Nearly six in 10 workers (58%) don’t
have a fnancial plan in place to handle
the unexpected, and the same amount
either don’t consider health insurance a
part of their fnancial plan or consider it
a minor part. Clearly, many Americans
are in a diffcult fnancial position, and
that often means turning to their em-
ployer for help.
Employers are also feeling the effects of
worker anxiety. Individuals with stress
caused by large outstanding debts and
unstable fnancial situations report in-
cidences of ulcers and digestive prob-
lems, migraine and other headaches,
anxiety, depression, and even heart at-
tacks at rates between two and three
times the national average. This stress
translates into higher health care costs
and other negative effects on the work-
place. Financially-stressed employees
experience higher absenteeism and
turnover, lower levels of job satisfaction
and lower productivity.
3
Companies are also experiencing higher
productivity losses due to distracted
CHART 1
Hard and Soft ROI
of EmployeeWellness Programs
Workplace Attitude
Overall satisfaction with benefits package
How satisfied are you with your job?
Believe company takes care of its employees
Bel ieve productivity is an important
issue for the organization
Believe controlling health/medical
costs is an important issue for the organization
How likely are you to look for a new job
in the next 12 months?
How well does your current benefits package
meet your family’s needs?
How effectively does your HR department
communicate about benefits?