Journal Press India®

MANTHAN: Journal of Commerce and Management
Vol 12 , Issue 2 , July - December 2025 | Pages: 116-134 | Research Paper

Empowering Her Wallet: How HR can Champion Financial Freedom for Women Employees

 
Article has been added to the cart.View Cart (0)

Author Details ( * ) denotes Corresponding author

1. * Anju Motwani, Assistant Professor , Management , VES Institute of management Studies & Research , Collector’s Colony, Chembur, Mumbai - 400 074, Maharashtra, India (anju.motwani@ves.ac.in)
2. Anju Vaswani, Assistant Professor, Finance, VES Business School, Mumbai, Maharashtra, India (anju.vaswani@ves.ac.in)
3. Jyoti Chandwani, Professor , Human Resource Department , VES Institute of Management Studies & Research , Collector’s Colony, Chembur, Mumbai - 400 074, Maharashtra, India (jyoti.chandwani@ves.ac.in)

Despite advancements in literacy, a significant gender gap remains in financial literacy, particularly among women in urban settings like Mumbai. This research examines the financial literacy levels of women employees in Mumbai suburbs, focusing on their knowledge gaps, key challenges, and the influence of financial attitude on financial literacy. The study employs a quantitative approach to gather insights into the financial behaviours and decision-making patterns of participants. Findings reveal that limited access to resources, inadequate financial education, and ingrained socio-cultural norms hinder women’s financial understanding and participation. A positive financial attitude was found to correlate strongly with higher financial literacy levels. Based on these insights, the study offers strategic recommendations for HR departments to design targeted financial literacy programs that empower women employees, enhance their financial decision-making, and foster greater economic independence. These initiatives are crucial for promoting financial inclusivity and bridging the gender gap in financial knowledge and behaviour.

Keywords

Financial literacy; Women employees; HR initiatives; Gender gap; Financial attitude

  1. Agarwal, S. & Qian, W. (2014). Consumption and debt response to unanticipated income shocks: Evidence from a natural experiment in Singapore. American Economic Review, 104(12), 4205–4230. Retrieved from https://doi.org/10.1257/aer.104.12.4205
  2. Barro, R. J. (1999). Determinants of democracy. The University of Chicago Press Stable.
  3. Bernheim, B. D., Garrett, D. M. & Maki, D. M. (2001). Education and saving: The long-term effects of high school financial curriculum mandates. Journal of Public Economics, 80(3), 435–465.
  4. Bongomin, G. O. C., Ntayi, J. M., Munene, J. C. & Nabeta, I. N. (2016). Social capital: Mediator of financial literacy and financial inclusion in rural Uganda. Review of International Business and Strategy, 26(2), 291–312.
  5. Chen, H. & Volpe, R. P. (1998). An analysis of personal financial literacy among college students. Financial Services Review, 7(2), 107–128.
  6. Chijwani, M. (2014). A study of financial literacy among working women in Pune. International Journal for Scientific Research & Development, 1(11), 2456–2458.
  7. D’Ancona, L. E. (2014). Financial literacy and financial inclusion of women in rural Rajasthan: A case study of the Indian school of microfinance for women’s financial education project. SIT Digital Collections, Independent Study Project (ISP) Collection, Fall 12.
  8. Ergün, K. (2018). Financial literacy among university students: A study in eight European countries. International Journal of Consumer Studies, 42(1), 2–15. Retrieved from https://doi.org/10.1111/ijcs.12408
  9. Fernando, S. D. (2016). Employee personal financial literacy as a strategic human resource management initiative: With special reference to ABC Bank PLC. International Conference on Business and Information 2016 – University of Kelaniya (ICBI/16/13).
  10. Firli, A. (2017). Factors that influence financial literacy: A conceptual framework. IOP Conference Series: Materials Science and Engineering, 180(1), 012254. Retrieved from https://doi.org/10.1088/1757-899X/180/1/012254
  11. Guiso, L., & Jappelli, T. (2008). Financial literacy and portfolio diversification. European University Institute, Department of Economics, Working Paper ECO 2008/31, 1–36.
  12. Hussain, J., Salia, S. & Karim, A. (2018). Is knowledge that powerful? Financial literacy and access to finance: An analysis of enterprises in the UK. Journal of Small Business and Enterprise Development, 25(6), 985–1003. Retrieved from https://doi.org/10.1108/JSBED-01-2018-0021
  13. Huston, S. J. (2010). Measuring financial literacy. Journal of Consumer Affairs, 44(2),       296–316.
  14. Jappelli, T., & Padula, M. (2013). Investment in financial literacy and saving decisions. Journal of Banking and Finance, 37(8), 2779–2792.
  15. Jindal, M. (2019). A study on financial literacy among women. International Journal of Financial Management and Economics, 3(1), 5–6.
  16. Kim, K. T. & Lee, J. (2018). Financial literacy and use of payday loans in the United States. Applied Economics Letters, 25(11), 781–784. Retrieved from https://doi.org/10.1080/13504 851.2017.1366635
  17. Klatt, M. (2009). An assessment of women’s financial literacy. The Graduate School, University of Wisconsin Stout, Menomonie, WI.
  18. Ludlum, M., Tilker, K., Ritter, D., Cowart, T., Xu, W. & Smith, B. C. (2012). Financial literacy and credit cards: A multi-campus survey. International Journal of Business and Social Science, 3(7), 25–33.
  19. Lusardi, A. (2006). Planning and financial literacy: How do women fare? Working Paper WP 2006-136. University of Michigan Retirement Research Centre.
  20. Lusardi, A., & Mitchell, O. S. (2007). Financial literacy and retirement preparedness: Evidence and implications for financial education. Business Economics, 42(1), 35–44. Retrieved from https://doi.org/10.2145/20070104
  21. Lusardi, A. & Mitchell, O. S. (2011). Financial literacy around the world: An overview. Journal of Pension Economics and Finance, 10(4), 497–508. Retrieved from https://doi.org/10.1017/S1474747211000448
  22. Lusardi, A. & Mitchell, O. S. (2014). The economic importance of financial literacy: Theory and evidence. Journal of Economic Literature, 52(1), 5–44.
  23. Lusardi, A. & Mitchell, O. S. (2015). Financial literacy and economic outcomes: Evidence and policy implications. Journal of Retirement, 3(1), 107–114.
  24. Lusardi, A., Mitchell, O. S. & Curto, V. (2010). Financial literacy among the young. Journal of Consumer Affairs, 44(2), 358–380.
  25. Mahbub, M. (2021). Women empowerment, definition, theory, process, practice and importance: An analysis course. Department of Political Science, University of Dhaka.
  26. National Sample Survey Office. (2023). Key indicators of education in India: Based on National Sample Survey 79th round (July 2022–June 2023). Ministry of Statistics and Programme Implementation, Government of India.
  27. Nayak, P. & Mahanta, B. (2015). Women empowerment in Assam. PCC Journal of Economics and Commerce, 6(6), 61–74.
  28. Paiella, M. (2016). Financial literacy and subjective expectations questions: A validation exercise. Research in Economics, 70(2), 360–374.
  29. S&P Global Financial Literacy Excellence Center. (2015). Financial literacy around the world: Insights from the Standard & Poor’s Ratings Services Global Financial Literacy Survey. McGraw Hill Financial. Retrieved from https://gflec.org/initiatives/sp-global-finlit-survey/
  30. Shen, Y., Hu, W. & Hueng, C. J. (2019). The effects of financial literacy, digital financial product usage and internet usage on financial inclusion in China. Retrieved from http://dx.doi.org/10.1051/matecconf/201822805012
  31. van Rooij, M. C. J., Lusardi, A. & Alessie, R. J. M. (2012). Financial literacy, retirement planning and household wealth. Economic Journal, 122(560), 449–478.
  32. Warner, C. K. & Agnello, M. F. (2012). Intergenerational financial literacy: The case for teaching sustainable financial decision making in schools. Citizenship, Social and Economic Education, 11(3), 202–211.
  33. Wells, R. S., Seifert, T. A., Padgett, R. D., Park, S. & Umbach, P. (2011). Why do more women than men want to earn a four-year degree? Exploring the effects of gender, social origin, and social capital on educational expectations. Journal of Higher Education, 82(1), 1–32.
  34. World Bank. (2023). Financial inclusion overview. Retrieved from https://www.world bank.org/en/topic/financialinclusion/overview
Abstract Views: 1
PDF Views: 1

By continuing to use this website, you consent to the use of cookies in accordance with our Cookie Policy.