The evolution of workplace wellness: Will financial wellbeing finally take centre stage in 2024?

In 2008, as a Summer English Teacher, Luca Caruana vividly recalls the excitement of receiving his first pay check—€465.66, a figure etched in his memory.

Back then, his primary focus for job satisfaction was, like many others, on salary, with meticulous comparisons of hourly rates across various English schools. Fast forward to 2024, and the employment landscape has undergone a transformation, shifting from a singular emphasis on pay to a broader consideration of work conditions and employee wellbeing.

In recent years, workplace wellbeing has evolved into a crucial aspect of attracting and retaining top talent. Wellbeing programs, ranging from mental health initiatives to health promotion, have become essential components of a company's strategy to foster a positive work environment. However, amid these progressive measures, one critical dimension has been largely overlooked—Financial Wellbeing.

“But where does Financial Wellbeing factor in all of this? You guessed it – nowhere,” writes Luca.

Surprisingly, financial management, behavioural finance, and saving & investing have not received the attention they deserve in workplace wellness programs, he asserts. A staggering 57 per cent of workers are grappling with financial stress, impacting their overall performance on the job, according to PwC’s 2023 Financial Wellness Survey.

Luca predicts that within the next five years, financial wellbeing will emerge as a cornerstone in every company's wellness program. Leading nations such as the UK, USA, and Australia, he adds, have already begun integrating financial wellness initiatives to address the growing concerns of their workforce.

“Workers are not staying at a firm for only the pay, anymore. Things like work conditions and innovative wellness programs matter,” Luca adds, who has recently made a name for himself locally as the Money Coach, providing advice, tips and solutions for anybody looking to improve their own financial wellbeing, at whatever stage of their lives.