When the COVID-19 pandemic began to materialize for businesses, Truliant Federal Credit Union realized the need to reinvent its Truliant at Work outreach program.
The program has been agile and continued to evolve, improving online resources to better meet the needs of workforces that suddenly migrated to home offices.
Supporting Employees
At its core, Truliant at Work is a financial education and wellness program that aims to benefit businesses who offer their employees membership in the credit union. Once an employee joins Truliant, they can open accounts, apply for loans, receive specialized financial education and services, and attend many on-site or virtual financial seminars that support their individual financial needs and goals.
“One key component missing at many companies is how financial health is correlated to the mental health of employees,” said Kim Alderman, Truliant’s vice president of member experience and the executive in charge of Truliant at Work.
“When employees are comfortable with the elements of their personal finances, it makes them healthier and more productive at work. It helps them adjust and manage the added stress of financial changes.”
More Resources
Truliant has enhanced online resource pages and added a learning center to help make engaging with the program easier in a remote environment. Employees can now access Truliant’s new video series on personal finances, and schedule appointments with specialists who are available to speak with them about their personal financial situation.
“Financial education is so relevant right now,” Alderman said. “There is a large gap in many people’s knowledge. Truliant at Work aims to ensure that all our members are financially stable and better able to enjoy their lives.”
Truliant at Work currently has six employees who teach classes, handle relationships with business partners, develop curriculum and on-board new business partners. For employers, the program’s experts are able to meet with Truliant at Work member businesses and discuss relevant financial topics like identity theft, retirement planning, credit reports, budgeting and estate planning. The program currently offers 25 classes.
Business Partnerships
The program has more than 1,000 business partners. Several presentations are geared to specific age groups. Last year, Truliant at Work held 297 classes and scheduled about 300 individual appointments with employees. It is also engaging in market research to identify trends and demographic groups that can benefit from additional financial education.
Truliant at Work offers a survey for employees who work for business partners. The survey anonymously gauges where the employees are in their financial lives. It also allows employees to set up a review session of their own personal finances.
Truliant at Work is working on long-term programming incorporating financial education into formal wellness programs. For example, one business partner is offering points for employees who attend financial education webinars, seminars and personal financial checkups. The points an employee accumulates can be used to reduce their personal healthcare insurance costs.
Federally insured by NCUA.
