T
his may be about to change as employers start to realise the negative effects on financial stress on workplace productivity, and as a number of high-profile reports emphasise
the highly significant but often hidden impact of money worries on the performance, career designs and mental health of their staff.
WHAT IS THE IMPACT OF FINANCIAL STRESS ON WORKPLACE PERFORMANCE? The Financial Fitness at Work report 2025 from Zellis on Workplace financial stress and productivity revealed a “silent workplace crisis” as employee financial stress surges. The research highlighted clear links to workplace performance and found:
• 92% of employees reported experiencing financial stress or worry in the past year
• 89% said that financial stress had negatively affected them at work.
• Nearly half said financial stress made it harder to focus or concentrate at work.
• More than 1 in 4 acknowledged it made them less productive.
Morgan Stanley’s State of the Workplace Financial Benefits Study 2025 also drew links between financial stress and productivity, with 66% of employees saying financial stress negatively affects their work and personal life and 83% of HR leaders saying personal financial issues are damaging employee productivity. As a result, employers are increasingly looking to
provide benefits that include financial planning tools, career and retirement support, and financial education, in order to support employees and reduce stress and support retention, satisfaction, and productivity.
HOW CAN FINANCIAL WELLBEING CAN BE A TOOL FOR PRODUCTIVITY & RETENTION AT WORK? A report by Octopus Energy: The wellbeing benefits insights gap says offering financial literacy and planning help can be a highly effective way for an organisation to support social mobility and inclusivity, engage its workforce, and contribute to the company’s wider goals. It argues that not only can this contribute greatly to your organisation’s ESG (Environmental, Social and Governance) commitments, it can also improve engagement and retention because financially settled employees are less likely to be looking for another job for salary reasons. Financial literacy and resilience support can also be important for attracting talent. In today’s talent market
not providing the right support can cost an organisation access to top candidates. It is also important for individual productivity. A
recent CIPD report found that money worries negatively affect the work performance of 31% of employees, with 19% reporting lost sleep over money, 15% reporting health problems, such as stress and 13% saying money worries made it harder to concentrate or make decisions at work (CIPD 2025).
WOMEN & MONEY – THE MISSING PIECE OF THE FINANCIAL PUZZLE Another growing issue is the link between women’s career satisfaction and their growing economic power. As recent commentary from AllBright suggests, over the next decade, women are expected to control a significantly larger share of global wealth, driven by inheritance, entrepreneurship, career progression and changing family structures. The latest Women in the Workplace report from
McKinsey and
LeanIn.Org found women face less career support and fewer opportunities to advance as companies show declining commitment to women’s progress. While women are as dedicated to their careers as men, there is a gap in their desire for promotion, and women at both entry level and senior levels of the talent pipeline are still held back by less sponsorship and manager advocacy, which also means they earn less than their male colleagues over their career lifetime.
“ Planning how to pay for retirement is one of the biggest financial decisions people make. It is important individuals understand all the options available, make informed decisions and avoid making expensive mistakes with their hard- earned savings.”
JONATHAN WATTS-LAY, DIRECTOR, WEALTH AT WORK
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GLOBAL LEADERSHIP HOT TOPIC : FINANCIAL PLANNING
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