New Survey Reveals Financial Preparedness Gaps Among U.S. Workers and Employers
PNC’s 2026 workplace study shows U.S. employees feel financially confident day to day yet lack knowledge for long-term decisions.
Rhea-AI Summary
PNC Bank (PNC) released its 2026 Financial Wellness in the Workplace Report on U.S. workers’ and employers’ financial preparedness and benefit usage.
The survey of 1,000 workers and 500 employers finds a gap between everyday financial confidence and readiness for complex decisions such as retirement, investing and healthcare costs. While 71% of workers feel confident creating a savings plan, only 33% show high proficiency in foundational financial knowledge. Eighty-five percent worry about personal finances during the workday and spend an average of 3.5 hours per week doing so.
The report highlights misaligned perceptions of retirement readiness, differing views of the economy, limited access to financial education benefits, and higher confidence among workers who have used financial advisors. It also notes employers’ growing use of data and artificial intelligence in benefits and HR decisions.
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Key Figures
- Survey Sample
- 1,000 workers and 500 employers
- 2026 Financial Wellness in the Workplace Report
- Savings-Plan Confidence
- 71%
- Workers who said they feel confident creating a savings plan
- Financial Knowledge Proficiency
- 33%
- Workers demonstrating high proficiency in foundational financial knowledge
- Workday Financial Worry
- 85%
- Workers who worry about personal finances during the workday
- Weekly Worry Time
- 3.5 hours per week
- Average time workers spend worrying about finances at work
- Retirement Preparedness Gap
- 75% of employers vs. 45% of workers
- Respondents saying workers are at least somewhat prepared for retirement
- Retirement Readiness
- 10% very prepared; 15% never expect to afford retirement
- Workers' retirement preparedness responses
- Benefits ROI Measurement
- 65%, up from 51% last year
- Employers measuring the return on investment of benefit offerings
Historical Context
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Launched Workplace Advantage with banking rewards, guidance and financial education for employers.
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Key Terms
artificial intelligence technical
sampling error technical
confidence level technical
wage garnishments regulatory
AI-generated analysis. How Rhea-AI works. Not financial advice.
New report from PNC Bank finds many workers are confident managing day-to-day finances, but lack preparedness for complex financial decisions, creating opportunities for employers to strengthen workforce outcomes.
The 2026 report found a growing disconnect between workers' confidence in managing everyday finances and their preparedness for more complex financial decisions. While many workers report feeling capable of handling day-to-day financial responsibilities, fewer demonstrate the knowledge and preparedness needed for longer-term goals such as retirement planning, investing, emergency savings and healthcare expenses. Among workers surveyed,
"Financial wellness is no longer just a personal issue. It's increasingly becoming a workforce issue," said Kaley Keeley Buchanan, executive vice president and head of PNC Financial Wellness Solutions. "Our research continues to show that many workers feel confident managing everyday financial decisions, but confidence doesn't always translate into long-term preparedness. When employers help employees build financial knowledge and connect them with guidance and resources, they can support stronger financial outcomes while helping employees get more value from the benefits available to them."
The findings show that financial stress remains a persistent part of workers' experiences. Eighty-five percent of workers said they worry about personal finances during the workday, and workers spend an average of 3.5 hours per week worrying about finances at work. Employers also reported seeing the effects of financial stress in the workplace, including reduced productivity, workers borrowing from retirement plans, requests for pay advances and wage garnishments.
Other notable findings include:
- Employers and workers are experiencing the same economy differently. Seventy percent of employers said they are very or somewhat optimistic about the economy, compared with
47% of workers. Additionally,86% of workers said inflation negatively affected their financial situation in 2026. - Employers may be overestimating workers' retirement preparedness. Seventy-five percent of employers said workers are at least somewhat prepared for retirement, while
45% of workers said they feel prepared for retirement. Only10% of workers said they feel very prepared for retirement, and15% said they do not believe they will ever be able to afford to retire. - Access to financial guidance is linked to stronger confidence. Forty-two percent of workers said they have worked with a professional financial planner or advisor at some point. Workers who have worked with an advisor reported higher confidence across several financial activities, including setting a budget, managing debt, creating a savings plan, retirement planning and investing in the stock market.
- Employers are taking a more data-driven approach to benefits. Sixty-five percent of employers said they measure the return on investment of their benefit offerings, up from
51% last year. Additionally,95% said they use or plan to use artificial intelligence in human resources operations. - Workers show strong interest in financial education, yet access remains limited. Thirty-two percent of employers said they offer financial education benefits, while
57% of workers without access to those benefits said they would use them if offered. Among employers offering financial education,92% said their education includes retirement planning.
"Employers continue to invest in benefits, but the real opportunity is helping employees understand, access and use those benefits in ways that improve financial outcomes," Buchanan said. "By aligning benefits with employees' needs and measuring outcomes, employers can help build a more financially resilient workforce."
According to the report, the most effective financial wellness strategies connect employees with education, guidance, banking, savings, borrowing and retirement resources that support better financial decision-making throughout their financial lives. More findings, including the complete report and information about PNC's Workplace Advantage program, are available at pnc.com/WorkplaceReport.
PNC Bank, National Association, is a member of The PNC Financial Services Group, Inc. (NYSE: PNC). PNC is one of the largest diversified financial services institutions in the
Methodology
The Financial Wellness in the Workplace Study was conducted in early 2026 and surveyed two populations:
DISCLAIMER: This report was prepared for general information purposes only and is not intended as specific advice or recommendations. Any reliance upon this information is solely and exclusively at your own risk. NOTE: The sum of percentages may not add to the total due to rounding.
CONTACT:
Nicole Lininger
(724) 601-0337
nicole.lininger@pnc.com
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SOURCE PNC Bank
FAQ
AI-generated questions and answers. How Rhea-AI works. Not financial advice.
What differences did the study find between employer and worker views of the economy?
The study found that 70% of employers are very or somewhat optimistic about the economy, compared with 47% of workers. Additionally, 86% of workers said inflation negatively affected their financial situation in 2026, underscoring a more strained perception among employees than employers.
How do employer and worker perceptions of retirement preparedness compare?
Seventy-five percent of employers said workers are at least somewhat prepared for retirement. In contrast, 45% of workers said they feel prepared, only 10% feel very prepared, and 15% said they do not believe they will ever be able to afford to retire.
What link did the report find between financial advice and worker confidence?
Forty-two percent of workers said they have worked with a professional financial planner or advisor at some point. Those who have worked with an advisor reported higher confidence in activities such as setting a budget, managing debt, creating a savings plan, retirement planning and investing in the stock market.
How common are financial education benefits and how interested are workers in them?
Thirty-two percent of employers reported offering financial education benefits. Among workers without access to those benefits, 57% said they would use them if offered. Of employers that provide financial education, 92% said their programs include retirement planning.
How was PNC’s 2026 Financial Wellness in the Workplace Study conducted?
The research was conducted in early 2026 in two phases. A qualitative phase used in-depth interviews with employers and workers in January 2026. A quantitative phase used separate online surveys in March 2026 of 500 U.S. employers with 100 or more workers and at least $5 million in annual revenue, and 1,000 full-time U.S. workers ages 21–69 at companies with 100 or more workers. The sampling error is +/- 4.4% for employers and +/- 3.0 percentage points for workers at the 95% confidence level.
Where can readers access the full report and more information on PNC’s workplace program?
More findings, the complete Financial Wellness in the Workplace Report and information about PNC’s Workplace Advantage program are available at pnc.com/WorkplaceReport.