A New Option for 'Money Problems' Companies Can't Touch: Launching 'Financial EAP' to Support Employee Autonomous Problem-Solving

Broad-minded Inc. (Headquarters: Shibuya-ku, Tokyo; President and Representative Director: Kiyoshi Ito; Securities Code: 7343; hereinafter 'the Company'), which develops and provides financial services to support the realization of life plans under the purpose of 'Unleashing the Power of Finance,' will launch a new service on March 31 called 'Financial EAP.' This service serves as a new support measure for employee financial stress, enabling employees to autonomously resolve their money problems.

What is Financial EAP? 'EAP' is an acronym for 'Employee Assistance Program,' a term that has been gaining attention among executives and HR managers in recent years, referring to programs that provide care for mental and physical health as part of employee mental health measures.

We have positioned this mechanism, which supports financial health based on the principles of traditional EAP, as 'Financial EAP.'

Just like physical health, money problems require 'early detection' and 'appropriate professional support.' Financial EAP provides comprehensive support, from visualizing an employee's financial status to improvement assistance and professional consultation, thereby helping to reduce financial stress.

Development Background In recent years, the environment surrounding household finances has changed significantly due to rising prices and interest rates. According to a survey by the Financial Services Agency (*1), half of those who have borrowed money within the last three years are employed full-time, indicating that borrowing occurs even among those with stable jobs.

On the other hand, money problems are extremely private matters deeply connected to an individual's life. Companies often feel that while they are concerned, it is difficult to intervene, and employees often feel that even if they have anxieties, they do not want their company to get involved. Therefore, 'non-intervention' has been considered the most realistic approach for both companies and employees until now.

However, in recent years, employee financial problems are becoming a risk that companies can no longer ignore. Financial distress can be a motive for various forms of misconduct, such as 'hidden' side jobs, 'lifestyle' overtime, fraudulent expense claims, embezzlement, and fraud against customers. Furthermore, intense financial anxiety can affect performance and organizational stability, such as through decreased concentration or increased turnover intentions.

Based on these challenges, we developed 'Financial EAP' as a mechanism to provide an environment where employees can autonomously solve their money problems, while maintaining the premise that 'the company does not intervene.'

This service is a system where the company only provides the consultation environment, and employees can receive support from experts of their own volition. While respecting employee privacy, companies can address organizational issues such as performance degradation and fraud risk caused by financial stress.

*1 Source: Financial Services Agency, 'Survey and Research on Money Lending Business Users,' P-5. Total number of company employees, public servants (including teaching staff), and organization employees (including private schools, hospitals, etc.) (https://www.fsa.go.jp/common/about/research/20250530/01.pdf) as of March 31, 2025.

Service Details This service approaches employee financial anxieties and challenges in three stages: 'Visualization (Awareness) -> Autonomous Improvement (Organizing) -> Expert Support (Talking it out).'

1. Online Platform 'AND CALMO': Encouraging Visualization and Autonomous Improvement We provide various content on an online platform to help employees visualize their status through tools like the '16 Money Type Diagnosis' and 'Financial Anxiety Level Diagnosis,' and to take improvement actions in their daily lives based on the results.

2. Expert (FP) Support If there are more specific issues, employees can choose to consult with a certified Financial Planner (FP) of their own volition. There are two types of consultation windows available. A key point is that we have established a window that can also handle cases for those who have existing debts and need to rebuild their finances.

Consultations are free, and individual consultation details are never shared with the company.

Plans and Pricing There are three plans available, and the 'EAP Free Plan' can be implemented at no cost.

<Please inquire here for materials> https://form.run/@financial-eap-contact

Moving forward, through 'Financial EAP,' we will continue to provide new options for financial stress management in companies and support the creation of environments where employees can continue to work with peace of mind.