HNA’s overtures to its employees come at a difficult time for many of China’s biggest dealmakers. The company is among a group of large Chinese firms chastened by the government for making splashy overseas purchases of hotels, movie theaters and film production companies. The resulting debt among the aggressive buyers got so big that Beijing saw it as a threat to the broader economy.

HNA is facing its own financial pressures. The conglomerate has seen its borrowing costs rise sharply on the global bond market in recent months, an indication that some investors are increasingly worried about the company’s ability to pay its debts. Seven public companies under the umbrella of HNA have suspended trading of their stock, suggesting that big announcements that could affect key businesses are in the works. The company is also starting to sell assets.

In a recent interview with Reuters, its chairman, Chen Feng, acknowledged financial troubles and vowed to overcome them.

It is unclear how much money HNA has raised from employees. The company has long offered such investments to its employees as a way to incentivize them and to share in the company’s success, Thomas A. Clare, an attorney for HNA, said in an email.

“HNA has never approached the offering of these products and opportunities as a financing mechanism, as the amounts contributed by HNA employees to these opportunities are a very small percentage of the funds raised,” he said.