A bigger paycheck helps, but it's not the only perk employees are asking for. Workers also want help managing money in the near term — things like emergency-savings support, debt help and practical tools they can use, according to the Bank of America's 2025 Workplace Benefits Report.
Back in 2023, only about 13% of employees said they wanted their company to help with near-term needs like emergency savings or paying down debt, according to the report. Now it's 26%.
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Employees Want Practical Guidance
The report found that 36% of employees mainly want financial wellness resources in areas like retirement education and planning, while 33% want to learn how to generate income in retirement and another third want to develop good financial skills and habits.
Debt is one of the biggest reasons many employees feel like they're barely making ends meet. 85% of employees surveyed carry some form of personal debt, and 45% say that paying off debt is the main reason they haven't been able to build an emergency fund.
Despite this, fewer than one in three companies offer credit counseling or debt assistance aside from student loans. And only around half of larger employers — 54% — offer financial wellness programs, according to the report.
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Companies Need to Catch Up
Smaller companies have some catching up to do. About half of big companies offer financial-wellness programs, but only 32% of smaller firms do. That gap can show up in hiring and retention, since more than eight in ten employers say these financial wellness programs improve job satisfaction and the ability to attract top talent.
This survey, which interviewed 962 employees, also found that workplace benefits are increasingly important when it comes to retaining talent, with nearly a quarter of employees saying they've recently left or have considered leaving their company because their workplace benefits are lacking.
So if companies want to keep talent around, it's worth investing in financial workshops and wellness programs that help employees feel more confident in their financial journey.
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What If Your Employer Doesn't Offer These Resources
If your company doesn't yet offer any financial wellness resources, you can still build your own plan to take control of your money. If you want to build an emergency fund, automate your savings so that a small amount goes to a separate emergency-savings account you don't touch.
And if you're having trouble managing your debt, call card issuers or lenders to ask about hardship programs or temporary rate reductions. You could also take advantage of the free resources you already have, such as calculators and webinars from your bank, to improve your financial knowledge.
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