Two out of five employees have missed work because they cannot afford travel costs, a shock survey has revealed.
In a grim symptom of low-pay Britain, 82% of workers have turned to high-cost credit - including credit cards, overdrafts and payday loans - between pay days, according to a poll.
And 59% of people who have used payday loans have suffered difficulties as a result.
Three quarters of workers have been affected by personal finance-related stress, the study showed.
Fifty-three per cent of those quizzed felt their employer has a responsibility to offer financial support - yet just 42% of employers do.
Campaigners urged bosses to help staff “get on top of their finances” in a bid to boost their performance.
Financial expert and TV presenter Jasmine Birtles, of Moneymagpie.com, said: “These findings show how important it is for people to be financially fit in order to have more stability in their lives and also to be more productive at work.
“Employers have a lot on their plates as it is, but these figures show that if they help their employees get on top of their finances it will materially improve their bottom line.”
Despite the introduction of tougher regulations on lenders, workers reported a rise in the level of difficulty experienced as a result of using high cost credit.
A breakdown reveals the percentage of workers using payday loans climbed from 47% in 2018 to 59% this year.
Those using credit cards between monthly pay cheques rose from 36% to 48%, while those taking on doorstep loans rose from 45% to 56%.
Some 51% dipped into overdrafts, compared with 40% a year earlier.
The findings from Vitreous World’s survey of 2,000 workers came in Hastee Pay’s annual Workplace Wellbeing Study.
Chief executive James Herbert said: “There is a clear need for a safe and ethical alternative to borrowing to get by.
“Workers deserve a fair chance to live debt free but are being held back by traditionally rigid pay cycles that simply don’t fit with modern financial demands.
“Employers have a responsibility to do what they can to improve financial wellbeing, starting with better education around finances and alternatives to high cost credit.”
The Mirror, which is campaigning for Fair Credit For All, told in November how families are potentially sitting on a £96billion secret debt mountain as people hide from relatives or friends the fact they owe cash.
The scale of hidden debt amounts to an eye-watering £4,164 per person, according to the Money Advice Service.
Separate figures from a TUC study showed personal debt at its worst-ever levels, with the total hitting £428billion – or £15,400 for the average household.
