Workplace Expenses: Why Do Employees Find Claiming Them Stressful?
New research compiled by Soldo into expenses management reveals a striking disconnect between finance leaders and employees, with significant implications for workplace morale, business efficiency, and fraud prevention.
Findings from the survey highlight that while expenses policies may appear clear to those who created them, their practical application leaves many employees anxious, confused, and reluctant to claim back legitimate business costs.
Over half (55%) of employees hesitate before submitting an expenses claim, and a staggering 41% report never actually submitting expenses for items purchased on behalf of their company. This hesitation is not just about minor discomfort, it translates directly into hidden financial costs for both staff and employers. Consequently, employees often absorb business costs themselves or avoid making potentially beneficial purchases altogether. In fact, 38% admit to not spending at all when unsure about reimbursement, potentially stifling innovation and growth.
The stress associated with the expenses process is significant. Nearly a quarter (23%) of employees find challenging a rejected expenses claim to be one of the most stressful tasks at work, second only to asking for a pay rise. This anxiety reflects not just administrative hassle but deeper concerns over workplace culture and trust.
Leadership Perception vs. Employee Reality
A key driver of this problem is the gap between how finance leaders perceive their policies and how employees experience them. While 69% of finance leaders believe their expenses rules are clear and easy to follow, only 39% of employees share this confidence. For many workers, the process feels risky - what if their claim gets rejected? What if it makes them look bad? As a result, almost half turn to their line managers rather than finance teams for clarification, leading to fragmented oversight.
From the leadership perspective, frustrations differ. They worry about employees assuming every purchase will be reimbursed or submitting inappropriate claims. Late submissions are also a frequent headache. These mismatched expectations contribute to missed opportunities for both sides - employees lose out on rightful reimbursements while companies lack accurate data on real-world spending.
The Looming Threat of AI-Driven Fraud
Adding another layer of complexity is the rapid rise of AI-powered tools capable of generating convincing fake receipts in minutes. An overwhelming 74% of finance leaders now express concern about AI-enabled expenses fraud, a threat that outdated systems struggle to detect.
Commenting upon the findings, the Chief Financial Officer at Soldo, Sacha Hermann, states: "AI is evolving at a rapid pace, with many outdated expense systems simply not fit to identify AI generated fraud. The only way to tackle the threat of AI, is for finance teams to harness the technology, implementing the correct tools to identify fraudulent activity in real- time."
Towards Clarity and Confidence
Ultimately, these findings point toward an urgent need for clearer communication, streamlined technology, and cultural change around workplace expenses. Expenses policies must move from static documents to dynamic systems that guide employee behavior proactively while giving finance teams complete visibility.
By bridging these blurred lines, making rules transparent in practice as well as on paper, businesses can reduce stress, foster trust, deter fraud, and ensure every penny spent fuels growth rather than confusion or risk.
The Impact of AI on Jobs: New Microsoft Survey
A new survey by Microsoft has found that artificial intelligence (AI) is rapidly transforming the job landscape in terms of the future of work, with research-intensive roles, financial advisers, translators, and sales representatives amongst the most vulnerable to automation.
Analysis of 200,000 Copilot chatbot interactions found that AI can perform a significant share of tasks in jobs centered on information gathering, writing, and communication, sometimes exceeding 90% overlap for roles like interpreters, historians, and coders. This has led to real-world impacts: freelancers have lost substantial income as clients turn to AI solutions, while companies like Klarna and Microsoft have reduced their workforces in favor of automation.
However, not all occupations are equally exposed. Jobs requiring hands-on skills or complex human judgment, such as nurses, ship engineers, roofers, and highway maintenance workers, remain largely insulated from AI-driven disruption. Despite high-profile layoffs attributed to AI adoption, evidence suggests broader employment stagnation is influenced more by economic pressures than technology alone.
Historically, disruptive innovations often create new opportunities even as they automate certain tasks. While some roles may disappear or shrink significantly, others may evolve or expand due to AI’s capabilities. The challenge for businesses and workers is to adapt and harness AI as a complementary tool rather than a wholesale replacement.
