U.S. defined-contribution plans have come a long way in recent years as companies have worked to increase participation, contain plan costs, and improve the investment lineups in their 401(k)s.

Still, research continues to show that many U.S. workers may not be saving enough. A report late last year from the Center for Retirement Research at Boston College indicated that 52 percent of U.S. households were at risk of not having enough income in retirement to maintain their standard of living.

As companies soldier on with the effort of improving their 401(k)s, a recent survey suggests they are placing a new emphasis on efforts to improve their employees' ability to manage their finances.