Workers Face Cash Gaps While Earned Wage Access Sits Unused

Earned wage access has largely solved the question of availability. The remaining challenge is persuading workers that it deserves a place in their regular financial lives.

That distinction emerges from the Wage to Wallet Index, produced by PYMNTS Intelligence in collaboration with Ingo Payments and WorkWhile. The research paints a picture of workers who routinely encounter mismatches between when bills arrive and when wages become available, yet often continue relying on familiar financial workarounds even when earned wage access is available.

More than half, or 54%, of Labor Economy workers needed money before their wages were available to cover an essential expense during the previous 90 days, compared with 45% of non-Labor workers. Sixteen percent encountered that situation at least four times during the same period, indicating that cashflow gaps are recurring rather than exceptional events.

The report also illustrates how workers respond when those gaps appear. Twenty-two percent relied primarily on family or friends to bridge an essential expense. Others delayed payments, took extra shifts, sold personal belongings or combined several approaches. Nine percent reported having no practical way to cover the expense at all.

Even when these strategies worked, they frequently weakened the following pay cycle. Only 37% of Labor Economy workers said their primary solution resolved the problem without creating additional financial pressure. Nearly half said it made their next paycheck or upcoming bills more difficult to manage.

Yet widespread availability has not translated into widespread use.

Availability Alone Does Not Equal Adoption

Approximately 80% of surveyed workers reported that their employer offers on-demand pay, yet most said they use it only rarely or never. The pattern was remarkably similar among Labor Economy and non-Labor workers, suggesting that access itself is no longer the principal obstacle.

Instead, the data points toward three related issues.

First is product design. Workers facing unexpected expenses usually make decisions quickly. The report finds that speed, immediate access and simplicity heavily influence which financial tool they choose. If earned wage access requires multiple steps, confusing enrollment or uncertain timing, workers may default to familiar alternatives despite their higher long-term cost.

Second is trust. Workers must understand exactly how much access costs, whether it affects future paychecks and whether repeated use creates hidden financial consequences. Even when products operate transparently, uncertainty can discourage adoption. Financial decisions made during moments of stress often favor known solutions over unfamiliar ones.

Third: Established financial habits. Many households have already developed routines for managing recurring cash shortages. Borrowing from relatives, delaying bills or working additional shifts may be expensive or inconvenient, but those options are familiar. Changing those habits requires more than introducing another payment feature.

For providers, expanding program availability may generate diminishing returns if workers remain uncertain about when to use the service or how it fits within broader household budgeting.

The broader economic backdrop reinforces that challenge. According to the report, Labor Economy workers expressed relatively strong confidence in their current employment while becoming more pessimistic about future business conditions. That combination encourages caution rather than experimentation with unfamiliar financial products. Workers who feel secure in today’s job but uncertain about tomorrow’s economy are likely to scrutinize any new financial tool before incorporating it into their regular routines.