如何帮助员工摆脱经济压力？

    当你因为金钱感到不堪重负的时候，你会有怎样的表现？头痛？肠胃不舒服？还是夜不能寐？

    经济压力又会给你的工作带来什么影响？你或许会请一天假——美国大都会人寿保险公司（MetLife）2012年的研究显示，超过五分之一的员工表示，他们在此前一年曾经因为经济压力请假。或许你会心烦意乱——据普华永道会计师事务所（PriceWaterhouse Coopers）调查，有约三分之一的X一代会有这样的表现。（如果你也属于这种情况，你可能每周要花3个小时来考虑或解决这个问题。）

    这些情况对你而言当然不是好消息。对于雇主而言同样如此。因为经济问题（这是造成美国人压力最大的原因）而焦躁不安的员工，工作效率必然降低，积极性下降，不可能有好的工作表现；承担债务压力的美国人会出现背痛、抑郁、焦虑等症状。

    你应该明白我的意思。正因为如此，福利咨询公司怡安翰威特（Aon Hewitt）调查的400家大公司中，有四分之三表示，他们今年将更多地关注员工的财务健康。

    怡安翰威特退休研究总监罗布•奥斯丁表示：“2008年之后，员工的生活都非常艰难，雇主们也意识到这一点，但他们似乎认为，必须专注于核心业务。”现在的情况有所不同。市场已经复苏，并且在持续发展。但员工依旧没能摆脱伤害。

    奥斯丁表示：“他们依旧背负着401(k)贷款，也没有适当的储蓄。我们看到，从2008年以来，（退休计划的）储蓄率一直没有变化。这已经变成一种新的常态。因此，雇主们开始考虑：我们要如何帮助员工？”

    这也是消费者金融保护局（Consumer Financial Protection Bureau，CFPB）关注该问题的原因。上周，CFPB发布了一份综合性的《职场财务健康》（Financial Wellness at Work）报告。这份报告列举了帮助员工理财以提高员工敬业度的理由。何谓员工敬业度？按照人力资源领域的说法，它是指员工对工作满意，全身心投入公司发展，愿意付出额外努力帮助雇主取得成功。换言之，员工敬业度正是雇主最需要的东西。此外，帮助员工理财可能还有一个更大的好处。CFPB负责消费者教育及参与的副主任盖尔•希勒布兰德表示：“财务健康比身体健康的投入要少得多。”

    What happens when money stresses you out? Headaches? Stomach issues? Sleepless nights?

    What happens when money stresses you out at work? Maybe you take a day off, as more than one in five employees said they had done in the prior year, according to a 2012 study from MetLife. Or maybe you’re just plain distracted, as nearly one-third of Gen Xers are, according to research by PriceWaterhouse Coopers. (And if you are, you likely spend a good three hours a week either thinking about it or dealing with it.)

    None of these things are good news for you, of course. But they’re not good news for your employer either. A workforce stressed out by money (which is, by the way, the biggest cause of Americans’ stress) is less productive, less engaged, and less well; Americans who have stress brought on by being in debt have back pain, depression, anxiety.

    You get the idea. This is why three-quarters of the 400 large companies surveyed by benefits consulting firm Aon Hewitt said they’re planning to focus more on financial wellness this year.

    “After 2008, employees were really, really struggling and employers were recognizing this, but feeling like they had to concentrate on their core business,” says Rob Austin, director of retirement research at Aon Hewitt. The situation now is different. The market has not only come all the way back, it has kept on going. But employees are still hurting.

    “They’re still taking 401(k) loans, they’re not saving appropriately. We’re seeing somewhat flat savings rates [in retirement plans] from where we were in 2008,” Austin says. “It’s a bit of a new normal. So employers are starting to ask: How do we help?”

    It’s also why the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau is paying attention. Last week, the CFPB released acomprehensive report on Financial Wellness at Work. It lays out the case for helping employees manage their money as a way to improve employee engagement. What is that, exactly? It’s an HR euphemism for people who are satisfied with their jobs, committed to their companies and willing to go the extra mile to help their employers succeed. In other words, exactly what employers want. It also provides a potentially bigger bang for the buck. Notes Gail Hillebrand, CFPB associate director for consumer education and engagement: “Financial wellness is a lot cheaper than health wellness.”