Despite employment reaching a record high in 2024, half of Australian workers (50%) are living paycheck to paycheck, according to ADP Research’s People at&nbsp;Work 2025 report. The study, which surveyed nearly 38,000 workers across 34 markets, uncovers stark&nbsp;regional disparities and generational divides in the global workforce’s financial resilience.

The findings reveal a complex financial picture, both locally and internationally: taking on extra work&nbsp;doesn’t necessarily close the pay gap, as nearly six in 10 (57%) workers surveyed globally are still&nbsp;struggling to make ends meet, even working multiple jobs.&nbsp;

In Australia, over half (52%) of workers with two jobs and nearly six in 10 (58%) of those with three or&nbsp;more jobs report holding multiple roles to cover necessary expenses.

Global strain: Globally, more than half (54%) of single-job holders, 59% of workers with two&nbsp;jobs, and 61% of workers with three or more jobs are struggling to make ends meet. Working multiple jobs to make ends meet: A significant portion of Australians are turning to&nbsp;multiple jobs to cope with financial demands. Two jobs: 58% say they do it to afford extra costs, and 35% to build life savings and&nbsp;prepare for retirement. Three or more jobs: 58% do it to build savings and prepare for retirement, and 46%&nbsp;to cover extra costs. Regional Comparison: The country with the highest percentage of workers living paycheck to&nbsp;paycheck is Egypt (84%), followed by Saudi Arabia (79%) and the Philippines (78%). In contrast,&nbsp;South Korea reports the lowest proportion globally, at just 18%. Within the Asia-Pacific region,&nbsp;Australia ranks as the fourth lowest in terms of the share of employees living paycheck to&nbsp;paycheck, with 50% of workers facing this financial pressure. Only Japan (29%), Taiwan (30%),&nbsp;and China (31%) report lower proportions.

The survey reveals that most workers holding multiple jobs are doing it to cover their necessary&nbsp;expenses, to save for future spending, and to build savings for retirement. The number of workers&nbsp;working more than one job is the highest in the Middle East Africa (34%), Latin America (24%), and&nbsp;Asia Pacific (24%).

While people have different reasons for taking on extra work, holding two or more jobs can be a&nbsp;necessity in parts of the world where average wages are low relative to a country’s cost of living.&nbsp;Informal economies in Africa, Latin America and parts of Asia exacerbate challenges, with workers&nbsp;who piece together gig or part-time roles lacking stability or protection.

“Pay is the foundation of financial wellbeing for most workers, yet our data shows that even record&nbsp;employment isn't translating into financial security. Nearly two-thirds of people who hold three jobs still&nbsp;struggle to make ends meet. This presents an opportunity for employers to take a more holistic&nbsp;approach to compensation to help workers navigate the higher living costs of today’s global economy,”&nbsp;ADP chief economist Nela Richardson said.

“With the rising cost of living putting pressure on Australian households, many workers are finding it&nbsp;increasingly difficult to stretch their paychecks, even when holding down multiple jobs. For small and&nbsp;medium-sized businesses, offering across-the-board pay rises may not be realistic — but there are&nbsp;other meaningful ways to support employees,”&nbsp;Judy Barnett, Operations Director at ADP Australia&nbsp;said.

“Flexible work arrangements, subsidised transport, wellness programs, or financial planning support&nbsp;can go a long way in easing day-to-day pressures. These practical benefits help build trust, reduce&nbsp;turnover, and create more resilient workplaces at a time when employee wellbeing has never been&nbsp;more critical,”&nbsp;added Barnett.

Despite employment reaching a record high in 2024, half of Australian workers (50%) are living paycheck to paycheck, according to ADP Research’s People at&nbsp;Work 2025 report. The study, which surveyed nearly 38,000 workers across 34 markets, uncovers stark&nbsp;regional disparities and generational divides in the global workforce’s financial resilience.The findings reveal a complex financial picture, both locally and internationally: taking on extra work&nbsp;doesn’t necessarily close the pay gap, as nearly six in 10 (57%) workers surveyed globally are still&nbsp;struggling to make ends meet, even working multiple jobs.&nbsp;In Australia, over half (52%) of workers with two jobs and nearly six in 10 (58%) of those with three or&nbsp;more jobs report holding multiple roles to cover necessary expenses.Key Findings:Global strain: Globally, more than half (54%) of single-job holders, 59% of workers with two&nbsp;jobs, and 61% of workers with three or more jobs are struggling to make ends meet. Working multiple jobs to make ends meet: A significant portion of Australians are turning to&nbsp;multiple jobs to cope with financial demands. Two jobs: 58% say they do it to afford extra costs, and 35% to build life savings and&nbsp;prepare for retirement. Three or more jobs: 58% do it to build savings and prepare for retirement, and 46%&nbsp;to cover extra costs. Regional Comparison: The country with the highest percentage of workers living paycheck to&nbsp;paycheck is Egypt (84%), followed by Saudi Arabia (79%) and the Philippines (78%). In contrast,&nbsp;South Korea reports the lowest proportion globally, at just 18%. Within the Asia-Pacific region,&nbsp;Australia ranks as the fourth lowest in terms of the share of employees living paycheck to&nbsp;paycheck, with 50% of workers facing this financial pressure. Only Japan (29%), Taiwan (30%),&nbsp;and China (31%) report lower proportions.Why workers take multiple jobsThe survey reveals that most workers holding multiple jobs are doing it to cover their necessary&nbsp;expenses, to save for future spending, and to build savings for retirement. The number of workers&nbsp;working more than one job is the highest in the Middle East Africa (34%), Latin America (24%), and&nbsp;Asia Pacific (24%).While people have different reasons for taking on extra work, holding two or more jobs can be a&nbsp;necessity in parts of the world where average wages are low relative to a country’s cost of living.&nbsp;Informal economies in Africa, Latin America and parts of Asia exacerbate challenges, with workers&nbsp;who piece together gig or part-time roles lacking stability or protection.&nbsp;Navigating the high cost of living“Pay is the foundation of financial wellbeing for most workers, yet our data shows that even record&nbsp;employment isn't translating into financial security. Nearly two-thirds of people who hold three jobs still&nbsp;struggle to make ends meet. This presents an opportunity for employers to take a more holistic&nbsp;approach to compensation to help workers navigate the higher living costs of today’s global economy,”&nbsp;ADP chief economist Nela Richardson said.“With the rising cost of living putting pressure on Australian households, many workers are finding it&nbsp;increasingly difficult to stretch their paychecks, even when holding down multiple jobs. For small and&nbsp;medium-sized businesses, offering across-the-board pay rises may not be realistic — but there are&nbsp;other meaningful ways to support employees,”&nbsp;Judy Barnett, Operations Director at ADP Australia&nbsp;said.“Flexible work arrangements, subsidised transport, wellness programs, or financial planning support&nbsp;can go a long way in easing day-to-day pressures. These practical benefits help build trust, reduce&nbsp;turnover, and create more resilient workplaces at a time when employee wellbeing has never been&nbsp;more critical,”&nbsp;added Barnett.

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Half of Australian workers live paycheck to paycheck: ADP Report

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