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Global Employer Insights Survey: Health and Wellbeing

Do employers care about employee financial wellbeing?

Optum wanted to find out more about the importance of employee financial health in health and wellbeing (H&W) strategy, so we surveyed 347 global employers to ask them. 

What aspects of employees’ wellbeing do you feel your company’s H&W strategy addresses?

Financial health is catching up with other aspects of wellbeing as far as inclusion in H&W strategy. Employers saw the biggest change in that area between 2021 and 2022. 

Graph showing H&W strategy focus changes in 4 key areas in 2021 and 2022.  Graph showing H&W strategy focus changes in 4 key areas in 2021 and 2022.

In 2021 and 2022, employers told us whether they address 4 key areas of H&W programmes: physical health went up 5%, from 63% in 2021 to 68% in 2022; social health went up 3%, from 62% in 2021 to 65% in 2022; mental health stayed the same, 60% in 2021 and 2022; and financial health went up 6%, from 53% in 2021 to 59% in 2022. 

How likely is it that your company’s H&W strategy will address wellbeing aspects in the future? 

Global employers say they’re likely to address social health, physical health and behavioural/mental health in their future H&W strategy.

Graphs showing how likely 3 key areas will be part of future H&W strategies.  Graphs showing how likely 3 key areas will be part of future H&W strategies.

In 2021, 26% of companies said they were “extremely likely” to address social health while 48% said “very likely,” for a total of 74%. In 2022, 43% said they were “extremely likely” to address social health while 41% said “very likely,” for a total of 84%. For physical health, 36% of companies said they were “extremely likely” to address it while 45% said “very likely,” for a total of 81%. In 2022, 37% said they were “extremely likely” to address physical health while 47% said “very likely,” for a total of 84%. For behavioural/mental health, 40% of employers said they were “extremely likely” to address it, while 39% said “very likely,” for a total of 79%. In 2022, 36% said they were “extremely likely” to address behavioural/mental health, while 48% said “very likely,” for a total of 84%. 

The likelihood that employee financial health will be addressed by their H&W strategy is ranked higher by companies in the LATAM region compared to EMEA and APAC.

Graphs showing how likely financial health will be addressed by future H&W strategies.  Graphs showing how likely financial health will be addressed by future H&W strategies.

On 2021, 36% of employers said they were “extremely likely” to address financial health, while 34% said “very likely,” for a total of 70%. In 2022, 31% said they were “extremely likely” to address it, while 34% said “very likely,” for a total of 65%. In 2022, 36% of APAC employers were “extremely likely” to address financial health in the future while 29% said “very likely,” for a total of 65%. In EMEA, 29% of employers said they were “extremely likely” to address it, while 29% also said “very likely,” for a total of 58%. In LATAM, 31% said “extremely likely,” while 47% said they were “very likely” to address it, for a total of 78%. 

How does your company allocate financial resources in support of its H&W strategy and in which areas?

Global companies allocate about the same percentage of resources to H&W strategies overall and across 4 key H&W areas. They allocate about a quarter of their H&W budget towards each of those areas.

Graph showing how employers allocate resources to H&W strategy overall and in 4 key areas. Graph showing how employers allocate resources to H&W strategy overall and in 4 key areas.

In 2022, 60% of global employers said they invest in employee physical health and spend 26% of their overall H&W budget in that area. For social health, 60% of employers said they invest in that area, 24% of their overall H&W spending. For financial health, 59% said they invest in that area, 25% of their H&W spending. For mental health, 59% said they allocated resources to that area, 23% of their H&W spending. 

Employers in the LATAM region are less likely to spend their H&W budget on employee financial health. 

Graph showing percentage of H&W resources spent on financial health across 3 global regions. Graph showing percentage of H&W resources spent on financial health across 3 global regions.

In APAC, 67% of employers said they invest in financial health, 27% of their H&W budget. In EMEA, 62% said they invest in financial health, 28% of their H&W budget. In LATAM, 47% said they invested in financial health, 18% of their overall H&W spending. 

The biggest challenge is maintaining financial health these days and for all of us in general.

— Employer in Brazil

When it comes to financial health, in what areas do your employees need the most help? 

“Planning/budgeting” has overtaken “saving for retirement” as the financial health area where companies believe employees need the most help.

Graph showing 2 key H&W areas ranked from 2020 through 2022. Graph showing 2 key H&W areas ranked from 2020 through 2022.

In 2020, 22% of global employers said “planning/budgeting” was the area employees needed the most help while 20% said that in 2021 and 28% in 2022. In 2020, 28% said “saving for retirement” was the area employees needed the most help while 24% said that in 2021 and 20% in 2022. 


Where does financial health fall within your H&W strategic priorities? 

Optum can help. We’re on a mission to create a healthier world.  At Optum, we understand that corporate success starts with a healthy workforce. Our integrated health solutions, including our global Employee Assistance Programme, help advance your health and wellbeing strategy to build a culture of health within your organisation. 

Learn more at optum.com/globalemployers.


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Survey methodology

  • 347 international employers located in APAC, EMEA or LATAM regions
  • Global companies with 3,000+ employees
  • Decision-makers in human resources, executive, management or administrative roles
  • Surveys administered online from 7 April to 5 May 2022
Graph showing H&W strategy focus changes in 4 key areas in 2021 and 2022.  Graph showing H&W strategy focus changes in 4 key areas in 2021 and 2022.
Graph showing H&W strategy focus changes in 4 key areas in 2021 and 2022.  Graph showing H&W strategy focus changes in 4 key areas in 2021 and 2022.
Graph showing H&W strategy focus changes in 4 key areas in 2021 and 2022.  Graph showing H&W strategy focus changes in 4 key areas in 2021 and 2022.