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Financial wellbeing becomes strategic workforce priority for employers, research finds

99% said financial wellbeing was important for employees mental wellbeing, engagement and motivation, while 96% linked it to workforce health.

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Financial wellbeing becomes strategic workforce priority for employers, research finds
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Financial wellbeing has become a strategic priority for employers, according to research from the Reward and Employee Benefits Association (REBA) and WEALTH at work.

99% said financial wellbeing was important for employees mental wellbeing, engagement and motivation, while 96% linked it to workforce health.

91% said it was important for productivity, performance, workforce planning and organisational sustainability.

94% linked financial wellbeing to attracting talent, while 93% said it supported retention and 87% said it helped reduce people-related risks.

Jonathan Watts-Lay, director at WEALTH at work, said: “The findings reflect a growing recognition among employers that financial concerns can have a significant impact on employees’ lives. 

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“When employees feel more financially secure, they are better able to focus on their work and make informed decisions about their future.

“This research shows that organisations are increasingly embedding financial wellbeing into broader wellbeing and people strategies, rather than treating it as a standalone initiative.”

Watts-Lay added: “Financial wellbeing is no longer viewed as simply a ‘nice-to-have’ employee benefit. 

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“Instead, it is becoming a core element of employee wellbeing strategies, supporting workforce wellbeing, engagement, retention and productivity.

“Based on our experience, the most effective programmes are those that take a strategic, long-term approach, providing employees with the financial education, guidance and support they need at every stage of their lives.”

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He said: “By doing so, employers can help build financial resilience while supporting better outcomes for both employees and their organisation.”

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Debi O’Donovan, co-founder and director of the Reward and Employee Benefits Association, said: “Financial wellbeing in the workplace is steadily shifting from its largely peripheral position in most HR and corporate strategies, to being one of the core levers for people risk management, workforce planning and business sustainability.

“Too long categorised as either a tick-box compliance requirement, a secondary corporate social responsibility initiative or a suite of underutilised employee perks, REBA’s Financial Wellbeing Research 2026, in association with WEALTH at work, found that employers are revisiting financial wellbeing programmes to meet challenges raised by cost-of-living pressures, employees not able to retire on adequate pensions and, most notably, the huge impact that financial worries have on mental wellbeing.”

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