Thanks for asking
Do you ever talk to colleagues about financial concerns in the workplace? It often doesn’t feel safe for employees, and employers also find it difficult.
More than half of employers do think it is important to have a conversation with employees about the financial consequences of major life events. But only a small portion actually engage in that conversation. Why do we talk about money but not about money worries? What is the reason for this? And how can this be done differently?
Impact of life events
Financial implications
A major life event can have financial consequences for someone. For example, if someone has a child or if a partner or parent falls ill or dies. Money worries and the associated stress are then lurking. It is important to discuss these problems in time and to offer help.
But talking about money worries is not easy. There is shame about the subject. Together with Nibud and Sammen, Muzus conducted research into the needs and obstacles related to talking about money matters in the workplace. The research shows that both employers and employees need practical tools to make this subject discussible.
Download the survey
Empathic talking about money
In conversation
To make money worries discussable, Muzus designed the AanKaarten set, focusing on 7 major life events in a person’s life.
‘AanKaarten’ is a tool for employers and employees to proactively and empathetically start the conversation about money.
The broad approach of life events provides an accessible starting point for a conversation.
It is not directly about money, but about what needs to be taken care of.
Making the topic negotiable
Social Design approach
We conducted in-depth interviews with a diverse group of employees and employers. In doing so, we used our “social design approach. First, through context mapping, we looked at needs, wants and fears of employees and employers. Then we worked out various ideas and tested them with the target groups. This resulted in the AanKaarten and four design pillars for other solutions to normalize the conversation about money matters in the workplace.
- As an employer, show that the topic of employee financial health is important to you.
- Awareness among employers that they need to help their employees start the conversation and learn to recognize the signs themselves.
- Giving employees and employers tools to engage in conversation about financial health.
- Ensure that employers and supervisor know what to refer to and that employees know what their employer can do.
Lowering thresholds
Collaborating on solutions
We did this project with support from Instituut Gak and in cooperation with Nibud and Sammen Coöperatie U.A. The research shows, among other things, which thresholds employees and employers experience and which solutions there are.
The card set has also been implemented in the training of Nibud and Sammen.
