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Financial Wellness: 15 Examples in the Workplace

Financial Wellness: 15 Examples in the Workplace

Financial Wellness

May 8, 2022

September 1, 2026

Written by:

Content Team

Tapcheck

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In this blog
  • • Financial wellness programs are employer-sponsored benefits that support employees' financial health beyond a regular paycheck
  • • This guide covers 15 examples, including retirement plans, earned wage access, student debt assistance, and financial counseling
  • • Programs like these are linked to lower financial stress, stronger retention, and higher employee productivity

Financial wellness programs are employer-sponsored benefits designed to support employees' financial health beyond a regular paycheck. They range from retirement matching and earned wage access to student debt assistance and one-on-one financial counseling, and they're increasingly treated as a core part of the total benefits package rather than a nice-to-have.

Why financial wellness in the workplace matters: aside from the priceless peace of mind that a strong financial wellness benefit provides, employees who feel financially supported by their employers are more productive, and therefore, more profitable. When employees spend less time worrying about money, they have more time to focus on work, which helps the company's bottom line and reduces the turnover costs tied to financial stress.

Financial Wellness Ideas for Employees

To help you build out a financial wellness package that fits your workforce, here are 15 employee financial wellness programs, benefits, and incentives that support different aspects of your team's financial lives:

Retirement plan

SHRM's 2026 Employee Benefits Survey found that 82% of employers rate retirement savings and planning benefits as "very" or "extremely" important to their workforce, placing retirement second only to health care among all benefit types. A retirement plan benefit gives employees a long-term financial wellness incentive and signals that the company is invested in their future, not just their current paycheck.

Life insurance

Because life is unpredictable and employees care about the wellbeing of not only themselves but also their families, life insurance is another financial wellness benefit worth considering for your program.

Earned wage access

The stress of covering an unexpected expense can be overwhelming for employees, especially when their only option is a payday loan or a maxed-out credit card. Earned wage access is a workplace financial wellness benefit that lessens this stress by giving employees the ability to transfer wages they've already earned before payday, without borrowing or taking on debt. Done right, it's also payroll-native: earned wage access can settle as a normal payroll deduction with automatic reconciliation, so it adds a financial wellness benefit without adding work for your payroll team.

Stock options

If your company is publicly traded, stock options can be an effective employee financial wellness incentive, giving your team a literal stake in the company's success and an added reason to stay engaged and productive.

Student debt assistance

Student loan debt is a pressing concern for employees at every experience level. Offering a program to help your team pay down student loans is one of the more visible employer-assisted financial wellness benefits you can add, and it shows employees you value their financial wellbeing, not just their output.

529 matching

529, or qualified tuition, plans are tuition accounts with tax benefits when used for qualified education expenses for a designated beneficiary. For employees with children, offering 529 matching as part of your financial wellness program is a meaningful way to invest in the employee's family, not just the employee.

Health savings account

Depending on your company's health plan, an HSA can be an effective piece of a broader financial wellbeing program, offsetting high-deductible plans and giving employees another lever to prioritize their health without derailing their finances.

Professional development stipend

Whether an employee wants to complete a degree or earn a certification, a professional development stipend is a financial wellness incentive that demonstrates your willingness to invest in their long-term growth. It also builds a more educated, more capable workforce.

Commuting assistance

Gas prices and vehicle maintenance add up fast for employees who commute daily. Commute-related costs can push good employees to look for work closer to home, so offering commuting assistance as part of your employee financial wellness program can improve retention.

Relocation assistance

If recruiting top talent matters to your company, consider offering relocation assistance to incoming employees. As a financial wellness benefit, it lessens the financial strain of moving and signals how much you value the people you're bringing on.

Home loan assistance

Although less common, home loan assistance can be a valuable financial wellness program for employees navigating other unexpected financial burdens, and it stands out as a differentiated benefit in a competitive labor market.

Caregiver support

Some employees carry at-home stress from caring for a dependent, such as a child or an aging relative. Offering paid caregiver days as part of your financial wellness offerings helps these employees manage that stress without falling behind financially.

Safety net funds

Most of the benefits on this list fit under the broad umbrella of a financial safety net, but a dedicated emergency fund employees can access directly gives them added peace of mind that they won't need to scramble for cash when something unexpected comes up.

Financial Education Resources

Offering employees resources to build their financial literacy is one of the lowest-cost, highest-reach financial wellness initiatives available. It empowers better day-to-day financial decisions and strengthens long-term financial wellbeing across the workforce.

Financial Counseling Sessions

In addition to financial education, one-on-one sessions with a financial counselor let employees customize their financial planning to their unique circumstances, rounding out a well-built financial wellness program.

There's no shortage of options when it comes to building a financial wellness program that fits your company and your employees. Whether you lean on retirement benefits, earned wage access, student debt support, or a combination of financial wellness incentives, showing employees you care about their financial wellbeing has proven downstream effects that benefit the whole organization, from stronger retention to higher productivity.

See how Tapcheck stacks up

Select a competitor. Tap any row to see the details.

Category
Tapcheck
DailyPay

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tapcheckTapcheck is payroll native. Advances settle as a line-item payroll deduction with automatic reconciliation built into the payroll run. It's visible on the pay stub and in the employer's payroll register. The paycheck is never intercepted or routed through a third party.
DailyPay DailyPay operates a payroll intercept model: before any paycheck reaches an employee, DailyPay takes control of the full payroll disbursement. They hold the employee's earned wages, distribute the advance amount they've already issued, and release the remainder to the employee.

Zero IT required. We configure everything from your existing data feeds — you enable data sharing through your platform settings and that's it. Most partners launch this way, in days, with no engineering resources.

tapcheckTapcheck's real-time payroll integration allows us to calculate earned wages with precision, including tax withholdings and deductions, which is why we can confidently offer employees up to 70% of net pay.
DailyPay DailyPay can offer up to 70%, but because their system doesn't calculate withholdings with the same precision, they often configure employers at 50% to hedge against overpayment risk.

Zero IT required. We configure everything from your existing data feeds — you enable data sharing through your platform settings and that's it. Most partners launch this way, in days, with no engineering resources.

tapcheckTapcheck has no limit on transfers per day or per pay period, so employees access their earned wages as many times as needed.
DailyPay DailyPay limits employees to 5 transfers per day. For employees with multiple smaller financial needs across a week, this daily cap can limit how they use the benefit.

Zero IT required. We configure everything from your existing data feeds — you enable data sharing through your platform settings and that's it. Most partners launch this way, in days, with no engineering resources.

tapcheckTapcheck works with any bank account, debit card, or the Tapcheck Mastercard. No direct deposit requirement and no new account needed, including for unbanked workers.
DailyPay DailyPay requires employees to have direct deposit set up to enroll, per DailyPay's own FAQ. In hospitality and QSR, 15-25% of the workforce may not have direct deposit configured, creating a meaningful enrollment barrier for the employees EWA is designed to serve.

Zero IT required. We configure everything from your existing data feeds — you enable data sharing through your platform settings and that's it. Most partners launch this way, in days, with no engineering resources.

tapcheckTapcheck is an ADP Marketplace Platinum Partner with 300+ payroll and timekeeping integrations, including particular depth in mid-market and healthcare systems (Viventium, Infor, Dayforce (Ceridian), iSolved, and Paycor) where DailyPay's coverage is thin or unconfirmed.
DailyPay DailyPay claims 180+ HCM, payroll, and time management integrations, but depth is thinner in the mid-market systems where Tapcheck is strongest.
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sources
  1. DailyPay — "How DailyPay Works" and FAQ (intercept model, direct deposit requirement). dailypay.com/faq‍
  2. DailyPay — Integration count (180+). dailypay.com/integrations
  3. DailyPay — Transfer limit (5 per day). DailyPay Manager's Guide
  4. Tapcheck — 300+ payroll integrations, ADP Marketplace Platinum Partner. tapcheck.com/marketplace
Category
Tapcheck
PayActiv

Zero IT required. We configure everything from your existing data feeds — you enable data sharing through your platform settings and that's it. Most partners launch this way, in days, with no engineering resources.

tapcheckTapcheck is payroll native. Advances settle as a line-item payroll deduction with automatic reconciliation built into the payroll run. It's visible on the pay stub and in the employer's payroll register. The paycheck is never intercepted or routed through a third party.
PayActivPayActiv also uses a payroll-deduction model. However, rather than using actual payroll withholdings data, PayActiv estimates net pay as 80-90% of gross depending on the employer configuration. This estimation approach introduces overpayment risk.

Zero IT required. We configure everything from your existing data feeds — you enable data sharing through your platform settings and that's it. Most partners launch this way, in days, with no engineering resources.

tapcheckTapcheck calculates access against net pay, the employee's actual take-home after taxes, up to 70% per pay period.
PayActivPayActiv estimates the accessible balance as 50% of estimated net pay, where net is approximated as 80-90% of gross rather than calculated from actual payroll data. Using their own example: an employee with $500 in gross earned wages would have an accessible balance of $225. Because the net figure is an estimate, the advance may not reflect actual take-home pay.

Zero IT required. We configure everything from your existing data feeds — you enable data sharing through your platform settings and that's it. Most partners launch this way, in days, with no engineering resources.

tapcheckTapcheck offers unlimited transfers within the pay period.
PayActivPayActiv caps total EWA transfers at $500 per pay period. A single unexpected car repair can easily exceed that ceiling, leaving employees unable to access any remaining earned wages for the rest of the pay period.

Zero IT required. We configure everything from your existing data feeds — you enable data sharing through your platform settings and that's it. Most partners launch this way, in days, with no engineering resources.

tapcheckTapcheck is an ADP Marketplace Platinum Partner with approximately 300 integrations, including particular depth in Infor, Viventium, iSolved, Dayforce/Ceridian, and vertical-specific healthcare, staffing, and senior living systems where PayActiv's coverage is limited.
PayActivPayActiv is an ADP Marketplace Platinum Partner and integrates with Paychex, Paycor, UKG, and SAP SuccessFactors. Strong across major enterprise payroll platforms. Mid-market and vertical-specific system depth is less documented.
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sources
  1. PayActiv — Estimated net pay methodology (80–90% of gross). payactiv.com/trust-center/compliance-handbook
  2. PayActiv — Access calculation (50% of estimated net). payactiv.com/get-started
  3. PayActiv — Transfer cap ($500 per pay period). payactiv.com/blog
  4. Tapcheck — 300+ payroll integrations, ADP Marketplace Platinum Partner. tapcheck.com/marketplace
  5. PayActiv — Integrations (ADP Marketplace Platinum Partner). payactiv.com/partnerships
Category
Tapcheck
Rain

Zero IT required. We configure everything from your existing data feeds — you enable data sharing through your platform settings and that's it. Most partners launch this way, in days, with no engineering resources.

tapcheckTapcheck is payroll native. Advances settle as a line-item payroll deduction with automatic reconciliation built into the payroll run. It's visible on the pay stub and in the employer's payroll register. The paycheck is never intercepted or routed through a third party.
RainRain uses a payroll-deduction model and fronts funds from its balance sheet, repaid at the end of the pay period. Rain calculates access on gross pay, before taxes and withholdings, which creates overpayment exposure when hours or deductions change. Employers are responsible for reconciling differences manually.

Zero IT required. We configure everything from your existing data feeds — you enable data sharing through your platform settings and that's it. Most partners launch this way, in days, with no engineering resources.

tapcheckTapcheck calculates access against net pay, the employee's actual take-home after taxes, up to 70% per pay period.
RainRain calculates access against gross earned wages, before taxes and withholdings are applied. This creates real overpayment risk: when hours change, deductions vary, or an employee is terminated mid-period, the amount advanced can exceed what's actually owed on a net basis.

Zero IT required. We configure everything from your existing data feeds — you enable data sharing through your platform settings and that's it. Most partners launch this way, in days, with no engineering resources.

tapcheckTapcheck is an ADP Marketplace Platinum Partner with approximately 300 integrations, including Infor, Viventium, iSolved, Dayforce/Ceridian, and vertical-specific healthcare and staffing systems where Rain's depth is thinner in mid-market.
RainRain integrates with Workday (Built on Workday, July 2025), Paylocity, ADP, UKG, Paychex, Fourth, Deputy, and Harri. Strong major-enterprise coverage, but less comprehensive in mid-market and vertical-specific systems.
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sources
  1. Rain — 50% of gross pay calculation. rainapp.com/ewa-provider-guide
  2. Tapcheck — 300+ payroll integrations, ADP Marketplace Platinum Partner. tapcheck.com/marketplace
  3. Rain — Payroll integrations. rainapp.com/integrations
Category
Tapcheck
ZayZoon

Zero IT required. We configure everything from your existing data feeds — you enable data sharing through your platform settings and that's it. Most partners launch this way, in days, with no engineering resources.

tapcheckTapcheck is payroll native. Advances settle as a line-item payroll deduction with automatic reconciliation built into the payroll run. It's visible on the pay stub and in the employer's payroll register. The paycheck is never intercepted or routed through a third party.
ZayZoon ZayZoon uses a payroll-deduction model, fronts funds from its balance sheet, and calculates access against net earned wages. However, access is capped at $1,000 per pay period regardless of what an employee has earned.

Zero IT required. We configure everything from your existing data feeds — you enable data sharing through your platform settings and that's it. Most partners launch this way, in days, with no engineering resources.

tapcheckTapcheck calculates access against net pay, the employee's actual take-home after taxes, up to 70% per pay period.
ZayZoon ZayZoon calculates access at 50% of net earned wages, but applies a hard cap of $1,000 per pay period. For most full-time employees, the dollar cap is hit before the 50% ceiling.

Zero IT required. We configure everything from your existing data feeds — you enable data sharing through your platform settings and that's it. Most partners launch this way, in days, with no engineering resources.

tapcheckTapcheck is an ADP Marketplace Platinum Partner with approximately 300 direct API integrations across major enterprise payroll and HCM systems including ADP, Workday, UKG, Infor, Viventium, iSolved, and Dayforce, plus vertical-specific systems in healthcare and staffing.
ZayZoon ZayZoon has 160+ integrations, primarily through SMB payroll bureaus, PEOs, and platforms like Swipeclock and Payentry. Effective for SMB distribution, but less relevant for enterprise buyers needing direct API connections with major HCM platforms.
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sources
  1. ZayZoon — 50% of net pay, $1,000/period cap, integration count. zayzoon.com/go/paytime_payroll
  2. Tapcheck — 300+ payroll integrations, ADP Marketplace Platinum Partner. tapcheck.com/marketplace
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