Financial stress can take its toll in the workplace. Employees become distracted throughout the day as they worry and try to address personal financial concerns. The employees, however, aren’t the only ones suffering. Businesses are affected, too, as an individual’s job productivity often decreases.
Since Catholic Charities of Northeast Kansas has become a trusted resource for families to gain skills that help them understand their finances, reduce debt and build savings, the agency decided to take that expertise into the workplace. Cents@Work is a new financial wellness benefit program for employers.
Cents@Work is a contractual program that works as an added benefit to companies’ existing employee services. “We address distracting financial concerns by providing on-site financial stabilization support,” explains Amelia Reyes, MSW, Senior Director of Asset Development.
Employees have the opportunity to attend a series of financial education classes conveniently held in the workplace. The classes help them understand how to eliminate debt and budget for the future. In addition, Cents@Work provides one-on-one coaching to help employees stay on track with their budget and develop an individual goal plan; tax preparation support; payroll deducted small dollar loans through a third party credit union; and enrollment in the Kansas Loan Pool Project (KLPP) for those with outstanding predatory loan debt.
“Through this program, employers are able to provide a built-in referral source connecting their people to a network of resources that intervene in circumstances which can disrupt work focus and may lead to turnover,” adds Reyes.
To learn more, contact Amelia Reyes by email: [email protected] or call 913.433.2089.