Ethnographic Research Findings

Eighty-nine interviews were conducted then coded using grounded theory—and the resulting patters of needs, best practices, and insights were compiled into two formats: video and written.

Video

Written

“The point of the matter is everybody needs the rules to the game, right? And if everybody has the rules to the game, they are likely able to thrive…” - Trina Burruss

Rules to the Game

The ethnography was conducted using audio and video as the primary methods for gathering qualitative interview data—so in many ways the following video ethnography provides the most vivid illustration of the findings. The FWaW ethnography is organized into eight parts: Research Methodology, FWaW Background, Research Sites, Employee Needs, Employer Needs, Program Models, Program Best Practices, and Insights. The following video ethnography is delivered in a series of six distinct video compilations to make the contents more accessible for review. The full runtime of the combined ethnography is approximately six hours—drawn from 100+ hours of raw interview content.

Executive Summary

The following is a summary compilation of the broader ethnography. As it would in written form, this “Executive Summary” video provides an overview of the research findings—drawing on fewer interview excepts to illustrate the various themes that emerged from the qualitative analysis. It has a runtime of approximately two hours, whereas the unabridged ethnography runtime is roughly five and a half hours of primary source content.

Introduction

Parts I, II, III

The introductory video in the series is comprised of the first three sections of the ethnography: Research Methodology, FWaW Background, and Research Sites. Together these sections provide a useful entry point into the research design.

IV. Employee Needs

Employers, program staff, and employees spoke to the challenges facing employees in communities and workplaces across the three research sites. The discussions cover pressures faced by individuals, both personal and familial, that are impacting employees inside and outside the workplace:

4.1 Cost of Debt
4.2 Transportation
4.3 Generational Gap
4.4 Housing & Utilities
4.5 Family Care
4.6 Mental Health
4.7 Healthcare

V. Employer Needs

The employers interviewed in the research group represent a diverse array of industries, sizes, and organizational structures. A high-level summary of the reported employer needs categories is included below:

5.1 Awareness
5.2 Retention
5.3 Beyond HR
5.4 Productivity
5.5 Values

VI. Program Models

The following sections outline the program operations models at the three exemplar FWaW sites which were selected as the focus of the research:

Work/Life Solutions
Bridges@Work
Save First Financial Wellness.

VII. Program Best Practices

The evaluative track of the study identified best practices necessary to establish and sustain a successful FWaW program. Best practices were identified and then organized into the following high-level program application categories:

7.1 Removing Barriers to Access
7.2 Resource Coordination
7.3 ESSDL
7.4 Financial Education
7.5 Evaluation
7.6 Employer Best Practices
7.7 Recruiting Employers

VIII. Insights

The ethnographic track focused on compiling interviewee responses to questions such as what stakeholders wished they could answer, what assumptions they were making, what unmet needs they had, and what changes they would make to the program if they could.

While at times the line between best practice and insight was blurry, this culminating portion of the ethnography presents twenty-three distinct concepts that were felt to be outside the canon of what is currently considered to be known about the FWaW programs, their operations, and impact on the community.

REPORT

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Rules to the Game is an ethnographic research inquiry exploring stakeholder experiences at three community-based financial wellness programs that were deemed as exemplary program sites by members of the FINRA Foundation staff that oversee the Financial Wellness in the Workplace (FWaW) program.
Details related to the origins and current operations of the FWaW program, the FWaW peer network, and a summary of high-level financial needs that individuals and communities are facing.
A summary of reported employee needs presented in seven categories: Cost of Debt, Transportation, Generational Gap, Housing & Utilities, Family Care, Mental Heath, and Heathcare.
A summary of reported employer needs presented in seven categories: Across the Spectrum (introduction), Awareness, Retention, Beyond HR, Productivity, and Values.
The origins, operations and services of the three exemplar program sites: Work/Life Solutions, Bridges@Work, and Save First Financial Wellness.
Reported best practices organized into seven operational-specific categories: Removing Barriers to Access, Resource Coordination, ESSDL, Financial Education, Evaluation, Employer Best Practices, Recruiting Employers.
Ethnographic insights communicated via interviewee reflection on unmet needs, intractable barriers and challenges, unanswered questions, and yet unrealized innovations they envision for these programs.