Money
Despite being at the forefront of designing financial wellbeing programs for employees, HR professionals are not immune to the same financial stress they help employees navigate. In fact, they struggle more than any other sector when it comes to financial health, according to the 2025 Global Financial Wellbeing Report from nudge.
The survey of 11,500 individuals revealed that 18% of HR professionals rate their financial health as poor or very poor, and 24% rate it as average. Twelve percent said they feel overwhelmed with debt, and more than half said debt is negatively impacting their stress levels at work. These financial stressors result in 30% of HR professionals experiencing anxiety, 24% reporting sleep problems, and 20% dealing with fatigue or exhaustion.
The fact that HR professionals often face challenges applying financial wellbeing benefits to their own lives highlights the emotional and mental load HR teams carry.
“As the architects of workplace wellbeing, they are often expected to be the experts and the support system, yet they are rarely given the same level of support themselves,” said the report.
Although HR is one of the most engaged industries when it comes to employer-provided financial education – 36% versus a 27% average – they are still struggling with key aspects of wellbeing, the survey found. Twelve percent of HR professionals rated their physical health as poor or very poor and the same percentage rated their mental health as poor or very poor. Ten percent said their social health is poor.
Financial stress is also affecting their relationships, the survey found. About 1 in 5 indicated financial behaviors have led to stress or tension in their personal relationships and 16% reported financial disagreements at home. Twenty percent of HR professionals said they are pessimistic about both their personal and national financial futures.
This data is a wake-up call for organizations, said nudge.
“If the people responsible for employee wellbeing are struggling, the entire system is at risk,” the report cautioned. “Employers must prioritize financial education and support for HR teams as part of the bigger picture, not just for their sake, but for the health of the entire workforce.”
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