Listening to the Frontline
During COVID-19, Samsic UK saw rising attrition across its cleaning, security and facilities teams. Leadership went directly to colleagues to understand why. The message was consistent: the monthly pay cycle was creating pressure.
"We actually went to the ground and we listened to the people. The big thing we heard was - we like working for Samsic. But I can't wait four weeks to get paid. I need my money day to day so I can do the shopping, I can pay my bills"
For employees living paycheck to paycheck, waiting four weeks for earnings was not practical. For Samsic, a business built on trusted teams delivering consistent service, retention was becoming a strategic risk.
From Flexible Pay to a Financial Platform
Samsic partnered with Stream to give colleagues greater control over their earnings. What began as flexible access to earned wages quickly evolved into something broader.
Across 4,000 frontline employees, Stream introduced:
- Real-time visibility of earned wages
- Flexible Pay to reduce payday pressure
- Workplace Savings to build resilience
- Rewards to lower everyday expenses
- Full payroll integration across the business
This was not positioned as a short-term fix. It became a core benefit embedded within Samsic’s systems and employee experience.
“In the last two years it’s progressed from essentially just giving an advance… to now having savings parts, even the vouchers and the discount codes. It’s transformative to our employees.”
The Unexpected Win
While the original goal was to reduce pay cycle pressure, another outcome emerged.
Colleagues collectively saved £547,000 through the platform. Financial wellbeing shifted from immediate access to longer-term resilience.
“The fact that our employees have saved £547,000 is absolutely fantastic. That wasn’t what we were trying to achieve.”
Financial Wellbeing as a Business KPI
For Samsic, the impact extended beyond employee experience. Stream is now linked to workforce stability and tracked against average length of service.
In a facilities management business serving high-profile client sites, consistent teams matter. Retention protects service quality, client trust and operational efficiency.
“One of the KPIs we’re measuring is how Stream has impacted average length of service… it’s a benefit for the employee, but we do benefit as a business as well.”
Three years on, Stream is fully embedded across Samsic’s operations. What started as a response to financial pressure is now a measurable lever for retention and service consistency.
