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Enhancing employee financial wellbeing: Expanding savings options for a brighter future

Pensions & benefits
Heidi Allan Head of Financial Wellbeing
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In today's competitive job market, prioritising employee financial wellbeing is crucial for UK employers.

While pensions are important, they're no longer enough on their own. By offering wider savings options, employers can empower their workforce, strengthen financial capability and resilience, and foster a happier and more productive team. In this blog, we'll explore the benefits of expanding savings options and provide simple steps for UK employers to boost their employees' financial wellbeing.

Step 1: Understand your employees' needs

Utilise data sources from within your organisation and the wider market to understand the needs of your employees. Conduct surveys, have conversations, and seek expert advice to gain valuable insights. This understanding will help you develop your strategy and enable you to provide savings options as part of your benefits package that meets their needs, making a bigger impact.

Step 2: Offer wider savings options

In addition to pensions, providing access to different savings accounts, including workplace ISAs can support employees to build their financial capability. You can also look at options that support recruitment and retention such as save as you earn and loyalty savings. By expanding savings choices, you empower your employees to save for emergencies, education, or home purchases while enjoying potential tax benefits.

Step 3: Provide financial education

Empower your employees with financial knowledge through workshops, webinars, or accessible resources and cover topics such as budgeting, managing debt, credit scores and investment basics. By investing in their financial literacy, you help them make informed decisions about their money and enable them to utilise the available savings options effectively.

Step 4: Foster a culture of saving

Encourage a company-wide culture of saving by celebrating milestones and achievements related to financial goals. Encourage employees to share their experiences and provide incentives for consistent saving habits. By promoting saving as a value, you create an environment that supports and motivates employees on their financial journeys.

Step 5: Embrace technology for easy saving

Use digital tools and platforms that automate savings contributions to make saving effortless as well as providing real-time tracking of progress. By integrating these technologies with payroll systems, employees can easily allocate a portion of their earnings towards their savings goals.

In summary, by expanding savings options and following these simple steps, UK employers can significantly improve their employees' financial wellbeing. Investing in their financial resilience boosts job satisfaction, productivity, and retention rates. By actively supporting employees on their financial journeys, employers set the stage for a brighter future—for both their workforce and their business. Start empowering your UK employees today and witness the positive impact on their financial security and overall happiness tomorrow.