The Middle East war is likely to push up workplace stress.
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South African employees, already under financial strain, are likely to face increased pressure as rising oil prices push up fuel costs and inflation, impeding their ability to do their jobs.
According to fintech company Wealthbit’s 2026 Employee Benefits Report, 80% of employees in South Africa worry about money most of the time, while 56% of financially distressed employees spend more than three hours a week dealing with personal finances during work hours.
This equates to roughly 19.5 working days a year, affecting productivity and performance.
Wealthbit chief executive officer Alex Cook said financial stress is a consistent source of pressure for employees. “That’s most of our people, most of the time. And it affects work,” he said.
Separate local research shows South Africans were already under pressure before the latest geopolitical developments that have resulted in oil prices shooting up which, in turn, will adversely impact fuel and inflation.
The 2025 Old Mutual Savings & Investment Monitor shows that 54% of employees are worried about job security, while 47% are concerned about debt.
Momentum’s 2024 Consumer Financial Vulnerability Index, conducted with the University of South Africa, similarly found widespread financial strain driven by rising living costs, weak savings and poor financial literacy.
That underlying vulnerability is now expected to be exacerbated by rising fuel costs.
Johann Els, senior economist at PSG, said petrol prices could increase by around R6 per litre in April, pushing consumer inflation closer to about 4.2%, compared with earlier expectations of around 3.1%.
Diesel increases are expected to exceed R9 per litre and petrol set to rise by R5.42 per litre, Annabel Bishop, chief economist at Investec, has said.
Independent economist Elize Kruger said such increases would be among the largest monthly fuel price hikes on record and could derail South Africa’s fragile economic recovery in 2026, adding that the impact is likely to persist due to the slate account mechanism, with further pressure expected from May.
As costs rise, the financial strain highlighted in the Wealthbit report is expected to deepen, with direct implications for workplace performance. Cook said financial stress affects employees’ ability to focus and remain engaged.
“The maths is simple: People who are worrying about money are not fully present. Not because they lack commitment, but because the brain doesn’t compartmentalise well under financial threat. It shows up as presenteeism, distraction, motivation loss, and earlier job seeking,” he says.
This is already translating into higher turnover risk, with Wealthbit data showing financially stressed employees are twice as likely to look for a new job, while 70% are considering job changes due to financial pressure.
Replacing employees can cost between 50% and 200% of annual salary, adding to business costs.
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