Most people today have severe anxiety over their finances.

Money angst and the desperate yearning for financial security affects sleep patterns and spills into performance at work. Many times, people’s money stresses result from being unaware or overwhelmed by their financial options or paralyzed in fear over making a bad choice. Even people who seem to have a good grip on things are struggling with 401k allotments to navigating day-to- day money issues.

Sadly, many Americans financial knowledge is severely lacking. Employers have the unique opportunity to help put their employees minds at ease by offering much-needed financial guidance in the workplace. Thankfully, companies nationwide are increasingly interested in doing so. Why? Because companies understand that employees’ financial distractions are costing them money.

Companies understand that employees’ financial distractions are costing them money.

They know that employees with money stresses are more likely to be preoccupied at work, miss more days to deal with personal financial issues, and claim more health problems due to anxiety or depression over their financial state.

Over 40% of companies say they already have some type of financial wellness program in place or they plan to introduce one, as they realize just how far-reaching the benefits can be. Employers want to help address their employees’ financial concerns. The issue, however, lies in deciphering how much help to provide and what kind of help will be the most beneficial.

Financial wellness programs are growing fast, but when choosing a speaker, there are many things employers need to first analyze to ensure they get the right fit for their company and employees. Here are the top considerations to take into account in choosing an authentic and effective financial wellness speaker.

Do Your Research

There are many different ways to present financial wellness to employees, so before hiring a speaker, company leaders must first conduct research within their own walls to know what kind of program will best suit their organization and achieve the results they want. I suggest conducting an employee survey to gain a sense of what financial topics will be beneficial for the most people. Gathering feedback and input from employees on their specific financial needs, interests, and barriers will help you introduce the right speaker to your company and get the results you’re looking for.

Is This Program Customizable?

One of the most important things to keep in mind when searching for a financial wellness speaker is the nature of the job your employees are performing. For instance, the mindset behind a financial presentation for a room full of tech entrepreneurs will be vastly different than for a group of firefighters. Ask yourself, what is my employees’ average pay? Is retirement realistic for them, or should they think about creating passive income? Are many of my employees putting kids through college, or saving to do so eventually? What kind of benefits do they receive? The answers to these questions will vary greatly depending on the line of work.

When choosing a financial wellness speaker, it is vital to ensure they have the ability to customize and tailor their information to your employees’ specific financial situations instead of offering blanket answers. For instance, I have conducted financial wellness programs in a variety of corporate environments, and structure my programs around the specific company and employees I’m working with.

Is your company a startup atmosphere in a large city, or a corporate office in a rural area? This is also important to keep in mind, as geographic location affects people’s financial needs, as well. A successful financial wellness speaker is readily able to adapt to different audiences within diverse workforces. Make sure the speaker you’re considering can put themselves in your employees’ shoes to understand where they’re at financially. Otherwise, their information won’t be relevant, wasting your employees’ time and your money.

Is This Speaker Certified and Qualified?

While this might sound like a no-brainer, it’s essential to check the corporate wellness speaker you’re considering has the right credentials and experience to back up their work. Especially when you are paying a premium price for their services. There are many certifications a financial coach can acquire. For instance, I am a certified Certified Financial Health Counselor, Certified Student Loan Counselor, and Accredited Financial Counselor ®, recognized by the National Association of Certified Credit Counselors, Institute for Financial Literacy, and the Center for Financial Literacy.

In addition to their certifications, it can be even more beneficial to ask for references or specific results their prior work had within similar corporate environments.

Providing financial guidance to employees can greatly improve their lives and help build a reputation that attracts and retains employees.

Aside from a higher bottom line, providing financial guidance to employees can greatly improve their lives and help build a reputation that attracts and retains employees. More and more employers are catching onto the benefits of financial wellness in the workplace, but in order to see real results, you must carefully consider the speaker and their program before bringing them into your organization.

Download your free Employer’s Guide to Financial Wellness.