How to Design a Financial Wellness Program Employees Actually Use
There’s a growing consensus that financial wellness matters — for retention, productivity, and overall well-being. But for many employers, there’s still a gap between intent and impact.
Programs get launched, content gets published, logins are issued... and then, engagement stalls.
The issue isn’t that employees don’t care about their finances.
It’s that too many financial wellness programs aren’t actually built for how people live and work.
Why engagement falls flat
Here’s what we’ve seen — and what your team has probably experienced firsthand:
Employees are overwhelmed with options, links, and portals
Content feels generic or overly complex
It’s unclear where to start or what’s “for them”
There’s no personal guidance when life gets messy
Tools exist, but they’re hard to find — buried under logins or scattered across vendors
The result?
A benefit with good intentions, but little uptake — and even less impact.
What effective financial wellness programs do differently
The companies seeing real engagement aren’t offering more — they’re offering the right support, delivered the right way.
Here’s what that looks like:
1. Start with personalization
Financial planning is personal. A recent grad, a single parent, and a mid-career employee managing elder care all need different things. A useful program helps them set goals that matter to them — not just push content.
2. Offer real human guidance
Webinars and dashboards have their place. But when someone is stressed, confused, or stuck, they need a person. That’s why 1:1 access to a real financial planner can be a game changer — and a trust builder.
3. Make it actionable, not just educational
Employees don’t need another glossary. They need to know: “What do I do next?”
Good programs help them take steps — like building an emergency fund, paying off a credit card, or planning for leave — with tools that make it doable.
4. Integrate it with your existing benefits
Don’t treat financial wellness as an isolated initiative. Connect it to what you already offer — 401(k) matching, HSAs, tuition support — so employees see the value across the whole system.
5. Keep it simple
No one needs another platform that’s hard to navigate. One login. One hub. One experience that meets people where they are. That’s where usage happens.
If it’s not designed for real life, it won’t get used
That’s why Rolan Wealth exists — to help employers offer financial wellness that’s actually useful. We combine intuitive digital tools with real planners employees can talk to — so they can move from stress to progress.
We help you design a program that gets used, not ignored.
Want to launch something your employees will actually use — and appreciate?
Let’s talk: info@rolanwealth.com
