Who’s going to provide and protect the provider protector?

We men play a lot of roles: father, son, brother, husband, friend, coach, mentor, guide. But the one role that’s at most men’s core—especially those with families—is provider-protector. It’s the way we tend to see ourselves, and the way women see us too. Part of being a good provider protector (which should be only a single element of what makes a man a man) involves having contingency plans for how the family will be taken care of if something unexpected happens.

That’s why the results of the 2012 Aflac Workforces Report should really be a wakeup call for us and our families. Here’s some of the findings about America’s workers:

• Over half of American workers (51 percent) are trying to reduce debt.
• 70% of men are either only “somewhat confident” or “not at all confident” in their financial future
• 28 percent have less than $500 in savings to pay for out-of-pocket health, 28 percent have less than $500.
• 58 percent don’t even have a financial plan to handle the unexpected.
• Only eight percent strongly agree their family will be financially prepared in the event of an unexpected emergency.
• When asked how they would pay for out-of-pocket expenses due to an unexpected illness, more than half (57 percent) said they would have to tap into savings, 30 percent would use a credit card and nearly one out of five would have to withdraw funds from their 401k plans to cover the costs.

Come on, guys–time to get real