How can employers support employees’ financial wellbeing through seasonal pressure points?

In November 2026, the government published its Financial Inclusion Strategy to tackle individuals’ financial inclusion barriers. The strategy includes a commitment to increasing levels of emergency savings and driving take up of workplace savings scheme. Initiatives of this kind could help to support employees at key pressure points throughout the year.

Effect on financial and mental wellbeing

There are certain times during the year when expectations place additional pressure on individuals, such as Christmas and other religious festivals, and school holidays. During these, employees may experience heightened financial pressures that exacerbate mental health challenges. 

For example, employees may feel increased stress or anxiety due to social expectations around hosting, gift-giving, or event participation, says Drini Zerka, benefits strategy consulting leader at Mercer.

“These can create challenges, underscoring the importance of awareness, planning, and support,” he explains. ”They represent key pressure points where employers have an opportunity to provide meaningful assistance.”

Seasonal and cultural milestones, which also include Eid, Diwali and the back-to-school period, can create spikes in financial strain, because they can compress spending into short windows. Some people will overspend, then struggle to pay off bills in the following months. For example, at the beginning of a new year, some individuals may be dealing with the ramifications of overspending during the festive period.

Sam Lathey, co-founder and chief executive officer of Bippit, says: “Financial stress causes weeks of anticipatory anxiety and months of aftermath. When money gets tight, people become more stressed, more distracted, and more likely to turn to expensive debt.”

Overspending at pressure points throughout the year can not only have a knock-on impact financially, but it can also reduce productivity and increase absenteeism due to stress and mental wellbeing issues.

Prioritising financial education

Financial wellbeing providers offer educational programmes and workshops on budgeting, saving and debt management for employers to make available to employees. Financial education should also cover the implications of overspending and credit card interest rates.

Structured guidance from financial professionals, that staff can access before pressure periods arrive, can help them plan, manage debt, and navigate behaviours during high-pressure periods.

Jonathan Watts-Lay, director at Wealth at Work, says: “Employers should offer webinars on how [employees] can better manage their money, review where their money goes each month, and eliminate unnecessary expenditures. Debt sessions that explore short-term debt, such as credit cards and pay day loans, as well as what to do when it gets out of control, can help.”

Employers can signpost to organisations such as the debt charity Step Change, which offers information on the implications of debt and provides solutions. Helplines that offer guidance for financial questions or issues are also helpful.

When employers make financial planning and guidance part of their organisational culture, employees are more willing to seek support early, explains Lathey.

“This avoids the pattern of silent stress building until Christmas or a holiday wipes out their savings,” he says. ”People need coaching around decision-making, budgeting, and rebuilding confidence. Without that, they’re back in the same position next time.”

Useful financial wellbeing initiatives

Zest’s November 2025 research revealed 66% of employees want more financial support from their benefits packages, giving employers ample chance to step up during expensive periods to deliver effective financial assistance to boost wellbeing.

Offering personalised benefits packages that support employee needs all year round are, therefore, important, says Matt Russell, chief executive officer at Epassi UK and Zest. 

“To understand these needs, HR leaders must regularly communicate with employees and utilise benefits technology to adapt benefits packages as needed, including in the run-up to Christmas and the new year,” he says.

Zest’s research also highlighted that 40% of employers offer workplace saving schemes to boost employees’ long-term financial health. One example of this is workplace individual savings accounts (Isas). Automating savings from pay can also create saving habits and allows staff to build a buffer against seasonal spikes.

Other proactive support includes earned wage access schemes, where staff receive some of their salary ahead of their paydate. This is typically used for a one-off emergency cost but can cause further financial issues if employees frequently use it.

Zerka adds: “[Employers] could offer flexible-working arrangements during high-stress periods, access to confidential financial and mental health counselling, and run managing finances and mental health awareness campaigns during key times.”

Employers could also highlight any discount schemes they offer, for example if staff are looking to buy big-ticket items ahead of holiday periods, as well as emergency loans or hardship funds with no interest for unexpected expenses, and digital tools or apps for financial tracking and planning.

Clear, accessible support channels and a single signposted place employees can turn to for help before they hit crisis mode are worth considering.

“The best support is delivered before pressure arrives, so employers could run targeted campaigns in early autumn for Christmas planning, provide summer budgeting and travel planning support in spring, and help employees plan for school holidays,” says Lathey.

Employers could also train managers to spot early signs of financial stress and use data insights to understand groups most at risk at different times of year.

Once employers can shift employees from crisis management mode to forward planning, financial stress and absenteeism will decline and staff will become more confident in making financial decisions.