Financial wellness and employee retention go hand in hand, and job dissatisfaction comes from the absence of the financial resources needed to achieve a sense of security. That’s why, in an effort to create financial resource incentives for employees, 53 McDonald's locations across the Tampa Bay, Florida, area are participating in a program called Instant Financial that allows employees daily access to their earned wages—like a paycheck in real time. After they complete a shift, there’s a four-hour timeframe in which 50 percent of an employee’s earned wage can be taken at no cost through the app, which gives employees more financial flexibility before payday. Since the pilot program began, morale has been at an all-time high. Because of this, managers are noticing better customer service scores and an overall shift toward more positive attitudes. Providing immediate access to employees' earned wages has relieved a significant amount of financial stress, which has, in turn, created happier, more engaged employees. “What started as a trial to invigorate our employees became a solution to common problems faced in the food service industry,” said Ed Shaw, executive vice president of human resources and risk manager for the Caspers Company, a McDonald’s franchisee. “It’s a radical, but mutually beneficial shift that’s changing the mentality and expectations around how employees are paid.”