Being able to access a portion of earn salaries before their scheduled paydays helps the firm’s employees enjoy greater financial flexibility

Employee well-being programs are growing in adoption, especially in people-centric, labor-intensive industries such as grocery retailing, where employee challenges such as the financial stress can impact operations and service levels.

Following this trend, a so-called “mass-premium supermarket chain” in Malaysia has engaged an earned-wage access (EWA) service to allow its 3,100 employees to enjoy optional access to portions of their earned salary ahead of time.

This implementation is part of Jaya Grocer’s technology-enabled employee wellness program that includes enhancing financial flexibility and reducing financial stress — in order to strengthen its value proposition for employees while significantly reducing staff turnover.

According to the firm’s Head of Human Resources, David Jansen, said: “We constantly look for new and innovative ways, tapping on technology to enhance our competitive advantage (as an employer in the grocery sector): this is especially important in supporting our expansion plans… our employees have shared how much they appreciate having a practical and helpful financial tool, and they see it as a truly unique benefit.”

Specifically, EWA provides employees with timely access to a portion of their earned salary before their scheduled paydays, typically to tide over short-term, unexpected expenses. Also addressed are key employee pain points, including barriers to upskilling and engagement, financial inclusion, and overall well-being. As a value-add, the service also provides financial tips and resources to employees navigate the complexities of personal finance, learn money management skills, build sustainable livelihoods, support ESG principles, and improve their resilience to macroeconomic challenges. 

Said Alex Kim, co-founder and President, Paywatch, the provider of the EWA solution: “There is a strong correlation between happy, financially secure employees and successful companies. Employers are always looking for innovative ways to support and motivate their employees… cultivate great workplaces and alleviating money-related stress and distractions for employees. We are excited to embark on this latest partnership, which will set a new standard for employee well-being at Jaya Grocer.”