LEARN Money Where You EARN Money - The Need for Personal Financial Wellness in the Workplace

The WHAT:

Personal financial empowerment should be a cornerstone of any workplace wellness program. The Cambridge Human Resource Group states that a lack of financial education for employees is “the most critical unaddressed workplace issue.” The Met Life report 'Financial Education—An Essential Component of Your Wellness Strategy', states that, “The addition of a financial wellness component can offer significant advantages for a company’s bottom line and increase appreciation for the benefits they already offer.”

The WHY:

The current economy has many people worried about their personal finances. As USA Today recently reported, “Financial stress is having an impact on the workplace, potentially draining productivity and increasing emotional stress on the job.” This correlates directly with reduced productivity, increased absenteeism, and low morale.

Financial stress can lead to lower satisfaction with pay, lower commitment levels, higher risk of employee theft, unhealthy coping behaviors (such as alcohol and drug use) that spill over into the workplace, inevitably causing time being spent on personal financial issues during work hours. Bottom line: financial strain heavily impacts employees—both personally and in the workplace - as well as negatively affecting a company's bottom line.

The HOW:

Proactively addressing the financial concerns and questions of employees can improve their sense of well-being, thereby transforming the work environment over time. A comprehensive employee financial education program also helps organizations to comply with ERISA (The Employee Retirement Income Security Act) and Department of Labor regulations.

By providing employees with unbiased financial education, companies can improve the workplace. By having access to financial wellness programs at work, employees may feel an instant boost in their financial confidence. Most times, stress can be resolved with the resources provided in answer to simple financial questions. As employees translate the lessons they learn into positive life action, an organization can expect to see lasting results of their employee financial education program over time.

The CALL TO ACTION:

Learn more about what MoneyUP Financial Coaching Clinic is doing to provide a workplace financial empowerment program that is designed to give participants an immediate increased sense of financial well-being, maximize outreach and impact, all while delivering a measurable ROI to employers.