Woman calculating something at her desk with a laptop in the office
Finance & Law
18.07.2025 Sabrina Ludwig 782

Financial wellbeing for employees - why is it important?

Financial health is more than just a good salary. If you help your employees to better understand and plan their own money management, you are investing directly in motivation, satisfaction and loyalty. Because money worries make you ill - and unproductive. Companies that actively promote financial wellbeing create real added value for their team - and strengthen their employer brand at the same time.

Financial wellbeing for employees: Why is it important? 

The term "financial wellbeing" refers to a person's ability to meet their financial obligations, reduce debt and achieve future goals - whether in the near or distant future - financially. 

Companies can increase the financial wellbeing of their employees by paying a fair salary, offering company pension insurance, or providing access to information or webinars that offer guidance and decision-making aids on financial topics. 

"From our consultations, we know that most of the financial worries of employees are due to the fact that many do not know their financial situation exactly and therefore cannot plan well for the present - and certainly not for the future."
Manuela Sontheimer, income and budget consultant, pme Familienservice

Employers who actively look after the financial health of their workforce benefit on several levels:  

  • Employee satisfaction and loyalty can be increased
  • motivation is promoted
  • employee turnover can be reduced.

It can also have a positive impact on the company's image, which in turn makes it more attractive to new talent. Financial wellbeing is therefore a win-win situation: for companies and employees. 

Impact of financial problems on the well-being of employees

When employees struggle with financial difficulties, it often has a serious impact on their performance and well-being. A financially stressed employee may be less focused, distracted or unmotivated, which affects the quality and efficiency of their work. 

In its annual Stress in America report , the American Psychological Association (APA) has repeatedly found that financial worries are one of the biggest sources of stress for adults. In the 2015 study, 64 percent of Americans reported that money is a significant source of stress for them, especially for parents and younger adults.

7 main types of stress caused by financial difficulties 

Here are the 7 main types of stress highlighted in this study: 

1. chronic stress 

Financial worries often lead to long-term, chronic stress, as the feeling of being constantly confronted with money problems is a constant burden.  

2. fear and worry 

A common stress factor in this study was anxiety about the future, particularly about financial security. Many people worried about their retirement savings, whether they would be able to pay bills or how they would cover future expenses (such as medical costs or debt). 

This fear of the future leads to constant worry and a feeling of helplessness, as financial problems are perceived as difficult to solve.

3. sleep disorders 

One of the most common physical stress symptoms associated with financial worries is sleep disturbance. 44 percent of adults in the study said that stress due to financial worries keeps them awake at night. Lack of sleep increases stress and can lead to a variety of health problems, including poor concentration, anxiety and depression. 

4. stress due to job insecurity 

Younger adults and parents in particular reported job stress related to uncertainty about their job or source of income. The pressure to remain financially stable and earn a living can lead to job burnout, which manifests itself in fatigue, frustration and a drop in performance. 

5. physical health 

Physical symptoms are also an important stress factor. The physical effects of financial stress include headaches, stomach problems, high blood pressure and increased risk of cardiovascular disease. These physical symptoms are both a consequence of stress and an additional health factor that can further exacerbate financial stress. 

6. relationship stress 

Financial worries often put a strain on interpersonal relationships, especially partnerships. The study shows that many people experience financial burdens as relationship stress, as money problems can lead to conflicts and put a strain on emotional closeness and communication between partners. 

7. depression and anxiety 

Persistent financial stress contributes to the development of depression and anxiety disorders. The study points out that many people struggling with financial worries feel a loss of control over their financial situation, which increases feelings of helplessness and increases the risk of depressive episodes. 

How can employers support employees with financial difficulties?

If, for example, you as an employer learn of an employee's financial burden through a wage garnishment, you should take this as an opportunity to actively offer support - or at least provide confidential information on who the person concerned can turn to. The earlier you provide support, the easier it is to avert negative consequences.

Getting out of debt is often challenging, but not hopeless. There are various approaches - such as drawing up a budget, negotiating with creditors, debt restructuring or, as a final step, personal insolvency. Professional debt counseling as part of EAP employee counseling, for example, offers valuable support and guidance.

 

EAP employee counseling in all situations - since 1992!

On behalf of more than 1,400 employers, the pme Familienservice Group supports employees in achieving a successful work-life balance and being able to work with a clear head. 

We support working people in crises, e.g. financial difficulties, conflicts at work, addiction or partnership problems or when it comes to care and childcare.

EAP employee counseling

zero Post-stress syndrome: sick as soon as vacation arrives

A young man sits by the pool with a blanket wrapped around him and blows his nose
Psyche
20.06.2025 Kerstin Altrock 37058

Avoid post-stress syndrome on vacation: Here's how!

The summer vacations are just around the corner and then this: migraines, infections, stomach problems. As soon as you've packed your suitcase, you're already lying flat and your vacation is over before it's even begun. Post-stress syndrome - also known as leisure sickness syndrome - strikes stressed people whenever they switch into recovery mode.

At a glance: 

Post-stress syndrome often occurs when people under stress go on vacation and suddenly fall ill. Researchers at the University of Trier have found that people with high stress levels are particularly affected, which manifests itself in symptoms such as migraines, infections or stomach problems. The lack of noradrenaline during recovery is one possible cause.

According to a recent study by IU University, it can be directly linked to stress in everyday working life.

Strategies for coping include good stress management and regular exercise before going on vacation. A test called "Neuropattern" can help to determine the individual risk and take appropriate measures.

 

While others are well rested and tanned and talking about their vacation adventures, have you spent most of your time in bed? "Why does this always happen to me?" you ask yourself. In fact, it's usually the same people who regularly fall ill when their vacation is just around the corner.

This was discovered by a group of researchers from the University of Trier. They surveyed around 1,500 healthy test subjects and patients with acute physical or mental illnesses. The result: healthy people with little stress only very rarely suffer from post-stress symptoms (2.3 percent). In the mentally ill test subjects, the symptoms occurred in 20 to 35 percent.

Leisure sickness: high work pressure puts a strain on many

The phenomenon of "leisure sickness" or post-stress syndrome is not a recognized illness, but it is more than just a figment of the imagination. According to Prof. Dr. Stefanie André, an expert in health management at IU International University, it can be directly linked to stress in everyday working life.

In the representative study "Leisure Sickness: Exhausted instead of recovered" (2025), 1.9 percent of employees report so-called leisure sickness - i.e. physical complaints such as exhaustion or symptoms of illness that occur on days off or on vacation.

The results of the IU study clearly show what is bothering many employees:

  • High working pressure (33.7 %)
  • Lack of support from superiors and colleagues (30.0%)
  • Unclear distribution of tasks (23.4 %)
  • Unbalanced work-life balance (20.8 %)
  • Imprecise tasks (20.8 %)
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In addition, long working hours (17.3%) increase the risk of the body rebelling at precisely the time when rest is actually needed - for example at the weekend or on vacation.

Stressed people fall ill four times as often

The most common complaints include tiredness or exhaustion, sleep problems, irritability, headaches and cold symptoms.

The test subjects who most urgently needed a vacation and rest were most likely to suffer from post-stress symptoms, say the Trier scientists. The risk of falling ill on vacation has been four times higher for people under a lot of stress than for people who are not stressed.

Why are you always sick when you go on vacation?

The scientists also investigated why these symptoms break out during the recovery phases.

Professor Dirk Hellhammer from the University of Trier explains:

"Stress mobilizes the neurotransmitter noradrenaline particularly strongly in our central and autonomic nervous system. If the demands are particularly intense and long-lasting, the consumption of noradrenaline exceeds the synthesis of new noradrenaline. During periods of rest, too little noradrenaline is then released, leading to a disturbance in the balance of functions in the nervous and immune systems, which causes post-stress symptoms."

Ways out of post-stress syndrome

95.5 percent of respondents say that leisure time is a useful break from the stress of work (IU study). Only 4 out of 10 employees in Germany stated that they are unable to find the necessary relaxation in their free time . 

Employers are also in demand here: according to the IU study, 63.6 percent of those surveyed would like more support from their company - for example through health offers or flexible break arrangements.

Well thought-out stress and break management can also help.

Relaxation exercises provide support, as do avoiding stress factors and good time management.

Plan small exercise sessions before your vacation

However, the best stress killer is still exercise. However, it's too late to start relaxing on vacation. It's best to incorporate small units of exercise into your daily routine weeks in advance and, for example, walk around the block during your lunch break. Exercising for 30 minutes three times a week should noticeably reduce our stress levels.

Test: Am I affected by post-stress syndrome?

Anyone who wants to know exactly whether they are suffering from post-stress symptoms can have this reliably measured using a diagnostic procedure ("neuropattern") developed by the Trier scientists. If such symptoms and complaints are detectable, a combination of medication and dietary supplements with stress and break management can be helpful.
 

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