New report from Wagestream urges employers to take action and build on employee financial resilience

Amid critical levels of financial stress in the UK and US, new research has identified financial resilience as a crucial lever for bolstering employee engagement and productivity. With money worries dominating, the report reveals that forward-thinking employers are focusing on financial resilience and driving notable improvements in productivity, retention and engagement as a result. 48% of UK employees would move employers for tools that improve their short, medium and long-term financial health. When offered these, 28% of UK employees would stay with their employer for longer, and US employees feel three times more motivated.

The market research by financial wellbeing leader Wagestream surveyed 4,000 employees, equally split between the UK and US. 

Key insights include: 

Financial stress dominates: Money worries have surged ahead as the top concern for employees, within the UK, there was a 63% rise from 2024 data. This financial anxiety is widespread, with 48% worrying about money at least once a week and 14% worrying about money every single day. The situation in the US is similar, with 62% of employees worrying about money at least once a week and nearly a quarter (23%) worrying about money daily.  

Volatile pay creates poor financial footings: The rise of unpredictable income is further eroding financial resilience. Over a third (36%) of employees in both markets have variable income month to month. In the US, 15% of employees see a fluctuation of 10% or more each month and 40% hold ‘Fair’ or ‘Poor’ credit scores, which can further financial exclusion. Alarmingly, a significant portion in both the US (19%) and UK (15%) lack a financial support network, compounding their vulnerability when faced with financial hardship.

Savings compounds financial pressures: Concerningly, 45% of UK adults believe that setting savings aside is unrealistic this year, with a significant one in six having no savings, and a third having £500 or less. The US mirrors this fragility, with over a third (34%) having $300 or less in savings and 45% have $500 or under.

A disconnect remains: While employees increasingly look to employers for support (46% in the UK believe their employer cares about their financial health), ranking them higher than banks (32%) or the government (20%), a disconnect remains. Despite 93% of UK employers having financial wellbeing support in place, only one in five employees believe this meets their needs. In the US, 76% of employers think they provide a supportive environment, but only 39% of employees agree. This gap presents a clear opportunity for employers to implement more effective and practical solutions that build genuine financial resilience.

Resilience drives business outcomes: The data is clear: financial resilience is a strategic imperative for key business metrics. Findings indicate that 28% of UK employees would be more likely to stay with an employer offering better financial support, 18% report they would work harder, and 20% would focus more at work. Conversely, 48% would move to another employer for better financial benefits. In the US, employees who feel valued at work are three times as likely to be motivated.

The report recommends a holistic approach with solutions that improve the full financial life of employees:

Implement practical toolkits: Move beyond generic education to practical tools addressing short, medium, and long-term needs - including budgeting support, savings schemes, flexible ways to get paid and money coaching.

Prioritise financial inclusion: Recognise that traditional financial products exclude those with low and/or volatile income. Offer inclusive alternatives like access to flexible pay and fair, affordable workplace loans to offer lifelines and potentially help build positive credit history. 

Foster savings habits: Offering workplace savings based on an opt-out rather than an opt-in basis is a powerful way to increase savings participation. 66% of employees want saving to be automatic and effortless as pensions.

Address income volatility: Adopt standards like the Living Wage Foundation's 'Living Hours' to provide predictable hours and pay, mitigating a key driver of financial instability for employees in low-paid and/or variable work.

Prelini Udayan-Chiechi, Chief Marketing Officer at Wagestream, comments: “Our latest report shows that financial stress continues to dominate both UK and US employees, directly eroding productivity and engagement, but this is a challenge employers are perfectly placed to address. The message is clear: building financial resilience isn’t just the right thing to do, it’s a powerful metric for business performance, driving productivity, retention and above all, happier teams. When employees feel financially secure, they show up more focused, more motivated, and more committed. With the right data, insights and strategy, organisations can turn financial wellbeing into a game-changing advantage - crucial in today’s economic climate.” 

With over 10 million monthly transactions and $3 million+ in payments processed a month through Wagestream, this highlights the massive volume of employee financial activity now flowing outside conventional banking channels, part of the new employee, employer dynamic with financial wellbeing at the heart. 

Wagestream secures £300M debt financing facility to increase facilitation of fair financial services for employees.

Wagestream, the market-defining leader for financial wellbeing solutions, announced a £300 million debt financing facility provided by Citi.

Launched in late 2024 through an early access program, Wagestream’s Workplace Loans has already helped the lives of thousands of borrowers. With this facility now in place, Wagestream has the ability to expand the Workplace Loans product offering to its UK member base and continue investing in the product.

The loans are tailored to individual needs, circumstances and repaid through payroll deductions. They are designed with the reality of varied income frequencies, rather than a single, monthly payday. There are no fees, clear terms, helping employees make informed decisions to build their financial resilience. Rates start as low as 5.9% APR with an expected average representative APR of 13.9%-16.9% across the portfolio.

Portman Wills, Wagestream co-founder comments:

“In just a short period, we’ve seen significant uptake and positive feedback from our members benefiting from fair, accessible credit. This credit facility will allow us to scale our offering dramatically, reaching more employees, with an alternative to the high interest loans offered by traditional financial institutions”.

Wagestream’s solutions are offered to over three million people through 2,000+ brands, helping employees make better financial wellbeing decisions, from how and when they get paid, to live tracking, budgeting and coaching services, to enabling better savings habits. The company processes more than 10 million monthly transactions and more than £2.5 billion in monthly payments on its platform.

World-leading impact investors, Better Society Capital, Social Tech Trust and Fair By Design, along with renowned venture investors, including Balderton Capital, Northzone, QED, Smash Capital, BlackRock and British Business Bank, have all invested in Wagestream.

Financial wellbeing provider Wagestream has announced the appointment of Prelini Udayan-Chiechi as Chief Marketing Officer (CMO), reporting to CEO and Co-Founder, Peter Briffett. 

Udayan-Chiechi brings a wealth of experience to Wagestream, with over two decades of marketing leadership across the technology and high-growth sectors. She comes with a track record of driving growth at some of the world’s leading technology companies, including Zendesk, Bazaarvoice, Lithium Technologies, Adobe, and IBM. She has also served as a Strategic Advisor to Northzone - one of Europe’s leading venture funds, and an investor in Wagestream.

The appointment comes as Wagestream continues to expand its US presence: already headquartered in Washington, D.C., the company will continue to expand its New York City presence, with a new Soho office and greater investment in its go-to-market teams. 

Wagestream experienced 250%+ growth last year in the U.S. with surging demand for its market-leading financial wellbeing platform, among employers. It expects to support more than one million members in the U.S. by the end of 2025, with companies like Crate & Barrel, Floor & Decor, New Balance and Burger King now offering financial benefits through Wagestream’s platform.

“Prelini has a proven track record of growth and impact at leading high tech organisations. We are on a journey of bringing fair financial services to all employees, and with Prelini’s experience, coupled with her dynamism, personality and strong leadership, we have no doubt of the value we will continue to drive for our clients and members” said Peter Briffett, CEO and Co-Founder of Wagestream.

Commenting on her appointment, Udayan-Chiechi said: “Wagestream’s mission is to deliver better financial wellbeing to the employees who are often underserved by traditional finance. With an unparalleled suite of products, ranging from flexible pay and savings to loans and pensions, Wagestream can effectively deliver on its mission and social charter, of bringing financial security and stability to the lives of billions of people around the world. 

I couldn’t be more excited to be joining, and leading the team at this pivotal phase of its journey”.

This announcement comes amid continued growth and momentum for Wagestream. The company processes more than 10 million monthly transactions and $3 billion+ in monthly payments on its platform. It was also recently recognised in The Times Tech100 for 2025.