HR and employees not on the same page when it comes to financial perceptions, survey finds

Employees ranked financial wellness tools as the most desired benefit after compensation — ahead of health care; paid time off or vacations; and mental health support. (Photo: Shutterstock)

Almost half (48%) of knowledge workers are concerned about their personal finances, up from 39% in August, a new survey finds. At the same time, however, 70% of human resource professionals believe their employees are concerned, revealing a disconnect between HR and workers.

“As it’s become clear that the pandemic will be with us for a while, knowledge workers are increasingly worried about their finances — and HR even more so,” said Marthin De Beer, founder and CEO of BrightPlan. “Our survey reveals that in this stressful time, HR isn’t fully aligned with what’s top of mind for their employees and what benefits they seek to help navigate economic headwinds. Despite dominant HR industry conversations around mental health support and paid time off to recharge in this stressful time, the data indicate that knowledge workers today prioritize financial wellness tools that can help them better manage their financial lives — even ahead of health-care benefits.”