There's a strong connection between the financial-wellness benefits your company offers and its diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI) initiatives—but it's one that organizations frequently miss.

As your company puts a greater emphasis on DEI, be sure you do not overlook the importance of financial wellness, given the many systemic and cultural disadvantages that some employees face when participating in our economic system. That's where employee benefits are most impactful and can help make up meaningful ground in the financial gap facing workers—specifically, adopting programs that help employees build financial resilience by ensuring equitable access to financial products.

Financial stress is more common in the vulnerable employee groups that are likely the target of your DEI efforts:

• Nearly half of women can't afford a $400 emergency expense, while only one-third of men can't.
• 20 percent of Black Americans have a credit score of 620 or lower, vs. 1 in 19 White Americans.
• Households in which at least one member has a disability are less likely to have emergency savings.
• Same-sex couples are more than 70 percent more likely to be denied a mortgage than different-sex couples.

These employee populations are not starting on an even playing field, and the situation can be made worse by a lack of attention to financial wellness in the workplace—such as 401(k) matching benefits. Because the take-up is predominantly from those already privileged, who can afford the match, 401(k) matches can widen the financial gap.