Employers and brokers alike will be putting more attention on financial wellness benefits this year — primarily because employees are asking for them. 

And the reason is simple. There are many statistics about employees' financial situations and all reveal that at least half of working Americans are experiencing some level of financial stress. Employees bring that financial stress to the workplace and consequently are less productive, which ultimately affects the employers' bottom line. 

Interestingly, the problem isn't getting better. Although the stock market continues to rise and the U.S. economy is healthy, most employees who are stressed about personal finances report that their stress levels have increased over the past year. As a result, financial wellness benefits in the workplace should take more priority and become more comprehensive in 2018.