US Employers Scrutinize Benefits ROI Amid Financial Wellness Gaps

A new report found that 65 percent of US employers are now measuring the return on investment of their benefits programs, an increase from 51 percent reported the previous year. While 71 percent of workers felt confident in creating a savings plan, only 33 percent demonstrated high proficiency in foundational financial knowledge, including investing, retirement planning, healthcare costs, and emergency savings. This gap is reportedly leading to productivity losses, requests for pay advances, and borrowing from retirement plans.

The disconnect between employee confidence and financial competence is reportedly causing issues that impact the bottom line for companies. Employers are reporting that 85 percent of workers worry about personal finances during the workday, spending an average of 3.5 hours per week on these concerns.

The findings are based on a survey of workforce benefits and financial health conducted in August 2025.