As student loan debt continues to weigh heavily on younger generations entering the workforce, employers are increasingly recognizing the impact financial stress can have on employee wellbeing, productivity, and retirement readiness. For many recent graduates and early-career professionals, student loan debt has made it difficult to focus on broader financial goals such as saving for retirement and building long-term financial stability. In response, more organizations are exploring ways to provide employees with financial education, debt management resources, and workplace support programs designed to improve overall financial wellness.
Fred Barstein, Founder and CEO of TPSU and 401(k)TV, spoke with Ashley following a TPSU fiduciary education program held at Penn State Great Valley in Malvern, Pennsylvania. Ashley, who served as the Director of Global Human Resources for an organization with approximately 160 U.S.-based employees, discussed her company’s decision to implement Savvy’s student loan support platform as part of its employee benefits strategy.
Ashley explained that a large portion of the company’s workforce consisted of younger employees and recent graduates carrying significant student loan debt. She noted that financial stress tied to student loans had become a major concern for many employees, often impacting their ability to focus on long-term financial priorities such as retirement savings. By offering access to student loan education and support resources, the company hoped to help employees better manage their debt while improving overall financial wellness.
She also highlighted that Savvy’s employer-friendly structure made the decision easier from an organizational standpoint, allowing the company to offer employees access to valuable financial resources without creating additional financial burden for the employer.
Read the Full Transcript Here:
Fred Barstein:
Greetings, this is Fred Barstein, Founder and CEO of TPSU and 401(k)TV. We’re here on the campus of Penn State Great Valley in Malvern, Pennsylvania, where we just completed today’s TPSU program.
I’m joined by Ashley. Ashley, thank you for being here. Is it okay if we ask you a few questions?
Ashley:
Absolutely.
Fred Barstein:
Great. First, tell our audience a little about yourself.
Ashley:
Sure. My name is Ashley, and I’m the Director of Global Human Resources for an organization with approximately 160 U.S.-based employees.
Fred Barstein:
Excellent. Today, one of the presentations focused on student loan debt, and I understand your organization is implementing Savvy. Why was that important to your company?
Ashley:
A large portion of our employee population has recently graduated from college or obtained advanced degrees, so many of them are carrying significant student loan debt. We believe this is something that will be highly utilized by our workforce.
Another factor was that Savvy offers a solution that’s free for employers, which made it much easier from an approval standpoint. Ultimately, we want to make sure employees have access to resources and information that can help them better understand, organize, and potentially consolidate their student loan debt.
Fred Barstein:
And what are you hoping employees ultimately gain from that?
Ashley:
Honestly, student loans are such a major source of stress for so many people. They can feel overwhelming and never-ending. We’re hoping this gives employees some relief and helps them feel more financially secure so they can focus on other important financial goals — whether that’s saving for retirement or simply planning for their future.
Fred Barstein:
Your employees are fortunate to have leadership thinking that way.
Final question — what were some of your biggest takeaways from today, and would you recommend TPSU?
Ashley:
Absolutely, I would recommend TPSU. This was an incredibly valuable session. One of the comments I actually wrote down was that I wished it were even longer because there was so much useful information shared throughout the program.
One of my biggest takeaways was the clear breakdown of what an ideal 401(k) plan structure looks like. Seeing actual figures and benchmarks really helped reinforce the importance of building the right retirement plan for employees.
Fred Barstein:
Ashley, thank you again for your time.
Ashley:
Thank you.
Fred Barstein:
And thank you for watching 401(k)TV. Stay tuned for more coverage from TPSU programs across the country.
