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World's First Emotional Support Service Now Available for the Mobile Workforce
[March 16, 2017]

World's First Emotional Support Service Now Available for the Mobile Workforce


As mental health in the workplace rises on the corporate agenda, it is increasingly important for organizations to consider the well-being of their mobile workforce. With the percentage of mobile workers now accounting for over 38% of the total global workforcei, companies are beginning to understand that pressures can be particularly severe for individuals on both short and long term assignments.

In response to this growing need, International SOS (News - Alert), the world's leading Medical and Travel Security Risk Services Company, has partnered with Workplace Options (WPO), to provide a seamless service of rapid response psychological support where it is needed, alongside its health and security advice and on the ground support prior to and during a business trip or expatriation. The global short term counseling service is also extended to managers, local employees, and families and can be provided in over 60 languages.

Neil Nerwich, Group Medical Director of Assistance at International SOS comments, 'Whether caught in a security incident, working off-shore for weeks, or the pressure of heightened travel and security risksii, the stresses on a mobile workforce can be great and varied. To fully support our clients and their mobile workforce, we recognized the importance of being able to provide seamless access to emotional and mental wellbeing support, alongside our health and security risk management expertise. By partnering with WPO to offer a global program, we are now able to quickly provide appropriate counseling which can support the traveler and manager when needed, and prevent longer term effects.'

Dean Debnam, CEO, Workplace Options comments, 'Rapid response psychological support is proven to decrease the potential psychological impact and improve recovery times, whether following on from a traumatic incident or a quick response to everyday stress. Providing a mobile worker, or impacted individual, with a smooth transition into counseling support will ensure the fastest possible assessment and treatment. All clinical calls begin with an assessment, which determines appropriate intervention and therapy concentrates on helping individuals identify the skills, strengths and resources that are already present and moves them towards a solution."

The counseling method is tailored to a mobile workforce, with phone, video call, or face to face options in over 60 languges. The program also covers the support of pinpointing the issue or problems, developing support systems and coping strategies, gathering background information, and working through a risk assessment.



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Notes to Editors:


Please click here for an Emotional Support case study.

About International SOS:

International SOS (internationalsos.com) is the world's leading medical and travel security risk services company. We care for clients across the globe, from more than 1,000 locations in 90 countries. Our expertise is unique: more than 11,000 employees are led by 1,400 doctors and 200 security specialists. Teams work night and day to protect our members. We pioneer a range of preventative programs strengthened by our in-country expertise. We deliver unrivalled emergency assistance during critical illness, accident or civil unrest. We are passionate about helping clients put Duty of Care into practice. With us, multinational corporate client, governments and NGOs can mitigate risk for their people working remotely or overseas.

About Workplace Options:

Workplace Options helps employees balance their work, family and personal needs to become healthier, happier and more productive, both personally and professionally. The company's world-class employee support, effectiveness and well-being services provide information, resources, referrals and consultation on a variety of issues ranging from dependent care and stress management to clinical services and wellness programs.

Drawing from an international network of credentialed providers and professionals, Workplace Options is the world's largest integrated employee support and work-life services provider. Service centers in the US, UK, UAE, Ireland, Portugal, Belgium, France, Canada, Singapore, Japan, India and Indonesia support more than 53 million employees in over 78,000 organizations, across more than 200 countries and territories. To learn more, visit www.workplaceoptions.com.

i The global mobile workforce is set to increase from 1.45 billion in 2016, accounting for 38.8% of the global workforce, to 1.87 billion in 2022, accounting for 42.5% of the global workforce, Strategy Analytics 'Global Mobile Workforce Forecast Update 2016-2022'
ii International Travel: Risks & Realities: The New Normal for Business, an Ipsos MORI research study conducted among 1,119 business decision makers across 75 countries. Research was conducted online using representative panels in the period October 6 to October 26 2016.


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