Last
week, the Department of Labor (DOL) issued a piece of guidance Labor Secretary Thomas Perez says will significantly expand the use of
environmental, social and governance (ESG) investing principals—what the
Department prefers to call economically targeted investments (ETIs)—under the
Employee Retirement Income Security Act (ERISA).
A
regular PLANSPONSOR contributor, Michael Barry, immediately offered his views about
what may be a problem with the DOL’s stamp of approval on this type of investing for retirement
plans. See “Barry’s Pickings: The Problem with ESG Investing.”
This
week, I’d like to know, do you think the DOL’s guidance is a positive or
negative for retirement plan sponsors and participants, and what is your
reaction to Michael Barry’s thoughts about it? Of course, your responses are
always anonymous.
Workforce
communications provider GuideSpark launched its Financial Wellness Product.
The
solution enables companies to provide tailored financial wellness education to
their employees through a comprehensive financial assessment, personalized
action plans, engaging informational videos, and direct integration to actionable,
employer-provided programs and tools. With GuideSpark’s personalized mobile and
video solution, the aim is to inspire employees to take action and gain control of their
financial futures.
The
impact of employee financial stress, such as worrying about bills, making
mortgage payments or saving enough for retirement, can be detrimental in the
workplace, GuideSpark notes. A recent survey found finance is the No. 1 cause of stress among employees.
GuideSpark’s
Financial Wellness product provides employees with a simple way to assess their
own financial wellness and learn how they can improve, subsequently guiding
them toward taking the appropriate actions.
Designed to meet the needs of workers whether they are based in a
physical facility, on-the-road or remotely, GuideSpark’s mobile-first solution
is available anytime, anywhere. It includes an extensive interactive video library
covering important financial topics such as 401(k) programs, retirement
planning, estate planning, budgeting, investing, and much more.
NEXT: Product features
Key
features of the solution include:
Financial
Wellness Assessment: Through a short, yet detailed, self-service questionnaire
covering all aspects of financial health, employees receive their personalized
financial health score and a financial stress score, highlighting the specific
areas impacting stress levels and identifying gaps in their financial
understanding.
Personalized
Content: Based on their employee assessment results, users are presented with
engaging content recommendations, enabling employees to understand where to
focus and what steps they can take to improve their financial health. Short
videos introduce key concepts, and multiple engagement styles are used to
provide depth and education exactly where needed.
Easy
Integration for Action: GuideSpark’s Financial Wellness product is incorporated
into the employer’s existing partner tools and resources that support financial
wellness, such as 401(k) providers, financial coaching solutions, employee
assistance programs (EAPs), legal services, and many more. As a result, employees
benefit from a multi-faceted and personalized experience that drives to action
and utilizes often dormant employer-provided resources.
Reporting
and Analytics: Aggregated reporting and analytics provide employers with key
insights that can be used to build and improve more targeted financial wellness
programs. They are able to pinpoint stressors and financial hardships that may
be unique to segments of their workforce.
Cloud-based
Service: The financial wellness product is delivered through the GuideSpark
SaaS Platform, which is offered as a cloud-based subscription to facilitate
rapid deployment and ease-of-purchase. It easily scales across any
organization, and provides 24/7 access from all devices such as smartphones,
iPads and PCs, ensures employees can view content and videos when and where it
is most convenient. Automatic, ongoing updates from GuideSpark ensure the most
up-to-date education and communications minimizing on-going maintenance efforts
and costs.