Effectiveness of employer-provided financial education programs

Abstract

AbstractWhile there have been numerous studies illustrating the rather low level of financial knowledge of Americans, there have been only a few efforts to examine the effectiveness of employer-provided programs in enhancing financial literacy and the ability of these programs to modify worker retirement and saving decisions. In this paper, I summarize the findings from a series of studies conducted over the past 20 years. All of the studies were done in conjunction with employers. The primary objectives of this research have been to evaluate the effectiveness of onboarding and retirement planning programs and the financial education provided in these programs. In addition, employer nudges to mid-career employees are examined. I describe the impact of financial planning programs on worker knowledge of key financial concepts and their ability to make better decisions concerning saving decisions and the timing of retirement. I also provide recommendations on how to improve the effectiveness of workplace financial education programs.