New research on employee stress has revealed useful insights to incorporate into your company’s benefit program. EBRI’s 2024 Workplace Wellness Survey interviewed over 1,500 American employees and uncovered surprising trends that could shape workplace wellness strategies in 2025 and beyond.

Above all, employees hope to improve their financial lives to secure their future. Depending on the individual, this could mean anything from contributing to their retirement to getting out of debt. However, one throughline remains — when it comes to relieving employee stress, many employees are looking to their employers to provide the necessary educational resources.

Here are four takeaways from the EBRI survey and what they mean for your company.

Saving for retirement is top of mind for employees

According to the survey, if given $600 to put toward any financial accounts, the majority of employees would choose to contribute to their retirement savings. A solid retirement fund contributes to a secure future and improves overall well-being. However, nearly 20% of respondents had used funds from their retirement to pay for emergencies.

Without a dedicated emergency fund, employees may borrow from their future, adding to their financial stress. While a comfortable retirement is the goal, unforeseen expenses can put a wrench in those plans.

Employers can help by offering a variety of retirement plan options and providing matching contributions. Additionally, extensive education or workshops on retirement planning and budgeting can empower employees to make informed decisions and maximize their savings.

Employers must provide educational resources to relieve employee stress

Forty percent of the employees surveyed expressed a desire for tools to learn more about personal finance. Financial education comes in many forms, and the types of questions employees have often depend on demographics and life experiences.

According to the EBRI survey, the most popular subject employees were interested in was retirement planning (42%). This was followed by building emergency savings (34%) and learning to budget effectively (33%).

Financial wellness programs help answer burning questions with comprehensive educational resources catered to your employees’ needs. Access to customized tools and accessible content can bridge knowledge gaps and reduce financial stress among workers.

Workers find financial wellness programs useful for employee stress

Nearly 90% of workers surveyed claimed that the financial wellness programs their employers offered were at least somewhat helpful in achieving their goals. 40% said financial wellness programs have become more important to offer in the past year. Finally, nearly eight in 10 respondents claimed that these programs contributed positively to their feeling of financial security.

These programs can include everything from budgeting tools and debt management workshops to resources for investing and planning for major life events. Employers should prioritize making these programs accessible, engaging, and tailored to the needs of their workforce.

AI financial management tools are becoming more popular

The use of artificial intelligence is quickly becoming more mainstream. This trend is consistent among employees. Nearly 60% of respondents felt comfortable using AI at work, and many are turning to AI as a tool to manage their finances.

Personalized recommendations and automated financial planning can be powerful tools for your employees. According to a survey from Experian, 67% of Gen Z and 62% of millennial respondents used artificial intelligence to help with personal finance tasks.

This is an area with growth opportunities. AI can help employees identify potential savings, monitor spending habits and achieve financial goals. Employers should consider integrating AI-driven financial tools into their wellness programs to stay ahead of this growing trend.

Looking for the right wellness benefit in 2025? Try Best Money Moves.

Best Money Moves is an AI-driven, mobile-first financial wellness solution designed to help employees with varying levels of financial knowledge dial down their most top-of-mind financial stresses. As an easy-to-use financial well-being solution, Best Money Moves offers comprehensive support toward any money-related goal, ranging from debt management to purchasing a home. With 1:1 money coaching, budgeting tools and other resources, our AI-driven platform is designed to help bolster employee financial wellbeing.

To learn more about Best Money Moves Financial Wellness Platform, let’s schedule a call. Contact us and we’ll reach out to you soon.