“Workers have been through a lot over the past two years and it’s only natural that recent economic and geopolitical turbulence has continued to fuel financial concerns,” said , Head of Schwab Workplace Financial Services. “While plan participants can’t control inflation or the markets, the good news is they are taking steps to manage their finances with an eye to the future.”

Workers believe they’ll need to save an average of $1.7 million for retirement, down from $1.9 million reported in last year’s survey, and just under half (47%) feel they are very likely to reach their retirement savings goal. They expect the 401(k) to be their primary financial resource in retirement, providing 37% of income, followed by Social Security (17% of income).

Workers change how they save, spend and invest – In response to rising costs and market volatility, 79% of workers are changing their saving and spending habits, while 44% have altered their 401(k) investments.

Workers are cutting spending by reducing the number of purchases they make (34%), buying cheaper products (32%), and paying off debt more slowly (21%). Despite the belt tightening, workers are still saving less (33%) and spending more in general (30%). They are saving less for emergencies (20%), investing less outside their 401(k)s (18%) and contributing less to their 401(k)s (15%).

Almost one quarter of workers say they plan to retire later as a result of the pandemic. One third of plan participants do not know how long their savings are likely to last in retirement, and the two thirds who offered an estimate say they expect their retirement savings to last 23 years on average.

Nearly half said their company’s retirement programs (47%) and healthcare benefits (48%) were important reasons they joined their employers, versus just 25% and 32% in 2010, respectively. For results, the consulting firm surveyed 9,600 U.S. employees from large and midsize private companies across a range of industries from December through January.

Amid the Great Resignation, attracting and retaining talent is one of the biggest priorities—and concerns—for HR and company leaders. 

To help, employers are relying on a number of enticements, from bigger pay to flexible work schedules. But pay raises alone might not be enough motivation as inflation is outpacing salary increases at the majority of organizations.
That’s where more robust benefits come into play.

Although employees say pay is the most compelling reason to stay or leave a company, “health and retirement benefits have become a much more significant factor in their decision-making process,” says Monica Martin, senior director, retirement, Willis Towers Watson.

In an analysis of the employee benefit priorities, the survey found the most important benefit that employees want their employers to focus on is retirement (44%) followed by flexible work (39%). 

“In this tight labor market, organizations that understand the importance that employees place on these core benefits and that provide highly-valued benefit programs can differentiate themselves in their effort to become an employer of choice,” Martin says.

Source: HRExeutive.com