EDUCATION: The Foundation of Employee Financial Wellbeing

When people talk about financial wellbeing at work, the first instinct is often: “We just need to pay people more.” But higher salaries don’t guarantee financial security. In fact, research shows financial stress actually peaks at around £70,000 a year, proof that money worries cut across all income levels. And with financial stress linked to the equivalent of a 13-point IQ drop*, it’s not surprising that nearly 90% of employees say financial stress has affected their performance at work**.

This is why education matters. In our Connect–Educate–Engage framework at WellFi, Financial Education is the bridge from awareness to action. Once you’ve identified what employees need, education turns insight into empowerment. It’s not optional, it’s essential.

Why Education is a Game-Changer

Education is the most powerful, cost-effective lever employers have. It doesn’t just reduce financial stress; it amplifies the value of every other benefit on offer. A generous pension scheme, for example, goes unnoticed if employees don’t understand it. But with the right knowledge, they’re far more likely to engage and value what’s provided.

The return on investment is clear: education builds employee confidence, boosts appreciation of existing benefits, and ultimately improves productivity and retention.

What good financial education looks like

Let’s be honest: finance doesn’t have the best reputation for being exciting. If your programme is a stack of jargon-heavy PDFs buried on the intranet, you’ll lose people before they begin.

High-quality financial education should be:

• Independent and credible – Employees need to trust the source. If education is tied to selling products, it won’t land.
• Clear and jargon-free – Money and numbers can already feel intimidating for many. Simplicity is empowering.
• Accessible to all – Not everyone learns the same way. Inclusive content means everyone can engage, not just the financially confident.

The right depth, not information overload

Effective education strikes a balance: enough depth to inform, without overwhelming. Employees don’t need a lecture in economic theory; they need clear, practical guidance they can act on. Cover essentials like budgeting or emergency savings, building into pensions, mortgages, and more complex tax planning. Learning needs to feel digestible and build confidence step by step.

Making learning engaging and inclusive

Modern delivery methods transform financial education from a box-ticking exercise into something people actually want to engage with.

• Bite-sized videos and podcasts that fit into busy schedules.
• Interactive tools and calculators that turn theory into action.
• On-demand access so employees can learn when it suits them, whether during a commute or late in the evening.

This isn’t just about variety for variety’s sake. Multisensory learning is more memorable, more inclusive, and better suited for diverse working patterns. In fact, with WellFi we see a significant proportion of learning happen outside office hours, proof that flexibility really matters.

Equally important is accessibility. Clear design, inclusive language, and multimedia formats ensure that employees who are anxious about money, neurodiverse, or non-native speakers can engage without barriers. When financial topics are presented in ways that feel approachable, the stigma reduces, and confidence grows.

From knowledge to confidence

Education isn’t just about information; it’s about empowerment and sparking action. When employees learn how to budget, save, or plan for retirement, they begin making informed choices. They engage with benefits. They feel more secure. And for employers, that shift translates into higher engagement, stronger retention, and a workforce that performs at its best.

That shift, from knowing to doing, is where education delivers its real impact.

The cornerstone of wellbeing

Education is the foundation of financial wellbeing. Without it, programmes risk being underused and undervalued. With it, employees gain the tools to build lasting security, and organisations see the return in engagement, loyalty, and performance.

Because ultimately, financial wellbeing isn’t about having more money. It’s about having more control. And education is what makes that possible.