With the rise of financial wellness, the role of the financial advisor has changed. They're no longer just there to guide plan participants through a yearly checkup call, or to give advice when a big life change happens. While advisors still do those things, and helping their clients with financial planning is still their primary job, the way in which advisors and their clients interact—and what plan participants want from those interactions—has fundamentally changed.

The pandemic, and shifting norms, have ushered in a new era where plan participants want to work with advisors who they connect with on a personal level. That connection can be fueled by a common background, first language, shared values or other factors. Fostering these deeper relationships is a positive for everyone, but how do advisors authentically forge these connections?

Why now?

Why are plan participants hungering for these deeper connections now?  There are a number of reasons that go beyond the trauma of a global pandemic, but COVID-19 has had a profound effect on how people view work, their future and how they want to live their lives. Other factors include the influence of technology, the ongoing generational shift that's happening in the workplace, as well as changing norms about everything from environmental and social issues to mental health and how these things are all interconnected.