Earned Wage Access, or EWA, lets employees access a portion of the wages they have already earned before their scheduled payday. Unlike loans, it doesn’t come with interest, credit checks, or debt. It is a tool that provides financial flexibility while avoiding the pitfalls of borrowing.

Companies that introduce Earned Wage Access (EWA) report higher retention, better engagement, and stronger morale across their teams. A financially secure employee is simply a more productive and committed one.

In this article, we’ll break down what flexible wage access really means, why it’s gaining traction among employees and employers in Singapore and beyond, and how businesses can stay ahead by adopting this EWA solution.

Discover how Earned Wage Access (EWA) is transforming employee well-being and retention in Singapore. In this post, we explore how giving employees access to their earned income—on their terms—can reduce financial stress, improve productivity, and build a more loyal, future-ready workforce. Powered by platforms like Friyay, EWA isn’t just a benefit—it’s a game-changer.

By 2025, millennials will make up 75% of the global workforce while Gen Zers will account for 27%- based on Deloitte estimates. According to Aon Hewitt, millennials are currently the largest generation in the Singapore workforce. Therefore, it is crucial that organisations take concrete actions to meet the expectations and preferences of these millennials and Gen Zs. But what will they want from their workplace – and what won’t they accept?

Organisations have traditionally viewed employee well-being as nice-to-have rather than a necessity. It wasn’t regarded as the responsibility of the employer but something that an employee needs to manage themselves. However, expectations has started to shift, organisational leaders are made accountable to take proactive steps in promoting workplace wellness and interventions. This workplace phenomenon has only become more pronounced with the lingering devastating impact of covid-19 pandemic.

Traditionally most organizations focus on employees’ physical or mental wellness- important pillars which keep the morale and engagement of employees up.

However, in the event an employee runs into a financial challenge, is this a personal issue that the employer should not interfere?

Let us draw on some numbers. An Employee Financial Wellness Survey conducted in 2020 showed that money matters came at the top as a contributing stress factor, versus other aspects like their jobs, relationships, and health concerns. Also based on a Forbes magazine article, a stressed-out employee is more likely to be distracted at work, thus affecting their job performance, productivity, and engagement levels. Stress also adversely impacts employees’ emotional and physical states, which all give rise to absenteeism, All these translate to greater costs to employers.

Hence forth wellness comprises of multiple pillars- physical, mental and financial and each as important as the other and isn’t to be addressed in isolation and has huge consequences if not nip in the bud. It has come to a point we could no longer sweep financial stress under the carpet but rather addressed it with a 360-degree approach.

Employers have started picking up this notion notedly in recent years and curated financial wellness programs as part of their employees’ benefits package.