Report
2025 Deel Hong Kong Payday Expectations Report
Global payroll
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Support employee trust and retention by modernizing payroll
Rising financial pressures and technological change are transforming how employees in Hong Kong think about pay. Payroll can no longer be approached as merely administrative; it must be strategic to meet current workforce needs.
We surveyed over 1,000 full-time workers in Hong Kong to capture the reality of the modern workforce, understand employee demands, and how AI and on-demand pay are redefining payroll.
Who is this report for?
- HR and payroll leaders looking to improve employee retention, understand workforce needs and expectations, and create a modern payroll strategy
- CHROs and CFOs who are redefining their organization’s payroll strategy to mitigate risk and adapt to evolving economic conditions
Key findings
- Rising financial pressures: 86% of Hong Kong employees say their salaries haven’t kept up with inflation. As a result, 83% are relying on credit cards, cash advances, or buy-now-pay-later (BNPL) services
- Preference for non-traditional pay: 83% of workers are open to receiving their pay through non-traditional formats such as equity, loyalty rewards, crypto, and foreign currency
- Demand for transparency: Most employees express a need for clearer explanations of their pay and benefits, and 81% support salary transparency to ensure fairness across their industry
- AI and payroll: About two-thirds of workers are comfortable with using AI in payroll as long as there is still human oversight to guarantee security and accuracy
Why download the full report?
By downloading the report, you will:
- Get detailed analysis of how inflation and rising costs are affecting employee financial stability and pay satisfaction
- Explore new pay preferences such as equity, loyalty rewards, crypto, and foreign currency
- Understand how employees view AI in payroll and where they expect human oversight
- Learn actionable steps to build a more transparent, flexible, and employee-centric payroll strategy.
- Benchmark your organization against insights from 1,000+ full-time workers across Hong Kong
How to leverage this data
By understanding trends regarding economic pressures, non-traditional pay methods, and the impact of AI, payroll and HR leaders in Hong Kong can adjust payroll processes to deliver greater support to employees, which contributes to higher satisfaction, trust, and retention.
FAQs
What payroll strategies improve employee retention in Hong Kong?
Retention in Hong Kong is increasingly linked to how transparent, flexible, and accurate payroll processes are. Employees expect clearer breakdowns of pay and benefits, more timely access to wages, and non-traditional pay formats.
How does on-demand pay work in Hong Kong?
On-demand pay is a service that allows employees to access part of their wages before traditional payday. It helps employees access their wages as they need it to manage unexpected expenses and reduce stress.
In Hong Kong, on-demand pay solutions are still emerging but are gaining traction as part of modern payroll strategies. It’s typically offered through a third-party payroll or HR platform, where employees can withdraw a percentage of their accrued wages in real time or on demand.
Deel delivers this through Anytime Pay, an on-demand pay solution built directly into Deel’s EOR infrastructure. Unlike other solutions, it works across countries, currencies, and compliance frameworks without unnecessary fees or payroll disruptions.
Is this report relevant if my organization isn’t based in Hong Kong?
Yes. While the data focuses on Hong Kong, the trends highlighted reflect broader regional and global shifts. Leaders across the APAC region can use these insights to anticipate similar workforce expectations and adapt proactively.