Employers should take an eager interest in employees' financial health or suffer the consequences, says a new white paper from HR software provider GuideSpark. The paper, "The Need for Financial Wellness," claims that companies that implement financial wellness programs can see a return on investment of over 3:1.

A high turnover rate in 2007 led many companies to expand their benefits offerings to attract and retain talent, according to the paper, making employers the main source for financial and insurance products. Additionally, employers added more choices to their benefit programs, making them more complex and difficult to understand.

As workers and employers alike are asked to do more for less, and with fewer resources, companies risk declining productivity and waning job satisfaction among employees. The white paper outlines a plan of action to implement a financial wellness initiative, including education, seminars, help services such as a call center, one-on-one coaching, and a directory of reputable financial advisors to guide employees.