The Hidden Cost of Financial Stress in the Workplace — What HR Needs to Know in 2026 (Webinar)

March 18 @ 12:00 pm - March 18 @ 1:00 pm

Free

Presenter: Gordon Oliver, Director of Business Development, Cambridge Credit Counseling Corp. Cambridge Credit Counseling is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit that provides confidential, unbiased financial counseling and does not offer loans, debt settlement, or credit repair services.

Employee stress, burnout, and disengagement continue to rise across industries and for many organizations, the root cause isn’t performance or workload. It’s personal financial stress, particularly debt. EANE invites HR and people leaders to join this Lunch & Learn focused on a challenge many are quietly navigating: The Hidden Cost of Financial Stress in the Workplace — What HR Needs to Know in 2026.

This educational session explores how employee debt and financial stress show up at work and what actually helps. Participants will gain insight into how:

• financial stress impacts absenteeism, presenteeism, burnout, and turnover;
• what HR teams are seeing across industries and why traditional benefits often fall short;
• how nonprofit credit counseling and Debt Management Plans work in practice;
• and why certain for-profit debt settlement and credit repair programs can create risk and unintended harm for employees.

The discussion will also highlight practical, compliant ways HR can support employee financial wellness without becoming financial advisors. Attendees will leave with a clearer understanding of financial stress as a workplace issue, better language for addressing financial wellness responsibly, and increased confidence in evaluating support options that protect both employees and the organization. This is an educational, peer-focused conversation with no sales pitch, designed for HR Managers, Benefits and Total Rewards Leaders, People & Culture Professionals, and Business Owners who want to make informed, responsible decisions around employee well-being.

This event is FREE for all EANE members & future members.