The Hidden Value of Social Security Disability Insurance: Why It’s Important During Benefits Enrollment
PricewaterhouseCooper’s 2017 Employee Financial Wellness Survey found that roughly half of more than 1,600 full-time employed adults in the U.S. felt stressed dealing with their personal finances. An additional 46 percent reported that financial challenges caused them the most stress at work — that’s more than the stress caused by their job, health concerns, and relationships.
When you dig deeper into the PCW data, it becomes clear how much this stress is impacting productivity and engagement. A whopping 48 percent of respondents said that finances have been a distraction at work, while 50 percent said they spend three hours or more at work each week thinking about or trying to deal with their finances. A 2017 story in TIME outlines a similar trend. It cites a Bank of America survey in which 67 percent of respondents claim that financial stress has overtaken their ability to focus and be productive at work.
Financial Wellness as a Solution
One of the best things employers can do in a culture where financial stressors are on the rise, is build programs that help employees manage their finances and address these concerns in-house. As we’ve reported in previous blogs, conditions have been gathering over several decades and today we’re seeing a highly challenging environment for modern workers. Yet there is a chance here to innovate and pave the way in becoming a company that truly cares.
This could take a number of forms:
- Competitive benefits: It is an enormous relief for workers to receive benefits with their jobs, such as health insurance and short and long-term disability insurance so that if they become ill, or suffer from an injury, their income can be protected while they recover.
- Financial reviews: Offer guidance to employees and help them navigate their unique paths towards savings and planning for the future with annual financial reviews.
- Financial literacy training: Build a learning culture within your company. Bring in guest speakers, or offer regular talks where subject matter experts can share their knowledge of financial literacy. Rather than having folks worrying about it on the job, set up a time and place for them to learn and build their confidence.
- Technology: Combine in-person connections with apps and tools that help people navigate resources via their phones and other devices. Offer information that is accessible, relevant, and personalized.
This is how visionary companies are helping their teams flourish on the job. A survey by Aon Hewitt surveyed nearly 250 employers in the U.S. and found that 93 percent were planning on focusing on the financial wellbeing of their employees, extending beyond retirement. Forty six percent were very likely, and 47 percent were somewhat likely to add new plan features, mobile apps or online tools to assist their employees with financial concepts and planning.
If you empower your employees with the tools to counteract this major cause of stress in life, the benefits are far-reaching. You’ll be able to take away a significant portion of worry from their days — and help them to develop their true potential on the job.
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