2025 Branch Report: How America’s Hourly Workforce is Navigating Financial Pressure and Evolving Workplace Expectations

For the past seven years, Branch has surveyed hourly workers across the country to better understand their day-to-day financial needs, workplace expectations, and long-term goals. This year, more than 2,300 hourly employees shared a candid look at the challenges and decisions shaping their financial lives amid ongoing economic uncertainty. 

The 2025 Branch Report highlights an hourly workforce under pressure: grappling with variable income, the rising cost of living, and ongoing anxiety about making ends meet. Yet it also highlights where workers see the most opportunity—particularly in more flexible access to earnings and workplace benefits that support their long-term plans. 

“Our goal each year is to spotlight the real, lived experiences behind the headlines,” said Branch founder and CEO Atif Siddiqi. “Millions of workers are doing everything they can to stay financially stable. This report makes clear how critical it is for employers to offer tools that make everyday financial decisions easier.”

Here are a few other standout insights from this year’s report:

• 81% worry about paying bills on time and financial strain has led 61% to skip meals
• 52% say their pay varies week to week, making budgeting complicated
• 25% work two or more jobs to make ends meet
• 77% have less than $500 saved in case of an emergency
• 85% say early access to earned wages is helpful

Without a strong buffer for unexpected expenses, workers rely on flexible pay tools to reduce financial stress, avoid late fees, and handle day-to-day needs. Flexible pay has moved from "benefit" to "necessity," and luckily, that’s something more companies are continuing to embrace.

Want the rest of the insights in our 2025 Branch Report? Click below!

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