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Global mobility remains essential for growth, but the environments employees operate in are becoming more complex.
Geopolitical tensions, climate disruption, healthcare access challenges and rising mental health pressures are reshaping how organisations protect and support their people. As a result, expectations continue to evolve.
For organisations with internationally mobile workforces, duty of care has always been a priority.
In 2026, however, it is becoming broader, more proactive and more embedded in day-to-day operations.
It is no longer limited to responding to incidents or meeting legal requirements. It now reflects how effectively organisations anticipate risk, support access to care and maintain continuity across borders.
As Dr Shoba Subramanian, medical director at UnitedHealthcare Global, explains: “Duty of care has expanded significantly in recent years. It is no longer just about responding when something goes wrong.
“It is about ensuring employees can access the right care at the right time, wherever they are, and feeling confident that support is in place before issues escalate.”
This shift places greater emphasis on supporting employees before, during and after international travel, with real time visibility, access to care and responsive support all playing a role.
A broader definition of risk
Duty of care is no longer confined to physical safety and security.
Employers increasingly need to consider how easily employees can access appropriate healthcare, how reliable local systems are and whether mental health support is available.
Navigating care across borders highlights growing complexity in accessing timely and appropriate treatment.
In many cases, evacuation decisions are influenced as much by practical access challenges as by clinical need.
This points to a broader shift in how risk is assessed. It is less about location alone and more about how systems perform under pressure and how quickly support can be accessed.
Evolving expectations for employer support
Expectations are also shifting, with organisations now expected to provide more than insurance cover.
Employees need clear guidance before travel, access to 24/7 clinical advice and support that is available wherever they are.
Mental health is an increasingly important part of this. High pressure environments, cultural adjustment and isolation can all impact wellbeing. Without early support, these issues can escalate and increase both personal and organisational risk.
As a result, many organisations are placing greater focus on prevention, early intervention and continuity of care, rather than relying on reactive response alone.
From compliance to strategy
Duty of care is becoming a strategic lever rather than a compliance exercise.
To strengthen their approach, organisations can:
- Embed access to 24/7 clinical and wellbeing support within their benefits
- Ensure global provider networks can deliver consistent, quality care across locations
- Align medical, wellbeing and assistance services to reduce fragmentation
- Use real time insight to identify emerging risks and act early
- Support employees with clear guidance and healthcare navigation before issues escalate
Taking these steps helps move duty of care into everyday operations and improves both resilience and employee experience.
Building a more resilient approach
In practice, this means connecting all elements of support across the employee journey.
Pre-assignment planning, local healthcare navigation, virtual care and emergency response should work together rather than in isolation.
When this is in place, organisations are better positioned to reduce disruption, improve outcomes and build trust with their workforce.
In an unpredictable global environment, duty of care is no longer defined by response alone. It is shaped by readiness, accessibility and the ability to adapt to changing conditions.
For globally mobile employees, that is what creates confidence and continuity.
