked. Concerns about health care costs, family responsibilities, or unexpected expenses can increase stress and make it more difficult for employees to prioritise their well-being.

The connection between financial health and physical well-being

Financial health and physical health are closely connected. When employees are concerned about health care costs, they may delay seeking medical attention, postpone treatment, skip preventive screenings [2], or avoid follow-up care altogether. For globally mobile employees, these challenges can be compounded by unfamiliar health care systems, uncertainty around coverage, and concerns about out-of-pocket costs.

Over time, delaying care can allow manageable health concerns to become more serious. This can affect not only physical well-being, but also mental well-being, productivity, and overall quality of life. For employers, supporting financial health is not just about reducing financial stress. It can also help create an environment where employees feel more confident accessing the care and support they need to stay healthy while abroad.

The role of international health benefits in financial well-being

Access to health care can play an important role in supporting both financial and physical well-being. When employees understand their coverage and know how to access appropriate care, they may feel more confident navigating health care decisions in unfamiliar environments.

A comprehensive international health plan can help reduce uncertainty by providing access to care across multiple countries through a single programme. Employers should consider solutions that provide:

• Broad international coverage
• Extensive provider networks
• Direct billing arrangements where available
• Support for dependants
• Care navigation services
• Prescription coverage across jurisdictions
• Continuity of care for chronic conditions
• Emergency medical evacuation and repatriation coverage

Care navigation can be particularly valuable for globally mobile employees. Access to provider networks, care navigation services, and guidance on where to seek treatment can help employees find appropriate in-network care more efficiently, reducing uncertainty and helping them make informed health care decisions. 

Supporting globally mobile employees throughout the assignment journey

Supporting financial health is not a one-time activity. Employees' needs can evolve throughout an international assignment, from pre-departure preparation through relocation and ongoing life abroad.

Rather than limiting support to orientation programmes, employers can provide ongoing resources through educational materials, digital tools, health information, and guidance that helps employees understand their health care options and navigate local health care systems. Continuous support can help employees feel more informed and better equipped to manage health care decisions throughout their assignment, helping to alleviate financial stress. 

Family support is equally important. International assignments often affect spouses, partners, and children, and their experience can influence assignment success. When family members understand available health care and support resources, employees may be better positioned to focus on their health, well-being, and work responsibilities.

What employers can do

To better support the financial health of globally mobile employees, employers should:

1. Offer comprehensive international health benefits that reduce financial barriers to care and help employees access preventive, routine, and urgent health care when they need it.
2. Provide resources that help employees understand health care costs, coverage, and the local health care landscape in their destination country.
3. Support employees with health care navigation services that help them identify appropriate in-network care and access support when questions arise.
4. Extend support and educational resources to accompanying family members.
5. Maintain clear, ongoing communication about benefits, health care access, and available support programmes throughout the assignment lifecycle.

When employees feel confident accessing health care, understanding their benefits, and navigating local systems, they may be better equipped to manage financial pressures and prioritise their well-being. By supporting informed health care decisions throughout the assignment journey, employers can help strengthen both financial health and whole-person health for their globally mobile workforce.

To learn more, explore Cigna Healthcare's global well-being research and insights.

Sources

1. Cigna Healthcare International Health (2026). Cigna Healthcare International Health Study 2026 Globally Mobile Edition. https://www.cignaglobal.com/static/cigna-rebranding/pdf/cignaglobal-uvsl/globalmobility_cignahealthcare_2026_final.pdf
2. Cigna Healthcare International Health (2026).Preventive Care for Global Workforces: A Guide for Employers. https://www.cignaglobal.com/blog/global-workforce-insights/preventive-care-for-global-workforces