Enhancing your employee benefits: Earned Wage Access (EWA)

Salary alone no longer guarantees loyalty; employees want to feel valued and supported.

Research has found that 69% of employees say a wide array of benefits would increase their loyalty, and 80% of workers who are happy with their benefits report higher job satisfaction.

The pressure is on for HR teams to offer enhanced employee benefits.

A benefit that’s currently gaining significant attention is Earned Wage Access (EWA), also known as On-Demand Pay.

EWA allows employees to withdraw a portion of their already-earned wages before their scheduled payday.

In this blog, we’ve covered everything HR teams need to know when considering EWA as part of their benefits package.

Understanding the demand for Earned Wage Access

We recently conducted a survey of 1,000 workers to assess their views on traditional pay cycles and whether there is truly a demand for Earned Wage Access.

Of the workers surveyed, 46% said they would prefer to receive their wages on demand, and two-thirds would use EWA if it were available to them.

Additionally, almost half (47.9%) of respondents said EWA makes a job more appealing.

This number increases significantly among younger generations, reaching 55.8% for those aged 16-24 and 65.5% for the 25-34 age group.

Guide: Earned Wage Access 2025-2026 research

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Addressing the shift in employee expectations

Dan Grace, Director of International HR Consulting at IRIS Software Group, stated: “Employees are demanding more personalised benefits that align with their life stages and values.

“Today’s workforce has experienced unprecedented workplace flexibility and won’t easily give it up.

“Benefits have become a direct reflection of how much an organisation values its people.

“When employees feel genuinely cared for through comprehensive benefits, they develop emotional connections to their employer.”

How Earned Wage Access works

To offer Earned Wage Access, you need an EWA platform that integrates with your current payroll software.

Once implemented, employees complete their shifts as normal, accumulating earnings.

Employees can then access their funds – often up to 50% of their accumulated pay – via a mobile app or online platform.

When payday arrives, the advanced funds are subtracted from their regular salary, along with any applicable fees.

EWA benefits for employers

Enhanced employee retention: Earned Wage Access can reduce employee turnover by providing financial stability and reducing stress.

Attract and engage top talent: offering EWA as a benefit can make your company more attractive to prospective employees and incentivise existing employees to take on extra shifts and overtime.

Reduced absenteeism: financial stress often leads to absenteeism, but EWA helps to alleviate this by providing immediate financial relief.

EWA benefits for employees

Financial flexibility: Earned Wage Access provides employees with immediate access to funds, helping them manage unexpected expenses with money they have already earned.

Reduced financial stress: access to earned wages can alleviate the stress associated with waiting for the next payday, as employees can respond to financial demands as they arise.

No high-interest debt: unlike payday loans, EWA is not debt and does not involve high-interest rates or hidden fees.

Partnering with Level Financial Technology

We’ve partnered with leading Earned Wage Access provider, Level Financial Technology, to bring On-Demand Pay to our payroll and HR software users. 

Via this partnership, data is seamlessly synced between IRIS and Level to automate Earned Wage Access for staff.

IRIS and Level: On-Demand Pay

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