For working Americans, financial security is about more than a paycheck. It is about having the knowledge, confidence, and trusted support to make decisions that strengthen financial stability over time. As life’s financial decision-making happens alongside work and family responsibilities, the workplace can be a powerful tool to connect employees with practical personal finance resources.
Many workers may be looking for that support already, as their financial stress and worry do not stop when they clock into work. On a national scale, household debt has reached $18.8 trillion, and 83% of Americans report feeling financially conflicted or stressed. At the same time, American adults answered only 47% of the Personal Finance Index Questions correctly, underscoring the need for accessible financial education. For many Americans, financial stability is a direct result of their exposure to financial education and their agency to take advantage of resources that are available to them. The U.S. Chamber of Commerce Foundation is striving to expand that access through a new Financial Wellbeing Program that brings financial education to the workplace.
Meeting America's Workers Where They Are
Many financial education programs focus on youth or seniors, while only 9% of working Americans reported participating in work-based financial education programming. The U.S. Chamber Foundation is exploring solutions: how can we provide practical, trusted, and actionable financial education resources to working Americans at scale?
The U.S. Chamber Foundation is piloting an initiative to meet America's workers where they are: at work. Through a cohort-based model, community financial institutions will lead a series of in-person trainings designed to help employees build the foundations of a healthier financial life. Local financial institutions bring both technical expertise and a community understanding to help workers navigate their everyday financial decisions and make financial education more personalized and actionable for employees who may not seek out support on their own. Employees will be introduced to practical tools and support, including 530A accounts, emergency savings accounts, and individual financial coaching. The goal is not simply to provide information, but to connect workers with trusted partners who can help them turn financial knowledge into real-world decisions and habits.
Empowering Small Employers to Compete
Workplace-based financial education is especially important as a workforce development issue for small businesses, which employ 45.9% of Americans, totaling 61.6 million people. In communities across the country, small businesses are more than places to work; they are engines of opportunity, connection, and trust. When small employers are equipped to support the financial well-being of their teams, the benefits extend beyond the workplace to families, neighbors, and local economies.
Financial wellbeing is not just an individual dilemma, but a business imperative. PwC's 2026 survey found that 57% of U.S. employees say finances are their top life stressor and are five times more likely to be distracted at work. Employee distraction translates into decreased productivity, increased safety incidents, and lower employee retention. Small business owners can play an important role in connecting employees to trusted resources and support systems that strengthen financial resilience.
Opportunity for All: Building Financial Futures for Longer
Financial wellbeing is about more than a benefits offering or a compliance requirement. It is about helping employees feel secure enough to focus on their work, present enough to enjoy time with their families, and confident enough to believe in their future.
That future will not be built by employees alone. It will take employers willing to meet workers where they are, financial institutions ready to bring trusted guidance into the workplace, and community partners committed to making financial confidence more accessible for everyone. As the U.S. Chamber of Commerce Foundation launches this work, we invite partners who share this vision to learn more and reach out about our work to help workers turn a paycheck into a pathway toward long-term opportunity.
Join the U.S. Chamber of Commerce Foundation as a founding partner to launch and scale our Financial Wellbeing Program for America’s workers. To learn more and become a founding partner, complete our interest form.
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