A more positive economic outlook is not translating to improved living conditions for Americans, according to a new survey conducted by PayrollOrg titled "Getting Paid In America." 

The organization, which advocates payroll education, publications and training, finds that 77 percent of workers in America would experience financial difficulty if their paychecks were delayed a week, down 1 percent compared with 2023. PayrollOrg noted that this reflects 78 percent of the population is now living paycheck to paycheck. 

Survey data also shows that a delay of one week in receiving a paycheck would also make it difficult for many Americans to meet their financial obligations. The organization noted that of the 36,729 individuals who responded to this question, 28,375 respondents, or 77 percent, said they would find it somewhat or very difficult to meet their financial obligations.

"With more than 70 percent of employees saying they will have difficulty making ends meet if a paycheck is delayed, it is critical that organizations ensure employees are paid with speed and accuracy, and consider programs that expedite wage access," said Peter Klukken, head of Money Network at Fiserv. 

Many employees are signaling that improved earned wage access would help many Americans stay ahead of debt. According to the survey, 34 percent of respondents indicated they want earlier access to their wages, which is consistent with the 2023 results. 

This steady demand, PayrollOrg stated, underscores the ongoing appeal and importance of flexible wage options in today's workforce.

"Timely access to pay and benefits are always top of mind for American workers,” said Tom Hammond, vice president of strategy, partnership and business development at Paychex. “This year's survey confirms that wages and benefits—especially offering voluntary lifestyle benefits such as earned wage access—are critical to attracting and retaining an engaged workforce and that will continue as a key area of focus for businesses of all sizes and the American workforce." 

In the same survey, respondents noted that they preferred to receive their pay in more traditional ways. New data shows that 39 percent of America's workers are uncomfortable with using AI to calculate their pay. Additionally, 53 percent said they would be uncomfortable with AI tools answering their payroll questions instead of a human.

"Payroll is more than just a technical process. It's deeply tied to the livelihoods and financial well-being of employees," said Dan Maddux, executive director at PAYO. "This survey shows that many workers still prefer the assurance of working with payroll professionals when it comes to complex payroll matters, despite the benefits AI can provide."