Reducing Financial Stress with Earned Wage Access

The Challenge:

Bi-Weekly Pay Cycles Weren’t Meeting Real-Life Needs

Edgewood recognized a growing need for greater financial flexibility among its employees. Rising living expenses, unexpected costs between pay periods, and direct feedback from team members highlighted that traditional bi-weekly pay cycles didn’t always align with real-life financial demands.

Employees risked turning to high-interest payday loans or credit cards to cover the gap between paychecks. Leadership wanted to provide a safer path. They needed a solution that could:

• Provide a safer alternative to payday loans and credit cards

• Support employee financial well-being without complexity

• Strengthen the total rewards package without adding cost

“Like many organizations in healthcare, we saw employees facing financial stress between pay cycles. We also wanted to offer a new benefit to retain talent in a competitive labor market."

Stacie Platfers
Payroll Manager

The Solution:

Payactiv as a Strategic Total Rewards Tool

Edgewood implemented Payactiv as an employer-sponsored Earned Wage Access¹ program, giving employees access to a portion of their earned wages between paychecks — at no cost or low cost to the employee.

The implementation required:

• No disruption to existing pay cycles

• No additional payroll complexity

• No increase in employer cost

“Payactiv has become a valuable extension of our total rewards strategy by offering employees greater financial flexibility. The integration was seamless, allowing us to maintain our existing payroll processes.”

Stacie Platfers
Payroll Manager

Employee Impact:

A Real-Time Financial Safety Net

Payactiv became a daily resource for employees managing the kinds of everyday expenses that don’t wait for payday:

• Rising rent, utility, and grocery costs

• Unexpected medical or auto repair bills

• Other expenses that arise between pay periods

Frontline complaints have been essentially absent, with administrators reporting that the program is working well for employees and that the value is being felt across the workforce.

What Happens When Financial Stress Is Removed

Financial stress can directly impact engagement, productivity, and retention, especially in hourly and frontline roles.

If employees can access their earned wages when they need them, that stress no longer dictates how they show up at work.

With greater stability, employees can stay focused, maintain consistent attendance, and navigate everyday challenges without disruption.

Strategic Value:

More Than a Benefit

What started as a financial wellness offering has become a strategic part of Edgewood’s total rewards package. Payactiv strengthens Edgewood’s position in talent attraction and retention, modernizes its benefits portfolio, and reinforces a clear commitment to caring for employees’ financial well-being, all without increasing payroll complexity or cost.

The partnership between Edgewood and Payactiv has matured into a true working relationship, with active collaboration on feature requests, pilots, and ongoing improvements.

"Reducing financial stress allows employees to focus on what matters most, while offering EWA differentiates us in the market and reinforces our commitment to supporting our team."

Stacie Platfers
Payroll Manager