Financial instability, job insecurity, and concerns about an uncertain future are top stressors negatively affecting employee mental health, according to a recent survey of 17,000 adults worldwide. These concerns—shared by 53% of respondents—are contributing to record levels of mental health challenges, especially among young adults.
In fact, an alarming 44% of young adults say they’re struggling with their mental health, and 42% have taken sick leave for mental health reasons. With inflation and the cost of living expected to rise, stress and anxiousness could be on the rise, too.
Quick takeaway for organizations: Employees often need both practical benefits guidance (what’s available and where to start) and day-to-day tools that help them manage the emotions that can come with money pressure, especially between appointments or alongside existing resources.
Navigating emotions around money
Employees aren’t just trying to navigate their finances in uncertain times. They’re trying to navigate the negative thoughts and emotions—including embarrassment, jealousy, and shame—that often go hand-in-hand with financial pressure and stigma. In many organizations, these are everyday workplace stress factors that can affect focus, sleep, and overall well-being.
Calm series supports employees struggling with financial stress
To help employees get in the mindset to move toward financial wellness, Calm has launched Navigating Financial Stress, a series developed in consultation with independent Certified Financial Planner Kelley C. Long, CPA/PFS, CFP®. Long has more than 20 years of experience in the financial services industry and is an independent financial coach and workplace financial wellness consultant. The series is designed for ongoing employee financial stress and is available in both the Calm Health and Calm apps.
Navigating Financial Stress uses mindfulness tools to address the challenging thoughts and emotions that arise around finances. The goal is to help listeners alleviate their anxiety related to money, reframe uncertainty, and gain clarity and confidence, ultimately helping them improve their relationships with money and themselves. n practical terms, the program supports emotional regulation and mindset shifts that can make day-to-day financial decisions feel more manageable.
Narrated by Long, the program focuses on a shift in mindset, which for many people is the most important step in moving toward financial wellness. For strategies and tips to help employees manage their finances more effectively, watch Calm’s on-demand webinar, Tackling Employee Financial Stress at Your Organization.
The six sessions in Navigating Financial Stress
Money Stories
Kelley guides listeners to explore their beliefs about money. She helps them discover their “money stories”—deeply held, subconscious beliefs that are holding them back—and then release their mental blocks. This can be especially helpful for employees who feel stuck in cycles of financial insecurity or persistent worry.
Comparison
When it comes to money, we compare ourselves to others, to previous generations, and to our own expectations. Kelley unpacks all three types of comparisons and helps listeners refocus their attention in a more supportive way.
Stigma
It’s common to bottle up emotions related to a tough financial situation, because there’s a ton of stigma attached to sharing one’s anxieties, fears, and uncertainties around money. Kelley helps listeners break through the stigma and find safe spaces to share, helping relieve feelings of anxiousness and being alone. Reducing stigma can also make it easier for employees to use available support (benefits, EAP, or financial coaching) earlier.
Control What You Can
Concerns about money can quickly spiral into overwhelming fear and anxiety, but it’s possible to reframe one’s mindset. Kelley walks listeners through an exercise to get to the root of their fears, regain perspective, and focus on what they can control. This is a useful skill when employee financial stress is driven by uncertainty (e.g., inflation, debt, caregiving costs, or job instability).
Shame, Guilt, and Self-Judgment
Money can trigger all sorts of emotions but perhaps the most common feelings are guilt, shame, and self-judgment. In this session, she walks listeners through a practice of self-compassion to help them let go of preconceptions and biases and move past the emotions that keep them stuck.
Mindful Money Habits
We make financial decisions every day, and sometimes we’re acting out of habit rather than intention. Kelley helps listeners become aware of what they do with money every day as well as why and how, so that they can become a little more mindful in their actions.
Employers are focused on addressing financial stress
Calm’s research found that two-thirds of HR/benefits leaders recognize the impact of financial stress on their employees’ mental health. More than three-quarters of HR/Benefits leaders said they want to address employee financial stress in the next two years. More than three-quarters of HR/Benefits leaders said they want to address financial stress in the next two years. A great first step is supporting employees in combating negative emotions around money so they can move in the direction of financial wellness. For organizations, this can work best when resources are easy to find, clearly positioned alongside existing benefits, and reinforced through simple “where to start” guidance.
What this means for organizations:
- Name the problem clearly: normalize conversations about money as a common driver of stress, without stigma.
- Reduce navigation friction: clarify which benefits address budgeting help, debt, emergency support, and emotional well-being.
- Offer day-to-day tools employees can use privately for stress, sleep, and emotional regulation, particularly during high-cost periods.
FAQ: Financial stress and workplace stress factors
How does financial stress show up at work?
It can show up as distraction, sleep disruption, anxiousness, or reduced confidence, especially when employees feel uncertainty about bills, debt, or job security.
What are common workplace stress factors linked to money worries?
Common factors can include cost-of-living pressure, unexpected expenses, job insecurity, and stigma that keeps employees from seeking help or using benefits.
What can organizations do to improve support?
Many start by improving benefit communication and navigation (clear entry points), then add practical resources employees can use in the moment—alongside pathways to additional support when needed.
