Here is our list of the best employee financial wellness ideas.
Employee financial wellness ideas are programs, activities, and events that can help employees become more financially responsible. Examples include a cost-of-living raise, personalized financial training, and legal assistance. The purpose of these ideas is to provide easy ways for employees to deal with financial issues and become more financially stable.
These ideas are ways to manage stress and improve employee satisfaction. These finance books are also excellent guides employees can read to improve financial wellness.
This list includes:
- employee financial wellness program ideas
- employee financial education ideas
- employee financial wellness events
- financial wellness activities for work
- financial wellness benefits for employees
So, let’s get to it!
List of employee financial wellness ideas
Employee financial wellness remains an issue of concern for many employers. However, productivity tends to increase in organizations that prioritize employee financial wellness. From paid leave to disability insurance, here are the best ideas your company can incorporate to improve employees’ financial health.
1. Healthcare Insurance
Medical bills often contribute significantly to employees’ financial struggles. Therefore, healthcare insurance is one of the best financial wellness benefits for employees. Adding this benefit to your company’s program can help you retain top employees and give your organization an edge over competitors.
Many health insurance options are available on the market. However, before choosing an employee health insurance package, you should understand the pros and cons of different plans. Also, check if whatever plan you choose meets the requirements laid down by relevant laws.
2. Employee Discount Program
Employee discount programs allow workers to enjoy access to different products and services at a discounted rate. The discount can include items and services like movie tickets, hotels, spa treatments, and entertainment. This program is a great way to help employees cut down on costs while accessing essential services, amenities, and products.
Your company can contact a service provider or vendor to obtain employee group rates. For example, you can partner with an organization that provides an employee discount program platform. Employees only have to log in to the portal to enjoy benefits. Depending on the service you work with, you can also customize the site with your company logo.
You can also check these ideas for an employee discount program.
3. Financial Wellness Quotes
Sharing financial wellness quotes is one of the best employee financial wellness ideas. This little step goes a long way in motivating employees to work towards their financial goals.
Here are good quotes about personal finances and financial planning:
- “Before you can become a millionaire, you must learn to think like one. You must learn how to motivate yourself to counter fear with courage.” – Thomas J. Stanley
- “More people should learn to tell their dollars where to go instead of asking them where they went.” – Roger Babson
- “Financial fitness is not a pipe dream or a state of mind. It’s a reality if you are willing to pursue it and embrace it.” – Will Robinson
- “A person either disciplines his finances or his finances discipline him.” – Orrin Woodward
You can share the quotes regularly on your company’s website, message board, or newsletters.
Check out this list of motivational success quotes.
4. Employee Financial Health Assessment
An employee financial health assessment helps your organization determine the best financial wellness programs to implement. With this assessment, you can figure out each worker’s economic issues. An excellent idea is to draft a list of questions on employees’ financial plans, state of mind, and management.
Examples of relevant questions include:
- On a scale of one to ten, how confident are you that you will have enough money for retirement?
- Can your household currently raise $3,000 to deal with an emergency?
- If you urgently need to raise money, will you resort to your savings, a family member, or sell your properties?
- On a scale of one to ten, how will you rate your knowledge of the concept of “financial health?”
These questions let you know the financial-related challenges your employees are facing or likely to face in the future. The assessment can also reveal which group of workers needs help the most. Then, you will be able to choose the most effective solution. In addition, you can take advantage of financial health check software to assess your employees’ financial wellness. The software will let you discover employees’ financial literacy levels and work towards improving workers’ knowledge of finance.
5. Financial Speakers
Hosting a financial speaker is one of the best employee financial education ideas. Economic speakers are experts who entertain and educate the audience on financial matters. These speakers usually engage the audience with real-life examples and stories. You can find many experts in-person and online to share financial tips and money-saving hacks with employees.
Usually, a skilled financial speaker will simplify their points so that individuals at all financial literacy levels can understand. The speaker you choose to hire is up to whatever insight or advice your employees need. For instance, the speakers can specialize in investment, personal finance, debt management, and retirement planning. Be sure to choose a speaker whom you believe will offer value to your employees.
Check out this list of virtual keynote speakers.
6. Legal Assistance
Legal assistance is one of the best financial benefits you can introduce to employees at work. Legal assistance is valuable when employees deal with issues like divorce, traffic violations, and bankruptcy. Many employees often have trouble covering the costs of filing or defending legal matters. But employees are more likely to feel financially secure about handling legal matters if you include this benefit in your program.
A well-implemented legal assistance policy will give workers stress-free access to the advice of legal experts. Also, initial consultation with a legal expert can be free for workers, especially if your company already offers an employee assistance program.
7. Employee Savings Plan
Many employees struggle with growing their savings. Therefore, implementing an employee savings plan at work is a great idea. This plan can be a payroll-deducted scheme where the company deducts a certain percentage from employees’ monthly salaries. Employees get to decide the percentage of deduction to make.
Employee savings plans are among the best employee financial wellness program ideas. These plans prepare employees for emergencies and unforeseen circumstances. Also, employees can use the benefits to achieve long-term goals like home purchases, retirement, and college tuition payment.
8. Personalized Financial Program
Employees’ financial concerns are usually personal and will vary for different individuals. Therefore, you should personalize any financial program you intend to organize at work. It is a good idea to start with an employee financial health assessment. This survey will point out the financial issues you need to address. Afterward, come up with personalized solutions for these issues. If a group of employees needs to improve their financial literacy level, then your company can sign workers up for a finance-related course.
Also, creating an emergency fund scheme for employees who need financial assistance will be great. Notably, if the program is more like a “one-size-fits-all,” then many employees will end up not benefiting from the program.
9. Paid Leave
A paid leave policy is one of the best financial wellness benefits for employees. Paid leave policies allow employees to take time off and continue to receive pay. Giving employees leave with guaranteed payment will allow your workers to relax without worrying about losing compensation. Besides securing your employees’ financial wellness, a paid leave program can boost employees’ morale and let your company stand out from competitors.
First, you should identify the types of paid leave you would like to offer, whether vacation or sick leave. Employers can also offer “Paid Time Off,” which involves personal, vacation, sick day, adoption, jury duty, and parental leave taken at once. In addition, you can offer a volunteer leave policy, which allows employees to receive paychecks while giving back to the community. It would be best if you determined which group of employees qualifies for the benefit. In addition, check with your local legislation to ensure your paid leave program complies with current laws.
10. Cost-of-Living Raise
Raising employees’ salaries is one of the best ways to secure your employees’ financial well-being. Also, employers can show their appreciation and acknowledge employees’ accomplishments by increasing wages. However, several factors come to play when considering a raise for employees. Aside from job performance, you can consider employees’ length of service, financial condition, and inflation.
You can also take a salary survey to check how much other companies pay for related jobs. A decent salary increase can help employees plan their finances better. Also, employees will feel appreciated and most likely stay committed to your company.
11. Financial Management Course
Offering financial management courses to your employees is among the best employee financial education ideas. You can find countless financial management courses to take in person or online.
Investing in these courses will go a long way in improving your workers’ financial literacy level. While choosing a financial management course, pick one that falls within your preferred duration, whether a few hours or several years. Also, determine the best topic that addresses your employees’ needs. You can discuss financial risk management, personal finance, and financial accounting. In the end, follow up to see how much employees learn from the course and how the knowledge impacts their financial health.
Check out more corporate workshop ideas.
12. Financial Wellness Gift Box
A financial wellness gift box may seem like an unconventional idea. Nevertheless, you can use this gift to encourage employees to be more intentional with their financial health.
Depending on employees’ goals, the gift box content can include books on financial topics like debt management, savings, or retirement. You can also add an accounting notebook where employees can keep track of their personal finance.
Many gift box services are willing to take up the stress of curating the gift box to your taste. You only have to find a gift box company that offers customizable services. You can also add your company’s logo and a favorite financial quote message to the box.
Good quotes you can use include:
- “You must gain control over your money, or the lack of it will forever control you.” –Dave Ramsey
- “Never spend your money before you have it.” –Thomas Jefferson
- “Money is only a tool. It will take you wherever you wish, but it will not replace you as the driver.” –Ayn Rand
- “The habit of saving is itself an education; it fosters every virtue, teaches self-denial, cultivates the sense of order, trains to forethought, and so broadens the mind.” –T.T. Munger
A gift box curated with financial wellness in mind will surely make employees feel motivated and valued.
Here are more employee care package ideas.
13. Financial Goal Challenge
A financial goal challenge is one of the best financial wellness activities for work. In this activity, employees will try to achieve their financial goals within a specific timeframe. The goal can range from improving financial literacy to saving more money. You can gather your employees in a less formal environment to discuss your financial goals. After, encourage participants to write down their objectives. You can start with short-term goals to keep employees motivated with faster results.
Participants can also talk about possible ways to achieve their goals. Furthermore, ensure you regularly check on participants to monitor their progress. You can also motivate employees by rewarding participants who reach their goals.
Check out this list of goal setting activities.
14. Disability Insurance
Disability insurance is an excellent idea for companies that would love to expand their employee financial wellness program. Disability insurance is a policy that allows employees to receive an income percentage in cases where employees cannot work because of a disability. First, determine the type of disability insurance to opt for, whether long-term or short-term. Unlike long-term disability insurance, a short-term option covers employees with temporary disabilities, usually lasting a few months. Also, consider if your company’s budget can accommodate the additional costs of this insurance.
In many cases, employees’ disabilities are unforeseen, causing the workers to experience financial challenges because of not being able to work. However, this benefit will cover disabled employees and guarantee their financial wellness for a reasonable period.
15. Specified Goals for Financial Programs
Setting a specific goal for financial programs is one of the best employee financial wellness ideas. It would be best if you clarified your expectations at the end of a financial wellness program. That way, you can measure the program’s progress more efficiently. For example, depending on your employees’ economic issues, the goal can be to help a group of employees resolve loans or become homeowners. You might also expect an improved financial literacy level at the end of a training session.
The most important aspect is making your goal as realistic as possible. Otherwise, employees can get discouraged. Also, you should have a target date you hope to reach the goal. This step will help your company determine whether or not a program was helpful and worth the resources.
16. Lunch and Learns
Lunch and learns, which centers on financial-related topics, is one of the best employee financial wellness events. A lunch and learn allows attendees to expand their knowledge and develop their financial literacy. The event can be a one-off session or run for a few days. Also, determine the best location for your lunch and learn, whether a conference room or an offsite destination.
To host a lunch and learn that promotes financial wellness, decide on the area to focus on during the session. Depending on your employees’ needs, you can discuss savings, benefit plans, or even ways to improve financial literacy. You can also take a survey to find out pressing financial issues among employees. In addition, decide if the event will be accessible to all employees or just a selected group. Since lunch and learns are incomplete without food, be sure to arrange and cover the cost of meals for attendees.
You can also check these virtual lunch and learn topics.
17. Emergency Fund Scheme
An emergency fund scheme allows employees to access financial assistance while facing financial hardship. This benefit usually accrues to employees in circumstances like the death of a family, car repair, health problems, or natural disaster. Your company should specify what events count as an “emergency.” Also, specify the application process and relevant documents employees must present to access the funds. You would want to ensure the application process is simple and fast so that the funds will be impactful for beneficiaries.
An emergency fund scheme is one of the best ways employers can reduce workers’ financial stress. Also, the amount of money offered should be able to cover employees’ specific needs to a reasonable extent.
Conclusion
Employees who have fewer financial challenges to deal with are likely to be more productive at work. Therefore, taking steps to help employees improve their financial wellness is a good idea. Companies can add many financial benefits to their employee assistance programs, from legal assistance to disability insurance. An organization can also take steps to educate employees on various financial concepts. In addition, employee financial wellness tends to facilitate a stress-free and happy work environment. So, improving workers’ financial wellness will always remain a good step for any organization.
Next, check out employee benefits packages you can administer through a professional organization or employee benefits software. You can also check out the best practices to build a work-life balance.
Grace He