Sam O'Donovan

Chief People Officer at AXA - Global Healthcare. 

When living away from home for a long period of time, it’s not uncommon to find yourself developing feelings of homesickness and a longing for the familiar.

The six-month slump is commonly reported by many expats. When the initial excitement and novelty of moving abroad has worn off, it’s normal to find yourself missing home comforts. Your friends and family. Cultural norms. The weather!

Homesickness is the emotional distress you feel when you’re away from home in a new or unfamiliar environment, and it can make the transition into a new culture feel tricky. Research has shown that homesickness has knock-on effects on both non-native employees and the organisations they work in.

What do our experts advise?

Delving into her years of HR experience, our Chief People Officer, Sam O’Donovan, shares how you can kick these feelings to the curb.

‘Firstly, I want to stress that these feelings are completely normal. It can feel isolating when an experience which is supposed to be amazing and once-in-a-lifetime can begin to feel confusing and uncertain; it’s completely normal to feel conflicted. I’d say it isn’t an expat experience without some period of homesickness.

Lots of overseas work placements are very competitive, so there can be pressure to enjoy every moment. These emotions, brought on by homesickness, can make you feel ungrateful, but it’s key to remind yourself that it’s nothing to be ashamed of.’

Sam’s top tips for shaking off homesickness:

1. Embrace your new work culture 

‘A new country brings a new culture of workplace expectations. In many countries such as Japan and America, working overtime is considered a norm. While in many of European countries, there are strict rules about logging off at the end of the working day. Some countries operate in a completely flat model of hierarchy, while others have very regimented structures when it comes to decision-making. It can be a shock to learn a new way of working if you’ve never experienced this before.

A way to combat this is by creating familiarity. Try to bring in habits that you practiced at home. Did you usually go to the gym before work? Try and find somewhere that you can do that in your new area. Building routines based on the things you enjoyed at home will help to lessen feelings of unfamiliarity.’

2. Combat time zone clashes

‘If you’re working full time and starting your day five hours before everyone you know at home, it can soon become difficult to find the time to talk and catch up with your loved ones. If they're all fast asleep while you’re working, you might find your feelings of loneliness worsen.

Time differences can be a challenge but there are always workarounds. Try to figure out a mutual arrangement. Maybe your walk to work in the morning is evening time at home, making it a good opportunity for a quick catch up. Or perhaps you can put in a regular time once a week or fortnight for a proper chat. It’ll give you something to look forward to and mean you aren’t feeling the pressure to chat all the time.'

3. Find a community

‘It can be isolating to live somewhere new and have no one to reminisce with about home, especially if there are language barriers to contend with as well. 

That’s why it’s important to finding companions who are in a similar situation, so you can perhaps work through feelings of homesickness together. Even if they aren’t from the same country as you, being able to understand a shared experience can break down that feeling of isolation. Expat Facebook groups and co-working spaces are great examples of where you can meet likeminded individuals. 

You could also join a sports club, find a volunteering project or pick up a new hobby. Even better if this hobby is something social and local as it will help you to find a community. You might also be able to tap into other groups of expats via your local embassy to build relationships and stay connected with people from your home country. 

Remember - homesickness won’t last forever, and a six-month slump doesn’t mean your work placement isn’t right for you. Lapses in confidence are a normal part of starting a new life far from home. What you’re doing is a brave and testing experience, so allow yourself time to process these emotions and know the uncertainty will settle eventually.'

You’re not alone

‘While these tips will help you deal with homesickness and get past the six-month slump, managing mental health in the workplace should never be a solo journey. Organisations have a responsibility to support staff members who leave their home country to fulfil assignments. They can do this in several ways: by developing a mindful corporate culture and peer support networks; teaching best practice when it comes to people management; and by providing holistic health insurance policies which include mind health support.

If you feel comfortable doing so, ask your employer what support they can offer to make your big life leap that bit easier.' 

The information in this article is correct at the time of publishing.