How to Set Financial Wellness Goals for 2025

As 2025 approaches, companies are waking up to the fact that financial wellness is no longer a "nice-to-have" but a must. With 70% of employees saying financial stress affects their work, HR leaders are realizing that old-school benefits just aren’t cutting it anymore. What’s the solution? Setting clear, actionable financial wellness goals.

In this guide, we'll break down why financial wellness needs to be a priority, how to set goals that truly make a difference, and what you can do to build a program that creates a lasting impact in 2025.

**Why Financial Wellness Should Be a Priority in 2025**

Financial stress is at an all-time high: Employees distracted by money concerns are 5x more likely to be disengaged at work and 2x more likely to seek new jobs. This means that money stress is not just a personal problem, it’s a core business problem that HR teams need to address.
HR teams are seeing the ROI of financial wellness: Companies with financial wellness programs experience higher retention, greater benefits engagement, and increased productivity.

Step 1: Integrate Financial Wellness Into Your HR Strategy

A successful financial wellness program isn’t just a “nice-to-have” sidecar benefit of sorts—rather, it should be a foundational aspect of your HR strategy and at the core of your benefits packages.

Consider how financial wellness supports:

Retention: Employees who feel financially secure are 20% more likely to stay in their current roles.
Productivity: Reduced financial stress means employees focus more at work and take fewer sick days.
Benefits utilization: Employees engage more effectively with 401(k), HSA, and FSA programs when they receive financial education and planning support.

Pro tip: Review last year’s benefits utilization data to identify financial gaps—low 401(k) participation, lack of HSA usage, or high 401(k) loan requests may indicate employees need better financial guidance.

Step 2: Define Your Financial Wellness Goals

HR leaders should establish clear, measurable financial wellness goals for 2025.

Some examples of common goals include:

Goal Type

Example Financial Wellness Goal

Engagement

Increase financial wellness program participation by 30%.

Retention

Reduce voluntary turnover among financially stressed employees by 20%.

Utilization

Improve 401(k), HSA, and FSA participation rates by 15%.

Education

Ensure 80% of employees complete at least one financial literacy workshop.Step 3: Implement an Actionable Plan

Pro tip: Use employee surveys to identify financial stressors and build goals that address their most pressing concerns.

Once goals are set, HR teams need to build a structured financial wellness plan. Key components should include:

1. Personalized Financial Planning

Offer one-on-one sessions with Certified Financial Planners® to help employees navigate debt, investments, and savings goals.
Provide access to digital planning tools for budgeting, retirement projections, and tax optimization.

2. Targeted Financial Education

Host quarterly financial wellness workshops covering topics like debt management, investing, and estate planning.
Launch an on-demand learning portal with interactive financial content and resources.

3. Optimized Benefits Communication

Develop clear, engaging messaging around 401(k), HSA, and FSA benefits.
Create a benefits utilization campaign to encourage participation before open enrollment.

4. Measurable Outcomes & Reporting

Track employee participation, financial stress scores, and benefit utilization metrics.
Conduct pulse surveys every quarter to measure the program’s impact and make adjustments.