In the Age of Digital Tech, Participants Still Value Human Advice
As more participants tune into digital advice, studies show employees continue to rely heavily on human guidance.
A workplace trends report by UBS looked at the top developments impacting employee benefits and found that advice from human professionals is still heavily valued by participants.
“Employees are actively seeking help from trusted professionals and their employers, especially on complex topics like retirement planning and equity awards, which remain poorly understood,” UBS wrote in its report.
Baby Boomers and Gen Z employees particularly expressed strong preference for human advice. Among those who prefer professional guidance, nine in 10 believe an advisor can offer personalized help and support them in making more confident financial decisions. Ninety-one percent feel more confident making financial decisions after speaking with a professional, and 90% say human advisors can help them avoid mistakes that they may overlook on their own. Another 89% trust a professional’s expertise and experience more than automated tools.
Others are relying heavily on digital tools, including on sites like Google and YouTube, social media platforms, or even artificial intelligence (AI) tools such as ChatGPT, Microsoft Copilot, or Apple Intelligence. Sixty-seven percent of respondents noted an increase in their reliance on digital features over the last two years, while 29% indicated no change and 4% saw a decrease.
Still, workers turn to their employers to support them with financial education. According to UBS, eight in 10 employees look to companies to help them achieve financial wellness, and 82% believe that employers are responsible in helping employees attain high levels of financial wellness.
This includes offering education with higher levels of customization. Nine in 10 employees say that communications should be highly customized to their financial needs, and 76% are willing to share personal information to receive that experience.
Retirement planning top education priority
When asked what they were most interested in learning about, employees listed retirement savings strategies, financial planning insights, insurance, and investing principles.
Specifically, 74% of employees agreed that saving for retirement is their main financial area of interest, while 72% want to focus on saving for healthcare in retirement. Another 71% are interested in learning about overall financial planning, 71% want to know more about insurance options, and 68% want to understand investing principles.
The UBS Workplace Voice report surveyed 2,000 employees with at least $5,000 in investable assets in December 2025.
Amanda Umpierrez is the Managing Editor of 401(k) Specialist magazine. She is a financial services reporter with nearly a decade of experience and a passion for telling stories and reporting news.