Feb 11, 2026
As inflation and a high cost of living continue to impact many Americans, employers are paying more attention to the financial stress of their employees.
According to a CNBC report citing a survey by the Employee Benefit Research Institute (EBRI), employers are becoming more concerned about their employees’ financial well-being (1). While in 2019 only 22% of employers said that their concern was at 9 or 10 on a scale of 1 to 10, in 2025, 48% rated their concern at 9 or 10. That’s also up from 2024, when 43% said the same.
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At the same time, it appears employers have recognized a switch in focus on what matters most to staff.
“We’ve seen employers shift away from retirement as the top area of concern toward more of the day-to-day cost-of-living issues, and budgeting and savings issues,” Jake Spiegel, a senior research associate at the EBRI, told the broadcaster in a story published Jan. 16. “Employees are feeling the squeeze from above-trend inflation.”
Offering a hand
The same survey shows more employers have responded with financial wellness programs; 70% offered some kind of initiative in 2025, up from 59% in 2024. But a smaller share of employers (43%) believe their efforts are making a “large impact” compared to the previous year (60%).
A 2025 report by Bank of America found that more employees — 26%, up from 13% in 2023 — said they were looking to their employers for resources on managing personal finances, emergency savings and debt (2).
Financial wellness programs vary from employer to employer, but they can include things such as access to financial advisors or coaches, or seminars that teach skills such as budgeting, investing or retirement planning.
Some employers also offer financial safety nets such as payroll advance loans and loans from an employer-sponsored retirement plan.
Employers judge whether these programs are having an impact by looking at whether there are improvements in employee financial well-being, productivity or performance (3). Some also look for improvements in absenteeism, or reductions in medical or mental health claims.
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Helping yourself
Of course, financial well-being programs can only go so far if employees simply aren’t able to manage necessary expenses with their current earnings. The gap has narrowed, but wages were still trailing post-pandemic inflation as of August, according to Bankrate (4).
Employees may want to evaluate whether their employer’s financial wellness offerings are a good fit for them and offer real value. For example, an employer that offers emergency fund or employee hardship assistance could potentially keep an employee out of a situation where they need to take on debt because of an unexpected expense.
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If you don’t think your employer’s financial wellness offerings are robust enough, you could speak with your human resources team or contact your benefits decision-makers and voice your opinion on what would be more helpful. Benefits programs are often reviewed regularly, so your feedback may be impactful.
If you feel your employer’s financial wellness benefits won’t be sufficient to help, consider developing a plan to approach your employer about a raise. Here are some tips to do so offered by job search site Indeed (5).
Pick the right time: Ask at a time when the company’s financial health is good and when your manager isn’t too busy to consider such a request.
Be prepared: Compile a list of your accomplishments and research salaries offered by similar firms.
Meeting outline: When setting a meeting with your boss to make your request, let them know you want to discuss your compensation, and be prepared to answer questions about your request and why you’re making it.
Article sources
We rely only on vetted sources and credible third-party reporting. For details, see our editorial ethics and guidelines.
CNBC (1); Bank of America (2); Employee Benefit Research Institute (3); Bankrate (4); Indeed (5)
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Rebecca Payne has more than a decade of experience editing and producing both local and national daily newspapers. She's worked on the Toronto Star, the Globe and Mail, Metro, Canada's National Observer, the Virginian-Pilot and Daily Press.
