Although financial challenges may result from turbulent market conditions, they can arise anytime. In fact, many Americans face frequent financial strain. Rising inflation, costly home and health insurance, student loan debt, and expenses associated with childcare and elder care can all take a toll on Americans’ financial well-being. Those experiencing financial hardship may also struggle to put aside emergency savings, making it more difficult to readily bounce back from even a modest financial shock.
Beyond experiencing personal stress, individuals with low financial resilience often bring those worries into the workplace. This can impact U.S. businesses in significant ways.
Understanding the Business Cost of Low Resilience
Financial challenges have a way of pervading people’s lives. For instance, employees under financial strain may have difficulty sleeping or be more prone to anxiety, a combination that can lead to physical and mental health issues—resulting in higher absenteeism and health care costs.
These worries may also affect their job satisfaction, making them more prone to look for a higher-paying job. With the cost of recruiting a replacement, plus the time spent training and educating a new employee, the expenses caused by high turnover can add up.
At the same time, employees with low financial resilience may find themselves more distracted at work. Beyond reducing employee productivity, this can raise the risk of workplace accidents. Put another way: Worrying about money means an employee may be unable to perform at their highest potential. And that has consequences for employers.