Money & wellbeing | Financial stress hits productivity as workers struggle to understand benefits

Money worries are following UK employees into the working day, with younger workers, parents and those supporting family members facing particular pressure.

Research from TELUS Health suggests these concerns are affecting both attendance and performance. Its latest Mental Health Index found that 17% of workers said their personal financial situation had negatively affected their productivity, while 3% had missed work entirely because of financial stress.

Alongside these pressures, the findings reveal a gap in employees’ understanding of the benefits they already use. Among workers contributing to a workplace retirement or savings programme, 62% do not have a strong understanding of how it works.

“Financial strain is showing up both in people’s mental health and in their ability to work effectively,” said Paula Allen, Global Leader of Research and Insights at TELUS Health.