Independent Financial Support for Employees
Provide employees with access to a trusted third party for financial guidance and support, reducing strain on HR and leadership teams during sensitive financial situations.
Financially Well Employees Perform Better
A Practical Financial Wellness Program
The Essentials of Personal Finance program is a financial wellness initiative designed especially for South African businesses. Invest in your employees and their productivity by giving them access to financial education designed to deliver measurable behavioural change and long-term financial stability.
Financial Stress Is Quietly Affecting Workplace Performance
Financial pressure has become one of the most common (and least addressed) challenges facing South African employees today. Many employees are under constant pressure from debt, rising living costs, poor financial habits, and a lack of practical financial guidance.
That stress does not stay at home. It affects focus, productivity, overall workplace morale. It also creates operational pressure for HR and leadership teams, who are often left dealing with the consequences of ongoing financial instability among staff.
Despite this, most employees have never received practical financial education or structured support around managing money effectively.
For Your Organisation
How Businesses Benefit
Three tangible outcomes your organisation gains from the program.
Structured Financial Wellness Reporting
Receive monthly insights into employee engagement, financial wellbeing trends, and overall workforce progress; while maintaining employee confidentiality.
Stronger Employer Positioning
Demonstrate meaningful investment in employee wellbeing and strengthen your reputation as an employer that genuinely supports its people.
Essentials of Personal Finance combines financial education, practical implementation, and ongoing support to help South African employees improve financial behaviour and build long-term financial stability.
Mission Driven
I'm Lara Marais, a financial wellness consultant with a Master's degree in Economics from Stellenbosch University.
Throughout my consulting career, I saw the same pattern repeatedly. Intelligent, hardworking employees struggling financially; not because they lacked potential, but because they lacked practical financial education and support. Over time, I became convinced that poor financial literacy is one of the biggest barriers to long-term financial wellbeing in South Africa.
Over the past several years, I've worked closely with South African employees to help them improve budgeting, debt management, financial planning, and investing behaviour. Through that experience, I developed a deep understanding of the challenges employees face, as well as the support structures that genuinely help create lasting behavioural change.
That is why I created Essentials of Personal Finance. To make high-quality financial education practical, accessible, and genuinely useful for the people who need it most.
My mission is simple: to help more South Africans build financial stability, reduce financial stress, and create better long-term outcomes for themselves and their families.
What Makes This Different?
Most employees do not have access to practical, high-quality financial guidance. Traditional financial advice is often product-driven and typically aimed at higher net worth individuals, while many employees are left trying to navigate important financial decisions on their own.
Essentials of Personal Finance was built to close that gap.
The program combines locally relevant financial education with personalised support designed specifically for South African employees. Rather than focusing on financial products, the emphasis is on practical financial behaviour: helping employees build stronger budgeting habits, manage debt responsibly, improve financial decision-making, and create long-term financial stability. My belief is simple. Employees early in their financial journey need more support, not less.
The Financial Pressure Your Employees Face Will Not Resolve Itself
In all likelihood, you already have employees struggling with debt, financial stress, and ongoing cash flow pressure — and a few specific individuals may already come to mind!
Essentials of Personal Finance gives your organisation a practical, structured way to support employees through high-quality financial education, personalised guidance, and long-term behavioural support.
Let's schedule an introductory meeting to discuss how the program could integrate into your organisation and support your people more effectively.
Pieter Sminth | Platform Engineer
“I finally understand how to build a budget that actually works in practice.”
Cliare Bu | Head of Human Resources
“Before this program I felt overwhelmed by debt. Now I have a clear repayment plan and know exactly what to prioritise.”
Ann Black | Account Executive
“The one-on-one sessions helped me turn financial knowledge into action and stay accountable.”
What financial transformation looks like for your employees
Book a calm, no-pressure introductory meeting. We'll explore how Essentials of Personal Finance fits your organisation, your people, and the financial pressures they face today.
What we'll cover on the call
Lifetime Financial Planning
Budgeting
Debt
Investing
Retirement Planning
Pieter, Cliare & Ann and teams across HR and operations have used this program to turn financial stress into confident, lasting habits.
Let's Talk
Start a Conversation
Tell us a little about your organisation and what you're looking for. Lara will follow up personally to explore whether the program is a good fit for your team.