U.S. Employers Intensify Financial Wellness Efforts as Worker Money Stress Hits New Peak

Nearly one in two large U.S. companies now rate their concern about employees’ financial well-being at the highest levels, signaling a marked shift in workplace priorities as the cost of living remains elevated. New data from the Employee Benefit Research Institute (EBRI) show that 48% of corporate benefit decision-makers in 2025 placed their worry at 9 or 10 on a 10-point scale, up from 43% in 2024 and 39% in 2023. As recently as 2019, only 22% registered that level of unease.

The EBRI survey, which gathered responses from 406 benefits managers at firms with at least 500 workers, indicates that employers are moving away from a singular focus on retirement savings toward programs that address day-to-day budgeting, emergency expenses and other immediate financial pressures. The shift follows a multiyear stretch in which inflation spiked and eroded purchasing power for many households.

The inflation backdrop

Although the annual inflation rate has eased to 2.7% after peaking at 9.1% in June 2022, cumulative price increases have surpassed 25% since 2020, according to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics. Essentials such as housing, groceries and utilities account for a large share of the jump, leaving many workers with limited room in their budgets even as wages have risen.

A separate 2025 survey by Bank of America, covering nearly 90,000 participants in workplace 401(k) plans, found that 57% of employees live paycheck to paycheck. While pay increases have outpaced consumer prices over the past two years, that followed a period in 2021 and 2022 when earnings lagged behind inflation, creating lasting financial strain for numerous households.

Growing adoption of wellness programs

In response, 70% of companies surveyed by EBRI reported offering at least one financial wellness initiative in 2025, compared with 59% the previous year. Typical offerings include payroll-advance loans, third-party short-term loans, and dedicated emergency savings accounts. Some employers also allow workers to tap 401(k) balances through loans or hardship withdrawals when urgent needs arise.

Education remains a central component. Many firms are hosting seminars or webinars on budgeting, debt management, investing basics and long-term planning. According to the EBRI study, 68% of employers provide access to financial advisors and 46% connect workers with financial coaches. In some cases, companies fully or partially subsidize one-on-one sessions to encourage participation.

Certified financial planner Uchechi Kalu, founder of Greenlight Financial Planning in Los Angeles, is seeing that approach firsthand. She is currently engaged by a Chicago-based nonprofit that allows employees to schedule two virtual consultations a year to discuss topics ranging from home buying to travel budgeting. With the employer covering half the fee, workers pay $118 per session.

Measuring effectiveness

Despite the expanded menu of benefits, employers report mounting doubts about how much relief these programs provide. Only 43% said their initiatives are having a “large impact” in 2025, down sharply from 60% in 2024 and 73% in 2023. EBRI researchers note that employees often rate the usefulness of benefits more conservatively than managers, suggesting a perception gap that may influence corporate assessments.

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Industry analysts attribute the decline in perceived effectiveness to several factors. Persistent inflation means that even improved budgeting skills or small emergency funds may not offset higher rents, grocery bills or medical costs. In addition, some workers remain unaware of available resources or hesitate to use them because of privacy concerns.

Still, companies continue to regard financial stress as a productivity risk. Rising absenteeism, higher turnover and reduced job satisfaction are among the potential consequences when employees struggle to meet basic expenses. By broadening financial wellness options, employers aim to mitigate those risks and support overall workforce stability.

Looking ahead, benefit specialists expect further evolution in program design. On-demand digital tools, personalized coaching and automatic enrollment in emergency savings plans are among the features gaining traction. Some firms are also evaluating partnerships with community organizations to address housing or childcare costs, areas that increasingly weigh on household budgets.

While it remains unclear which specific strategies will deliver the greatest impact, the latest survey results underscore a clear trend: financial wellness has moved to the forefront of employer priorities, and companies are actively testing a range of solutions to help workers navigate economic headwinds that show little sign of disappearing soon.

Crédito da imagem: Da-kuk | E+ | Getty Images