5 surprising statistics about the state of employee financial wellness. Economic uncertainty has reshaped how employees think about their benefits. Here are key insights into the state of employee financial wellness.
Economic uncertainty throughout the past few years has reshaped how employees think about their benefits. In their 2023 Workplace Benefits Report, Bank of America surveyed 800+ American workers, examining the success of their benefits programs. The responses illuminate the growing strain of financial stress on many workforces — and just how important financial wellness benefits are to offsetting that stress.
Here are 5 key statistics from the survey that reveal important insights into the state of employee financial wellness.
1. 63% of employees feel that economic uncertainty affects current and future workplace benefits and 401(k) retirement plans.
Employees feel the strain of prolonged economic uncertainty, although different generations show their stress differently. Workers in the baby boomer generation are having to delay retirement due to the instability of the current economy. Millennial and Gen Z employees grapple with high levels of student debt and may worry about their current financial situation. But however your team is affected, one thing remains constant: workplace morale and productivity suffer.
Providing employer-sponsored financial benefits is one way to put your team at ease. 3 out of 5 respondents reported that they would feel confident investing in a 401(k) or alternative retirement plan through their employer will help build their savings for retirement.
2. Women feel economic strains more acutely: 39% of women had to look for additional employment to keep up with rising costs compared to 17% of men.
According to Bank of America, women generally feel financial stress more significantly than their male counterparts. More women lie awake at night worried about their personal finances and more women are worried that due to inflation, they won’t be able to make ends meet. The workplace benefits that you provide need to be tailored to each employee and account for differences between demographics. A static solution that is the same for everyone does not address the complex needs that the world of personal finance creates.
3. The percentage of employees that prioritized saving for retirement has dropped by ⅓.
As economic situations fluctuate, the priorities of your workplace do as well. As retirement planning dropped in focus, employees prioritized paying off credit card debt and building an emergency savings fund. These statistics highlight the need for a comprehensive financial wellness program. A band-aid solution such as a 401(k) matching plan or something similar may work in some years, especially prosperous ones. However, these programs need to do a better job of lending a hand to your workforce during turbulent economic periods.
4. 2 in 5 workers rate their employee financial wellness as “good or excellent”, the lowest figure since 2010.
This is alarming but not necessarily surprising, considering the tumultuous economic strain of the COVID-19/Coronavirus pandemic and subsequent years. When surveyed, only 56% of employees said that they felt optimistic about the future, a decrease from 61% the previous year. As these feelings persist, it becomes more imperative for employers to provide some form of financial wellness solution to help employees build financial confidence.
5. ¾ of workers feel that employee financial wellness is the responsibility of their employer
This idea of improved financial wellness does not solely come from increasing pay. The responsibility also encompasses employers that must instill healthy personal finance habits through education or additional resources. Not only do employees think it’s the responsibility of their company, but employers think so as well. Ninety-six percent of employers that Bank of America surveyed said that their employee’s financial wellness is on their shoulders. However, there is a disconnect between what companies say and how they’ve put their thoughts into action. Currently, only 40% of companies offer any sort of financial wellness program.
Address employee financial wellness head-on with help from Best Money Moves.
Best Money Moves is a mobile-first financial wellness solution designed to help dial down employees’ most top-of-mind financial stresses. As an easy-to-use financial well-being solution, Best Money Moves offers comprehensive support toward any money-related goal. With 1:1 money coaching, budgeting tools and other resources, our AI platform is designed to help improve employee financial well-being.
Whether it be retirement planning or securing a mortgage, Best Money Moves can guide employees through the most difficult financial times and topics. We have robust benefits options for employers, regardless of their benefits budget.
Our dedicated resources, partner offerings and 700+ article library make Best Money Moves a leading benefit in bettering employee financial wellness.
To learn more about Best Money Moves Financial Wellness Platform, let’s schedule a call. Contact us and we’ll reach out to you soon.
