Welsh Enterprise Awards 2018

14 SME NEWS / Welsh Enterprise Awards 2018 , Over Half Of The UK’s Workforce Want More Help From Employers With Financial Planning More than half of Britain’s workforce (55 per cent) want employers to help with financial planning, new research fromNeyber has found. Younger staff in particular are keen to get more support from the businesses they work for. Over 72 per cent of 18-34 year olds said they would value financial planning information and help. By contrast, just 25 per cent of those who were 65 and older wanted help. Heidi Allan, head of employee wellbeing at Neyber, said: “In the past, many businesses have been reluctant to get involved with financial education for employees – due to concerns this could be seen as intrusive or unwelcome. What our research clearly shows is that most people want more help. Employers need to stop thinking of employees’ finances as a taboo subject and look at new ways to guide them - whether that’s providing information, education, or products and services which help staff manage their finances.” Helping employees better manage their finances is a win-win for businesses. When employees worry about money it can lead to stress, mental health issues and extended absences from work. In fact, financial stress costs UK businesses £120.7 billion ever year. And workers’ financial situations are more precarious than ever. Over a third (34 per cent) of employees have less than a month’s salary set aside. Of those – 14 per cent have no savings whatsoever. Nearly one in five (18 per cent) are not saving any of their monthly salary. Allan said: “With so little money to fall back on, something as simple as a car repair could leave employees struggling to cope. “Businesses must support their staff and help them on the savings journey, or risk a workforce that suffers from financial stress, leading to high levels of absences and lower productivity. It’s not just the right thing to help employees manage their finances, it is critical for business success too.” As well as providing support and education, businesses should consider offering benefits programmes which allow staff to manage their finances. Only 4 per cent of people are currently saving in a workplace ISA. The same percentage use an employer-sponsored savings account. But 39 per cent of those surveyed said that they would value savings benefits if they were provided. In fact, financial benefits are among those most valued by employees. The most valuable benefit to provide is a pension (72 per cent) and almost half (47 per cent) said they value insurance policies. Support and guidance (47 per cent), share plans (38 per cent) and financial education (36 per cent) were also welcome. By contrast, just 34 per cent valued the ability to buy or sell holiday and only 28 per cent appreciated childcare support. Allan concluded: “As the primary source of income, employers are in a great position to reinforce the importance of regular saving, through financial education and providing support to help employees choose the right products for their needs. “Clear communication and easy access to financial advice and products play a huge part in achieving engagement. This allows employees to make smart, well informed decisions about what is right for them and their loved ones.”