America’s hourly workforce is under pressure with 70% of hourly workers earning under $60K living paycheck to paycheck.
In this new national study from Instant Financial and the Center for Generational Kinetics, 750 hourly workers across the U.S. share the financial realities shaping today’s workforce: skipped meals, mounting stress, payday loans, and a growing demand for faster access to earned wages.
Download the report to uncover the data, behaviors, and expectations employers can no longer afford to ignore.
Key Findings:
0
%
skipped more than one meal last month because they couldn’t afford it
0
%
have used high-cost financial tools like payday loans, overdrafts, or BNPL late fees to make it to payday
0
%
say the traditional two-week pay cycle is harming hourly workers
0
%
say they’d be more likely to stay long-term at a company offering on-demand pay
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This isn’t just a financial wellness issue. It’s a retention, recruiting, and workforce stability issue.
“Having to choose between how much groceries I could buy for my family or paying my electric bill.”
— Retail worker, M, 61
“I had to pawn my engagement ring to cover groceries so I wouldn’t go hungry.”
— Retail worker, F, 50
“A lot of workers would work for a competitor if they offer this.”
— Professional services worker, F, 44
Download the 2026 State of Hourly Restaurant Workers Study to understand the financial strain facing frontline restaurant employees and why 61% went without a meal in the past week.
