As a business owner, what should I know before adding a financial wellness program?

Financial wellness programs are gaining traction among employee benefit offerings, and for good reason: In an International Foundation of Employee Benefit Plans (IFEBP) survey, 96% of employers said employees’ personal financial issues had an impact on their overall job performance. If you’re thinking of adding a financial wellness program to your benefits lineup, consider the following points.

Understand what “financial wellness” is. In 2014, the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau (CFPB) conducted a study to help measure the effectiveness of financial literacy programs. As part of their initial work, researchers sought to define financial well-being. After conducting nearly 60 hours of open-ended interviews with consumers, study authors concluded that financial well-being is achieved when people (1) are able to control day-to-day and month-to-month finances, (2) have the capacity to absorb a financial shock, (3) are on track to meet their financial goals, and (4) have the financial freedom to make choices that allow them to enjoy life.

Assess employee concerns. The IFEBP also found that 40% of employers report an increased demand for financial education. Toward this end, Prosperity Now, a nonprofit organization dedicated to helping all Americans prosper, recommends that employers conduct a needs assessment to determine the most pressing financial concerns of their workforces. While the IFEBP said the top three most popular financial topics covered through such plans are retirement benefits, pre-retirement planning, and budgeting, a workforce composed of relatively young employees may be more concerned with repaying student loans and saving for a down payment on a first home. To position your financial wellness program for success, be sure it’s designed to tackle challenges that are specific to your primary employee demographic.

Determine how you will measure your success. Prosperity Now recommends considering the following metrics: participation rates; financial well-being as measured by the CFPB’s Financial Well-Being Scale; employee retention, satisfaction with employer, morale, and stress levels; and company cost savings.

Source: Broadridge