Your Employees Said They Want Financial Help—Now What?

Written by
Sunny Day Fund
Published on
January 24, 2025
Your Employees Said They Want Financial Help—Now What?

When employees share concerns about their finances, it becomes more than a personal matter—it becomes a workplace issue. Financial stress often disrupts productivity, reduces engagement, and increases turnover. Supporting employees’ financial wellness is an act of care and a smart move to strengthen your organization’s foundation.

The first step is understanding your employees’ needs, but responding effectively takes thoughtful action. How do you transform employee feedback into impactful programs that truly address their concerns? The answer lies in crafting a financial wellness strategy tailored to their priorities.

This guide will walk you through the process of analyzing survey responses, selecting the right programs, and implementing solutions that align with your employees’ needs.

How to Build a Financial Wellness Strategy

A structured approach can help you identify key priorities, align them with targeted solutions, and implement initiatives that benefit your team.

By focusing on what matters most to your employees and taking thoughtful, data-driven action, you can create programs that improve financial security, boost engagement, and strengthen your workplace.

Here’s how to go from gathering feedback to delivering results, with Sunny Day Fund as your partner every step of the way:

Step 1: Analyze Your Employee Feedback

The key to building an impactful financial wellness program starts with understanding what your employees need most. Surveys often reveal valuable insights, but making sense of the data requires careful analysis.

Start by identifying recurring themes. Are employees most concerned about emergency savings, managing debt, or planning for the future? Categorizing these needs allows you to prioritize solutions effectively.

57% of employees report that financial stress affects their productivity. If this mirrors the concerns raised by your employees, dig deeper. Determine if the stress stems from immediate challenges, such as day-to-day expenses, or long-term goals, like retirement savings.

Consider using methods that:

  • Visualize trends: Spot recurring themes and areas of focus quickly.
  • Organize responses: Group and categorize data for a clearer picture of employee priorities.
  • Simplify tracking: Use straightforward methods to analyze patterns and draw actionable conclusions.

Step 2: Choose the Right Financial Wellness Programs

Once you’ve identified your employees’ primary concerns, focus on solutions that address those specific needs. For example, if employees are struggling with emergency savings, payroll-deducted savings programs can help them build a financial cushion over time.

57% of Americans cannot cover a $1,000 emergency with savings. This statistic shows the importance of practical, accessible programs that meet employees where they are. For employees with longer-term goals, programs that simplify financial planning or provide resources for tackling challenges can also be highly effective.

What to prioritize in a financial wellness program:

  • Ease of use: Solutions should be simple for employees to engage with and benefit from.
  • Scalability: Programs should adapt as your team and organization evolve.
  • Impact-driven: Focus on initiatives that produce measurable results, such as increased savings or reduced financial stress.

Step 3: Communicate and Launch Your Program

A successful financial wellness program depends on more than availability. It requires employees to see its value and feel confident about participating. Clear communication and thoughtful execution ensure your team understands how the program supports their financial goals.

Steps for a smooth rollout:

  • Leadership involvement: When leadership champions the program, it builds trust and encourages participation.
  • Tailored communication: Use clear, specific messaging to show employees how the program meets their needs.
  • Pilot the program: Launch the program with a small group first. This lets you fine-tune the details before offering them to the entire team.

Throughout the rollout, maintain ongoing communication. Regular updates and reminders keep the program in mind while reinforcing its purpose: empowering employees to achieve greater financial stability.

Refining Your Financial Wellness Program

The most effective financial wellness programs aren’t static—they grow and adapt alongside your team. To keep your program impactful, it’s important to monitor outcomes and refine your approach based on what works best for your employees.

Employees who engage in financial wellness programs are 70% more likely to feel financially secure. Additionally, a recent Bank of America study found that 84% of employers believe offering financial wellness tools helps increase employee retention. This confidence can boost morale, productivity, and retention across your workforce.

How to improve your program

  • Survey your employees regularly: Periodic feedback helps you gauge satisfaction, identify gaps, and adjust to meet evolving needs.
  • Actively track outcomes: Look beyond participation rates. Evaluate if employees are building savings, reducing debt, or feeling less financial stress.
  • Add resources as needs change: Employees’ financial priorities evolve. Be ready to expand offerings like budgeting tools, retirement education, or emergency savings plans.
  • Incorporate trending solutions: Stay current on innovations in financial wellness to keep your program engaging and effective.

By listening, tracking, and remaining flexible, your program will remain valuable for supporting your employees and strengthening your organization.

How Sunny Day Fund Supports Your Financial Wellness Goals

At Sunny Day Fund, we help companies build effective financial wellness programs. Our solutions are designed to meet employees where they are, making it simple for them to build financial security.

Our programs focus on:

  • Emergency savings: Helping employees build a safety net with payroll-deducted savings plans.
  • Financial confidence: Empowering employees to take control of their finances through education and accessible tools.
  • Long-term value: Delivering measurable results that improve engagement, retention, and workplace satisfaction.

Here’s how our approach has supported organizations in different industries:

1. Helping service industry employees build financial security: A company in the home services sector partnered with Sunny Day Fund to help its team save for emergencies. Because many employees faced financial uncertainty, the company implemented a payroll-deducted savings program that made contributing to financial goals effortless.

The results included:

  • Stronger savings habits: Employees began building emergency funds for the first time, giving them greater security.
  • Improved morale: With savings in place, employees felt more confident and less stressed about unexpected expenses.

This initiative improved employees’ financial stability and strengthened their connection to the company.

2. Reducing financial stress in the retail and security industry: Another organization specializing in retail and home security solutions sought to address employee financial stress. By launching a savings program integrated with payroll, they provided their workforce with an accessible way to prioritize financial wellness.

The program achieved:

  • Increased engagement: Employees felt valued and supported, which boosted morale and overall satisfaction.
  • Improved retention: The program’s impact on financial wellness contributed to a more loyal workforce.

We partner with you every step of the way, from analyzing survey data to implementing tailored solutions. We’ll build a program that supports your employees and strengthens your organization.

Don’t Let Employee Feedback Go to Waste

Your employees have shared their concerns. Now it’s time to act. By analyzing feedback, implementing thoughtful solutions, and tracking results, you can create a financial wellness program that transforms their financial security and enhances workplace wellbeing.

Sunny Day Fund is here to help you take the next step. Together, we can create a stronger, more financially secure workforce.

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