Financial wellbeing has emerged as a focus for many HR functions. See why it's so important.
Financial wellbeing has emerged as a key focus for many HR functions over the past year.
Amid a global pandemic, when many families have experienced a loss of income or financial instability, an emphasis on financial wellbeing makes a lot of sense.
But although many employers have acknowledged that supporting employee financial wellbeing should mean more than simply providing a consistent pay cheque, it’s not always clear to people leaders what a holistic financial wellbeing program should look like.
This article looks at what financial wellbeing means, what has the greatest impact on financial wellbeing and what commonly held beliefs about financial wellbeing simply aren’t true.
Financial wellbeing is broader than financial wealth, which is measured by income levels and net worth. Financial wellbeing refers to how people feel about and act with money too.
Wagestream uses the Centre for Social Impact’s (CSI) definition of financial wellbeing. The CSI defines financial wellbeing as when someone is able to meet their expenses and have money left over. It’s about being and feeling in control of money and feeling financially secure, not only in the short-term but under adverse circumstances and in the future.
Studies of financial wellbeing have found that along with health, financial capability and financial inclusion, income is a top influencer financial wellbeing. Importantly, the research finds that it’s not only the amount of income earned that influences financial wellbeing, but what also matters is how stable that income is and how regularly it is received.
Higher income levels are linked with lower levels of financial stress; however, no income group is immune from financial stress. According to EY research, while low-income households are particularly vulnerable to problem debt, 15% of the highest income groups are financially stretched.
Though financial wellbeing typically progresses with an increase in income, research has found that financial behaviours – how people spend, manage debt, save and plan – are the strongest correlates with financial wellbeing.
Studies have also found that active saving and not borrowing for daily expenses emerge as the best predictors of an individual’s financial wellbeing.
There are five key behaviours required to improve financial wellbeing. They can be summed up as:
As financial wellbeing has an objective and subjective component, it requires qualitative and quantitative measures, combining income and expenses with behaviours and self-perception.
At Wagestream, we rely on the CBA-MI scales to measure perceived and observed levels of financial wellbeing. This gives a clear picture of how people feel and act with their money by looking at the following areas:
See how earned wage access helps employees build financial wellbeing.
Retail and hospitality employers talk about helping employees deal with cost of living increases.
A conversation with Emma, our Engagement and Content Lead, who's an expert in financial wellbeing.
Explores three important considerations when it comes to offering access to earned wages.
