22GLOBAL REPORT
HEALTHY, WEALTHY AND WORK-WISE: THE NEW IMPERATIVES FOR FINANCIAL SECURITY
TECHNOLOGY: DRIVING A REVOLUTION IN FINANCIAL FITNESS1
CONTENTS
01Introduction2
Improve Employees' Financial and Physical Well-being
Plan for the Workforce of the Future
Deliver a Consumer-Grade Benefits Experience That
Employees Crave
Personalize the Employee Benefits Experience for a
Diverse Workforce
Technology: The Key to an Empowered Workforce
02Four Ways Employers Can Use Technology to
Enhance the Employee Experience
Conclusion0334
Technology and the Role of the Employer620
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HEALTHY, WEALTHY AND WORK-WISE2
In the era of the Fourth Industrial Revolution, new
thinking, collaboration and structures are critical
to closing gaps in health, savings and career skills.
Progressive companies recognize that helping
employees better manage their health, wealth
and careers is critical to the organization’s value
proposition and to attracting and retaining top
talent. As life and work become more intertwined,
employers are required to provide more tools
to help employees manage their careers and their
lives — in particular, their health and financial
well-being. Health and financial stress are
intrinsically linked, and the stress of financial
security is currently impacting people in all
countries and organizations.
At the same time, various disruptors are changing
the way people live and work. Workforces are
being reshaped and becoming more diverse, and
employee expectations are changing. We are living
longer and our lives are becoming more digital;
technology is now an integral part of our daily lives.
Smart companies are looking
to technology to deliver an
employee experience that
empowers the workforce and
improves the physical and
fnancial well-being of individual
employees and their families.
INTRODUCTION
01
TECHNOLOGY: DRIVING A REVOLUTION IN FINANCIAL FITNESS3
Technology Is Infiltrating All Aspects of Life …
People want the convenience of easy and instant
access to information and services no matter
where they are. As a result, more aspects of our
lives are integrated with technology than ever
before. We use apps on smartphones for a wide
range of purposes, from monitoring our step
count to changing the temperature in our homes.
Some people have embraced innovation to the
point of wearing their technology: smart watches
and rings can be synched to smartphones.
… and Disrupting Workforces …
Advances in technology are dramatically
impacting businesses and redefining workforces
all over the world. Artificial intelligence (AI),
robotics and machine learning are changing the
way businesses operate, displacing jobs but
also creating opportunities for new jobs. At the
same time, technology is creating new ways of
working, greater flexibility and seamless work-life
integration. As businesses and workforces react
to this disruption, the war to win and retain talent
is rising.
... While Employee Expectations Are Changing
Globally, individuals are demanding more from the
organizations they work for and interact with.
Organizations are under increasing pressure
to demonstrate how they are making positive
contributions to society, including the well-being
of their employees and of the communities in
which they operate. As the concept of work-life
integration starts to dominate, employees expect
their employers to take a more holistic approach
to supporting their careers and lives.
But Technology Brings Great Opportunity
for Employers
Historically, it was enough for employers to
provide access to core benefits, such as
a retirement savings plan and affordable
healthcare. Today, employees still expect
these benefits, but they are looking for a more
diverse range that matches their life stage
and circumstances. They also expect greater
support and assistance in making decisions
and optimizing the benefits on offer. One
of the primary drivers of these demands is
the feeling of financial insecurity prevalent
among individuals around the world.
Mercer’s recent study,
Healthy, Wealthy and
Work-Wise: The New Imperatives for Financial
Security
, examined the forces that have the
greatest impact on financial security and how
people, live, work and save. The study revealed
imbalances between our need to save and
our ability to do so — which affects all of us,
regardless of income status. Only 35% of adults
feel financially secure (see Figure 1 on the next
page); however, a resounding 79% of individuals
trust employers to give sound, independent
advice on planning, saving and investing.。