Part 6: Navigating Employee Financial Stress – Shareholder Pressure Increases

Chapter 6: Shareholder Pressure Increases

Before you start, have you read the previous chapters?

Chapter 2: A Tough Meeting with Leadership

Chapter 3: A Heart-to-Heart with Employees

Chapter 5: The Breaking Point – A Key Employee Resigns

The conference room was tense. The shareholders sat around the long table, their faces tight with concern. Some flipped through reports, others scrolled through their tablets, and a few just stared at me, waiting for answers.

“Here we go!” I thought.

“We need to talk about the numbers,” Robert, one of our more vocal investors, said, breaking the silence. “Productivity is still down, absenteeism is up, and now we’re seeing an increase in employee turnover. That’s a dangerous trend.”

I clasped my hands on the table, keeping my expression steady. “I agree. Employee morale is low, and financial stress is a major factor. We need to address it if we want to see an improvement.”

Linda, another shareholder, frowned. “We’re running a business, not a charity. We pay competitive wages. If employees are struggling financially, that’s their personal responsibility.”

I exhaled slowly, choosing my words carefully. “With all due respect, ignoring this isn’t an option. Financial stress doesn’t just stay at home. It follows people to work. It’s affecting productivity, customer service, and retention. If we keep losing good employees like Marcus, we’ll end up with bigger problems.”

A murmur spread through the room at the mention of Marcus. He had been well-liked, known for his reliability, dedication and skill. His resignation had sent a ripple of concern through leadership.

“So what’s your solution?” Robert asked.

I pulled up a slide on the screen. “I’ve been working on a few initiatives. First, a financial wellness program featuring workshops, money management resources, and access to financial coaches.”

“It’s a small investment that could help employees feel more in control of their money. It will lower employee financial stress, decrease absenteeism and increase productivity”

I clicked to the next slide.

“Second, a more flexible scheduling system. Many employees are working second jobs just to stay afloat. If we give them more control over their hours, they might not have to stretch themselves so thin.”

Robert leaned back in his chair, skeptical. “And how does that help the company’s bottom line?”

I met his gaze. “Engaged employees work harder, call out less, and stay with us longer. High turnover is expensive. Hiring and training replacements costs far more than investing in retention.”

Silence. Some shareholders exchanged glances.

Finally, Linda sighed. “Let’s say we support this. What’s the cost?”

I flipped to the final slide. “Minimal. The financial wellness program solutions range in pricing and I found several within our budget. Scheduling changes are an operational shift, not a financial one. If anything, reducing turnover will save us money in the long run.”

More silence. Then, Robert nodded. “Fine. We’ll approve a small-scale test. But we expect results.”

I nodded, keeping my relief in check.

Results. I could deliver that.

Because doing nothing? That was no longer an option. Now, to set up the test.

Employees are more stressed than ever. This already has or will negatively impact your numbers. We have something that will help. Check out our digital financial wellness platform, WISE Pocket of Money.

Users take advantage of our unique cash flow and cash balance forecast to make clever money decisions to expedite financial goals.

Stay tuned for the next chapter to see what this CEO does next. Chapter seven is coming up.