Outdated expense processes are costing businesses more than just time and money. In this interview, Alex Mifsud, CEO at Weavr.io shares insights from new research and explains how embedded finance can solve the problem at scale.
Your research highlights how outdated expense processes negatively impact employees. Can you share some key statistics from your findings that illustrate the scale of the problem?
Absolutely. One of the standout findings from our research is that about half of employees (50%) find themselves out-of-pocket for over a month because of slow expense reimbursements. Worse still, 37% of employees have permanently lost money due to expenses never being reimbursed, averaging about £87 per person.
“This situation essentially amounts to employees lending money interest-free to their employers without even realising it.”
This demonstrates just how widespread and impactful these outdated expense processes really are.
Beyond financial inconvenience, what effect does this have on employee engagement and retention?
It’s bigger than just money – employees feel undervalued when regularly fronting their own cash, and then having to put in extra work to file expenses and get reimbursed. It makes employees feel that their time is not valued.
Our research showed 85% of people would highlight a smooth expenses management process positively when recommending their company to potential recruits. Conversely, a poor experience significantly damages morale and trust, contributing to eroded loyalty, lower engagement, and higher turnover.
How does embedded finance solve this issue for both employees and employers? Can you share any data from your research that supports its effectiveness?
In a world where, as consumers, we expect joined-up experiences (think Uber or JustEat), business processes are judged by the same standards. Embedded finance enables platforms – like accounting or travel software – to integrate employer-funded spending cards directly into expense workflows.
This eliminates the need for out-of-pocket spending and reimbursement delays. Transaction data can also be auto-matched with receipt photos. According to our research, 83% of employees agreed that embedded financial tools, like integrated expense cards within familiar software platforms, significantly improved their experience.
“This results in happier employees, fewer administrative headaches, and enhanced operational efficiency – essentially creating a win-win scenario.”
What are the biggest advantages for businesses in terms of cost control and visibility?
For businesses, embedded finance delivers greater control and real-time visibility. Companies can set spending limits, control categories of spend, and track everything instantly.
These controls can be built directly into the B2B SaaS tools finance teams already use, making policy enforcement automatic and budgeting more precise. This reduces overspending, financial risk, and paperwork.
Many companies hesitate to adopt new financial tools due to compliance concerns. How does embedded finance address this?
Compliance concerns are valid, but embedded finance platforms like Weavr embed regulatory standards and safeguards directly into their infrastructure.
This means compliance is handled automatically, reducing the burden on internal teams and ensuring that regulatory requirements are met from the outset.
How does integrating expense management into existing software platforms improve efficiency?
Productivity gains are measurable. When platforms offer integrated expense tools, employees spend less time managing claims, and finance teams spend less time reviewing, correcting, and processing them.
A seamless workflow with automated matching, real-time policy enforcement, and built-in controls dramatically reduces the hours spent on traditional expense management and the need to jump between systems.
What’s in it for HR and finance teams? How can they benefit from these solutions?
For HR and finance, embedded finance simplifies everything. It reduces manual tasks and errors, improves visibility and compliance, and frees up time for strategic priorities.
That means more focus on employee satisfaction, budget optimisation, and long-term planning.
What advice would you give companies considering embedded finance solutions?
Start by understanding how embedded finance can add value for your customers. Whether it’s productivity, stronger controls, or engagement – identify the business case first.
Then, choose the right partner. Many underestimate the cost, complexity, and risk of building financial services into their software. Working with an experienced partner like Weavr reduces uncertainty and increases your chances of success.
Where do you see the future of expense management heading, and what’s next for Weavr?
The future is more integrated, automated, and intelligent. We expect deeper software integrations, smart automation for approvals and compliance, and richer analytics.
At Weavr, we’re focused on making our tools even more intuitive and predictive – helping our customers simplify expense management and align it more closely with strategic financial goals.