Research from wellbeing provider Neyber found help was needed, as over a third of employees surveyed have less than a month’s salary saved.
Within this group – 14 per cent have no savings whatsoever. The research found almost one in five (18 per cent) are not saving any of their monthly salary.
Younger staff in particular are keen to get more support from the businesses they work for. Over 72 per cent of 18-34 year olds said they would value financial planning information and help.
In contrast, just 25 per cent of those who were 65 and older wanted help.
The study, Neyber’s DNA of Financial Wellbeing, was carried out among 10,000 UK employees and 500 employers.
Heidi Allan, head of employee wellbeing at Neyber, said: “In the past, many businesses have been reluctant to get involved with financial education for employees – due to concerns this could be seen as intrusive or unwelcome.
“What our research clearly shows is that most people want more help. Employers need to stop thinking of employees’ finances as a taboo subject and look at new ways to guide them – whether that’s providing information, education, or products and services which help staff manage their finances.”
Allan adds that helping employees manage their finances is a “win-win for businesses”. She says financial concerns can lead to stress, mental health issues and extended absences from work.
It is estimated that financial stress costs UK businesses £120.7bn ever year.
Allan adds: “The savings shortfall means that many people in the UK would be unable to cope with an unexpected income shock.
“Businesses must support their staff and help them on the savings journey. It’s not just the right thing to help employees manage their finances, it is critical for business success too.”
Only 4 per cent of people are currently saving in a workplace ISA. The same percentage use an employer-sponsored savings account.
But 39 per cent of those surveyed said that they would value savings benefits if they were provided.
In fact, financial benefits are among those most valued by employees. The most valuable benefit to provide is a pension (72 per cent) and almost half (47 per cent) said they value insurance policies.
Other financial benefit programmes were also valued, including support and guidance (47 per cent), share plans (38 per cent) and financial education (36 per cent).
In contrast, just 34 per cent valued the ability to buy or sell annual holiday, and only 28 per cent appreciated childcare support.
Allan concluded: “As the primary source of income, employers are in a great position to reinforce the importance of regular saving, through financial education and providing support to help employees choose the right products for their needs.
