As we carefully analyze financial wellness assessments, we find most Americans are not hopeful about their handling of personal finances. In fact, more than half are worried about their money, with 26 percent saying "scared" best describes their attitude and another 25 percent feeling "confused."

For millennials, who outnumber Generation Xers and baby boomers for the largest share of the American workforce, according to Pew Research Center analysis of U.S. Census Bureau data, the worry is primarily about student loans.

The Federal Reserve Bank of New York reports 44.2 million Americans are carrying student loan debt and the price tag has risen to $1.45 trillion. That translates to about $37,172 per person.

Millennials are coming to the office worried about what they owe in student loans and less focused on being productive at work. This leads to attrition, as workers chase the next job offering as little as one dollar more an hour.  

So, how do we help people?

In 2018, more companies will offer financial wellness as part of their overall benefits plans. This is a trend that picked up steam in 2017, as companies looked for ways to improve productivity, lower attrition, and let employees know they're more than just units of production; they're people.  

The idea of "wellness" is quickly evolving. The industry used to tell people what to do with their money; how they should spend it, where they should invest it, why they should buy insurance, and how they should budget. There were "lunch and learn" workshops, handouts, and meetings with financial planners.

And people responded by doing nothing.

There were three reasons for this—three barriers an effective wellness plan must overcome to benefit employees: 

1. The negative stigma – People don't want to sit around and talk about their credit card debt with their co-workers. It's a sensitive subject.  

2. The intimidation factor – If you're stressed out about money and you don't have a budget or a plan, it can be extremely intimidating to sit down with a Certified Financial Planner.

3. Logistical issues – In a corporate setting, there are different shifts, meeting schedules, travel, and scheduling conflicts to consider.

The answer to overcoming these barriers requires a shift in thinking— a clear and simple wellness plan that includes motivation and inspiration accessible anytime online with mobile access.

The industry was slow to embrace that kind of accessibility because there were concerns over a lack of accountability.

But it's a new day—indeed, a new year. The time is now to stop chasing accountability and start chasing behavior change. Your people are worth it.

*Brian Hamilton is vice president of Ramsey Solutions' SmartDollar Financial Wellness Program.