Employees around the world dread the arrival of Monday every once in a while, and some are notorious for being the last in their chairs when work starts. While these traits aren’t ideal, one person’s tendency to run a few minutes late likely won’t drag an entire team down. What can, however, is an employee with a negative outlook on life who arrives late and leaves early day after day.

One possible cause of an employee’s poor attitude is that he or she has looming debts or is attempting to climb out of a credit score canyon. Workers facing these challenges are often unable to completely focus on their job responsibilities. It’s no surprise that constant stress over meeting financial obligations leads to a loss of focus and time dedicated to work obligations. And because employees work for paychecks that go toward their debts, it makes sense that they begin to associate the two.

Debt fatigue is a real thing, and the symptoms alarmingly resemble depression. I’ve learned firsthand that offering an atmosphere that encourages financial well-being will allow your employees opportunities to learn and grow, and it will prove beneficial to your business as well.

Defeating Debt-Fatigue

About half of all employers in 2017 offered financial advice in some form, and that number is likely to increase over time. From a management perspective, the impact on productivity and quality of work is clear, especially in a smaller office setting. When we endeavored to improve our employees’ credit scores, we noticed an increase in work output and quality, as well as a shift in responsibilities and smaller timelines for projects, because more team members were contributing simultaneously.

An unforeseen benefit of having financially healthy employees was the ability of the team to get acquainted on a more personal level. Especially for younger team members, learning that their experiences are fairly universal helps them realize they’re not alone and isolated. My team members have one another’s backs because they can relate to their co-workers.

For leaders who are tempted to dismiss the importance of relationships at work, it’s important to know that they are the biggest determining factor in employee engagement (registration required). In fact, they’re more important than job meaningfulness, corporate culture and career development opportunities.

Financial Fixes

Once you’ve bought into the benefits of helping your employees improve their credit scores, the next step is taking action. Here are the steps my team took to raise credit scores and contribute to our company’s success at the same time:

1. Offer performance and productivity bonuses.

Tying bonuses to productivity and performance requires employees to stay focused on their jobs in order to meet requirements. For especially motivated individuals, it also offers them a way to make more immediate improvements in their financial situations. You might also consider offering another form of bonus for employees who demonstrate improvements in their credit scores or overall financial health.

For example, when I noticed one of my employees was obviously dedicated and working more than a 40-hour week, I knew it was time to give this person a well-earned rest, so I offered some unscheduled paid time off. It’s not a financial bonus, but it’s a great way to recognize personal growth and success at work.

I’ve found that recognition is just as rewarding to employees as financial incentives, and all business leaders can afford to be more encouraging and supportive.

2. Offer advanced certification and training courses on the company dime.

The saying “you get what you pay for” holds true for your employees as well. If I know someone can contribute at a significantly higher rate with a small amount of time and training, it makes more sense for me to pay for that than to invest far more time, money and resources into hiring and training a brand-new employee.

After our team members complete their training, we offer them a raise or bonus based on their performance in the new role. For us, the response has been incredible.

When one of my employees couldn’t afford an advanced certification course because of a mountain of college debt, we offered to pay for the course. We knew the training would allow the employee to take a position that commanded a higher salary and pay off the debt faster. We also wanted to give a driven individual a sense of pride and endearment toward our team.

3. Offer financial planning services.

Some employees can realize huge benefits just by sitting down with a financial advisor and learning how to manage their money. In my opinion, meeting with a financial consultant is just as important as a health care plan offering physical therapy.

A cousin of mine, whom I’ve mentored for a decade, used to work a minimum-wage job and DJ on the weekends. He worked ridiculous hours but still lived paycheck to paycheck, so I gave him some basic information about how he could deduct certain expenses on his tax return. He made an appointment with an accountant and discovered he was missing out on a lot of money.

When I gave him a job and the right education and certifications he needed to advance, the results were even more profound. He’s now married and saving to buy his first home.

This experience made me realize how little his generation has truly learned about taxes and finances — and how big an impact small investments in people can have. Improving the financial literacy of your employees today through giving additional bonuses, helping with education and certifications and offering financial planning services will yield them, and your business, big benefits tomorrow.