Wellbeing will not be fixed with perks. It starts with tackling financial stress

By Ray Law, founder of moneyappi and member of The Well Crowd

For years, workplace wellbeing has been shaped by good intentions and visible gestures. Yoga sessions. Free fruit. Posters encouraging mindfulness. While these initiatives can play a role, they rarely address the deeper pressures employees carry into work every day.

Research from the Institution of Occupational Safety and Health highlights a growing consensus across the sector. Organisations must move beyond lifestyle perks and focus on the underlying causes of stress within the workplace. The research emphasises prevention and structural change rather than surface level interventions.

Financial insecurity is one of the most significant and often overlooked drivers of workplace anxiety. Wellbeing strategies that fail to consider money pressures risk treating symptoms without addressing the root cause.

Wellbeing thinking is shifting towards prevention

Across the profession, there is increasing recognition that wellbeing cannot be delivered through isolated initiatives. It must be embedded into leadership decisions, organisational culture, and everyday working practices.

The occupational health research points to a disconnect between the growth of wellbeing programmes and the continued rise in stress-related challenges. Reactive solutions may provide temporary relief, but they cannot resolve the structural issues that generate stress.

Prevention requires understanding how work design, organisational expectations, and financial pressures interact. Ignoring financial wellbeing limits the effectiveness of even the most carefully designed programmes.

Financial stress is part of the workplace experience

Money worries do not disappear when the working day begins. Concerns about rent, debt, and rising living costs influence concentration, sleep, and overall mental health. Financial stress often compounds other pressures such as workload or caring responsibilities.

Despite this, financial wellbeing is frequently positioned as a personal issue rather than a workplace responsibility. The occupational health perspective challenges that view by highlighting the broader risks affecting employee health.

Pay structures, benefits design, and access to proactive support all influence how employees experience financial stability. When these factors are overlooked, wellbeing strategies risk feeling disconnected from the realities of the workforce.

Coping strategies cannot replace structural change

Mental health awareness initiatives and resilience training are valuable. But when they become the primary response to stress, responsibility can unintentionally shift onto individuals rather than systems.

The research emphasises the importance of removing or reducing workplace stressors wherever possible. Financial insecurity is one of those stressors. Encouraging employees to manage anxiety without addressing underlying pressures is unlikely to deliver long-term change.

A prevention-focused approach equips people with practical support before challenges escalate. Financial education, early intervention, and accessible guidance can reduce stress in ways that reactive programmes alone cannot.

Real wellbeing reflects real life

Wellbeing is most effective when it reflects the lived experience of employees. Strategies that acknowledge financial pressures alongside mental health and work design are more likely to feel relevant and credible.

Embedding financial wellbeing into organisational thinking ensures that support is proactive rather than reactive, and that conversations about stress are open rather than stigmatised. This is in line with the preventative approach advocated by occupational health research.

Moving towards meaningful wellbeing

The sector is evolving. Organisations are beginning to shift from visible gestures towards deeper cultural and structural change. Examining the factors that influence stress and embedding wellbeing into everyday decision making is now seen as essential.

Financial insecurity remains one of the most significant pressures affecting employees. Addressing it requires honest reflection and a commitment to prevention rather than symbolic initiatives. Workplace wellbeing will only improve when organisations engage with the realities employees face and design systems that reduce stress at its source.

Disclaimer: The views expressed in this opinion piece are those of the author and do not necessarily reflect the views of The Well Crowd. This content is for information and discussion purposes only and should not be taken as medical, health, or professional advice.