Insights from recent episode analysis
Audience Interest
Podcast Focus
Publishing Consistency
Platform Reach
Insights are generated by CastFox AI using publicly available data, episode content, and proprietary models.
Total monthly reach
Estimated from 2 chart positions in 2 markets.
By chart position
- 🇺🇸US · Management#1885K to 30K
- 🇮🇪IE · Management#933K to 10K
- Per-Episode Audience
Est. listeners per new episode within ~30 days
2.4K to 12K🎙 Daily cadence·253 episodes·Last published today - Monthly Reach
Unique listeners across all episodes (30 days)
8K to 40K🇺🇸75%🇮🇪25% - Active Followers
Loyal subscribers who consistently listen
3.2K to 16K
Market Insights
Platform Distribution
Reach across major podcast platforms, updated hourly
Total Followers
—
Total Plays
—
Total Reviews
—
* Data sourced directly from platform APIs and aggregated hourly across all major podcast directories.
On the show
Recent episodes
Does Payroll Need a Rebrand? with Vickie Graham, Nick Day, Ana Laiu, Ian Hodson and Melanie Pizzey
Jun 5, 2026
Unknown duration
Pay Transparency Doesn't Create Pay Problems. It Exposes Them with Tom Heys
May 31, 2026
Unknown duration
Day-One SSP, Mandatory Payrolling, and the New Rules Reshaping UK Payroll
May 29, 2026
Unknown duration
Get the RFP Right or Pay the Price: A Payroll Leader's Guide to Choosing the Right Vendor with Miranda Humphries
May 22, 2026
Unknown duration
Payroll Is No Longer Just Payroll with Vickie Graham & Ana Laiu
May 15, 2026
Unknown duration
Social Links & Contact
Official channels & resources
Official Website
Login
RSS Feed
Login
| Date | Episode | Description | Length | ||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 6/5/26 | Does Payroll Need a Rebrand? with Vickie Graham, Nick Day, Ana Laiu, Ian Hodson and Melanie Pizzey | Does Payroll Need a Rebrand? | The Payroll Podcast with Vickie Graham, Nick Day, Ana Laiu, Ian Hodson and Melanie PizzeyFor years, payroll has been viewed as a back office function focused on processing pay, managing compliance, and making sure employees are paid accurately and on time. But payroll has evolved far beyond that, and many organizations still do not fully understand the strategic value payroll professionals bring to modern business.In this episode of @thepayrollpodcast, Vickie Graham hosts a powerful National Payroll Week discussion with Nick Day, Ana Laiu, Ian Hodson, and Melanie Pizzey exploring one major question:Does payroll need a rebrand?This conversation goes far beyond payroll systems and pay processing. The panel explores how payroll is becoming one of the most influential functions inside organizations through workforce intelligence, employee experience, compliance, risk management, analytics, reward strategy, and business decision making.Ana Laiu explains how payroll professionals are increasingly becoming strategic business partners by helping organizations manage workforce costs, global compliance, audit readiness, and reward effectiveness. She shares why payroll data is now critical for budgeting, forecasting, planning, and protecting organizations from financial and operational risk.Ian Hodson discusses how payroll has evolved far beyond the traditional “roll of pay” and why outdated perceptions continue to limit how the profession is viewed. He explores what payroll can learn from the transformation of HR from personnel to people and culture, and why payroll professionals must reposition how they communicate their impact.Nick Day shares why payroll professionals need to stop focusing only on what they do and start communicating how payroll creates business value. The discussion highlights how payroll can influence employee retention, workforce experience, productivity, financial wellbeing, and strategic business growth when payroll leaders learn to tell better stories to the C-suite.Melanie Pizzey explains why payroll may not need a completely new name, but it does need a stronger narrative. She discusses why payroll professionals should move away from conversations about being undervalued and instead focus on communicating the measurable impact payroll has on organizations every single pay cycle.One of the biggest themes throughout this episode is that payroll touches every employee, every pay cycle, and almost every part of the business.Payroll is no longer just about processing pay.It is about workforce intelligence, employee trust, compliance, culture, risk management, financial wellbeing, and business strategy.And the payroll professionals who embrace that shift will become some of the most influential voices inside modern organizations.Whether you are a payroll professional looking to become more strategic, an HR or reward leader trying to improve workforce insight, or a business leader thinking about the future of work, this episode will completely change how you think about payroll.This episode is sponsored by DeelManaging a global team is complex, Deel makes it simpler with payroll, HR, IT, and compliance all in one place. That's why over 35,000 businesses trust Deel to hire, pay, and manage their teams worldwide.See how Deel works at www.deel.com/nickdayGuest and Host:Connect with Vickie Graham: https://www.linkedin.com/in/vickiegrahamdipmacim/Connect with Nick Day: https://www.linkedin.com/in/nickday/Connect with Melanie Pizzey: https://www.linkedin.com/in/melaniepizzey/Connect with Ana Laiu: https://www.linkedin.com/in/analaiumscfcipp/Connect with Ian Hodson: https://www.linkedin.com/in/ian-hodson-mscchmcippdip-26828a22/Find your ideal payroll candidate with our job vacancy system: https://jgarecruitment.ck.page/919cf6b9eaSign up to the Payroll Podcast Newsletter: https://jgarecruitment.ck.page/23e7b153e7Stay tuned for the next episode of The Payroll Podcast, brought to you by Nick Day, CEO at JGA Recruitment, landing soon!Enjoyed this? Check out our sister podcast @thehrldpodcast for more great content!Timestamps:(00:00) Welcome and National Payroll Week Introduction(02:42) Meet the Panel and the Big Question(09:33) Does Payroll Reflect the Modern Role?(13:37) Payroll as a Strategic Business Partner(18:35) Compliance, Risk, and Workforce Complexity(22:13) Why Payroll Is No Longer Transactional(28:31) Storytelling, Perception, and Payroll Value(30:23) Technology, AI, and Employee Experience(37:11) What Payroll Can Learn from HR Rebranding(43:51) Does Payroll Need a Rebrand?(51:09) The Future of Payroll and Workforce Intelligence(55:17) Final Thoughts and Changing the Payroll Narrative | — | ||||||
| 5/31/26 | Pay Transparency Doesn't Create Pay Problems. It Exposes Them with Tom Heys | Tom Heys has spent years inside the complexity of pay gap reporting and pay transparency law. And along the way, he learned something most organizations only discover when it is too late. The problem was never the reporting. It was the data behind it.In this episode of @thepayrollpodcast, Nick Day, CEO of JGA Recruitment, sits down with Tom Heys, Co-Lead of the EU Pay Transparency Directive Practice and Head of UK Gender Pay Gap Reporting at Lewis Silkin LLP, to go deep on the regulatory shift that is pulling payroll out of the back office and into the frontline of compliance, legal risk, and organizational strategy. The EU Pay Transparency Directive.This is not just a conversation about a new regulation. It is a conversation about what equal pay actually means, where the data to prove it lives, and why most organizations are not as ready as they think. Tom and Nick explore why payroll data is the only true source of what employees actually receive, why HR systems alone will never be enough for PTD compliance, how poor pay element labeling and missing audit trails create legal exposure, what happens when employees and worker representatives start asking why they are paid what they are paid, how the Directive is reshaping recruitment through mandatory pay ranges and the ban on pay history questions, and why the biggest risk behind the PTD is not a regulatory fine but a wave of equal pay claims worth tens of millions.It is not just about reporting a number.It is about being able to defend every number you report.And if your organization has ever assumed that pay transparency compliance is a legal or HR problem rather than a payroll one, this episode will show you exactly why that assumption is the most expensive mistake you can make.Whether you are a payroll leader being pulled into a PTD project, an HR or reward professional trying to understand the data challenge ahead, or a multinational employer navigating fragmented implementation timelines across the EU, this episode is essential listening.This episode is sponsored by DeelManaging a global team is complex, Deel makes it simpler with payroll, HR, IT, and compliance all in one place. That's why over 35,000 businesses trust Deel to hire, pay, and manage their teams worldwide.See how Deel works at www.deel.com/nickdayGuest and Host: Connect with Tom Heys: https://www.linkedin.com/in/tomheys/ Connect with Nick Day: https://www.linkedin.com/in/nickday/Find your ideal payroll candidate with our job vacancy system: https://jgarecruitment.ck.page/919cf6b9eaSign up to the Payroll Podcast Newsletter: https://jgarecruitment.ck.page/23e7b153e7Stay tuned for the next episode of The Payroll Podcast, brought to you by Nick Day, CEO at JGA Recruitment, landing soon!Enjoyed this? Check out our sister podcast @thehrldpodcast for more great content!Timestamps:(00:00) Introduction: Why Payroll Is Central to Pay Transparency(01:27) What Payroll Really Means, It's All About the Data(03:04) Why Payroll Teams Are Being Pulled Into PTD Projects(04:53) Is Payroll Ready for This Level of Visibility?(07:00) The Data Quality Problem, What's Missing and Why It Matters(09:28) The Legal Consequences of Getting Your Data Wrong(13:51) What To Do When You Discover a Pay Gap(17:59) How the Directive Is Reshaping Recruitment and Pay Ranges(26:53) Employee Questions, Why Am I Grouped With Them?(29:34) Cross-Border and Multi-Entity Pay Risks(33:55) Implementation Timeline, Which Countries Are Ready?(41:38) Closing Advice, What Payroll Leaders Need To Do Now | — | ||||||
| 5/29/26 | Day-One SSP, Mandatory Payrolling, and the New Rules Reshaping UK Payroll | In this episode: Day-One SSP, Mandatory Payrolling & the New Rules Reshaping UK Payroll | Payroll Question TimePayroll Question Time is brought to you by SD Worx. SD Worx offers smart, tailored and integrated HR and Payroll solutions, along with the local expertise, global reach and reliable service you need to grow your business today!UK payroll is facing one of its most demanding periods ever. Are your processes ready for everything landing at once?In this episode of Payroll Question Time, host Steve Yardley and our expert panel break down the most pressing payroll challenges hitting employers right now. From day-one SSP entitlement and qualifying day complexities, to mandatory payrolling of benefits in kind and the Employment Rights Act. With the Fair Work Agency now operational and April 2027 approaching fast, this is essential viewing for every payroll professional in the UK.From zero-hours SSP edge cases and holiday pay record-keeping obligations to the mileage rate increase and zero-hours contract reform, this session covers the operational, compliance, and strategic issues you need to act on today.We cover:•SSP day-one entitlement and what it means for zero-hours and casual workers•The qualifying days problem and how some employees are already exploiting the new rules•Zero-earnings SSP and the unresolved gap in the SSP1 process and what to do now•Mandatory payrolling of benefits in kind: why preparation must start before the software is ready•Overlapping taxation explained and why you must never call it double taxation•The 50% regulatory limit and why it will catch employers out in 2027Class 1A NIC individual calculations and the complexity this creates•EV salary sacrifice and the company car confusion employers are getting wrong•Mileage rate increase to 55p per mile: what has changed, what is backdated, and what is discretionary•Employment Rights Act: unfair dismissal qualifying period, zero-hours contract reform, and tipping policy changes•Employment tribunal backlogs and the Fair Work Agency's enforcement powers•Holiday pay record-keeping and the six-year obligation employers have not woken up to•Rolled-up holiday pay risks for variable and part-year workers•How the Fair Work Agency could reshape compliance enforcement the way NMW teams did•Skills shift in payroll: analytics, AI, and what the profession looks like going forwardDon't forget to subscribe and turn on notifications to stay updated with every Payroll Question Time and the latest insights on UK payroll changes 2026 and ongoing payroll legislation updates.Learn more about SD Worx Academy training courses: https://www.sdworx.com/en-en Find your ideal candidate with our job vacancy system: https://jgarecruitment.ck.page/691ee4… Steve Yardley's LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/syardley/ Nick Day's LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/nickday/Enjoyed this? Check out our sister podcast @thehrldpodcast for more great content!Our Panel: Simon Parsons, Director of UK Compliance Strategies, SD Worx Mathew Akrigg, Policy & Advisory Leader, CIPP Samantha Mann, Payroll Team Manager, Armstrong Watson LLP Richard George, Payroll Consultant & Industry LeaderSteve Yardley, Host, Managing Director, JGA Recruitment GroupTimestamps:(00:00) Welcome & What to Expect(03:41) SSP Day-One Rules Explained(12:13) Zero Earnings SSP & the SSP1 Gap(20:54) Qualifying Days, Risks & Automation Pain(29:02) Mandatory Payrolling of Benefits: Planning Starts Now(38:10) Mileage Rate Rise & Payroll Impact(43:55) The 50% Regulatory Limit & Employee Communications(49:18) Employment Rights Act: What Changes & When(1:04:22) Holiday Pay, Record-Keeping & the Fair Work Agency(1:16:12) Who Should Own Holiday Records? Live Poll Results(1:23:09) Skills Shift, Analytics, AI & CPD in Payroll(1:28:26) Wrap-Up & Next Session: June 18thHashtags: #PayrollQuestionTime #UKPayroll #SSPChanges #DayOneSSP #MandatoryPayrolling #PayrollingBenefits #PayrollCompliance #EmploymentRightsAct #PayrollUpdates #ZeroHoursContracts #HolidayPay #FairWorkAgency #PayrollLegislation #P11D #Class1A #MileageRates #PayrollProfessionals #PayrollTransformation #SDWorx #CIPP #JGARecruitment | — | ||||||
| 5/22/26 | Get the RFP Right or Pay the Price: A Payroll Leader's Guide to Choosing the Right Vendor with Miranda Humphries | Miranda Humphries has spent her entire career inside payroll. Not on the edges of it, not adjacent to it, but deep inside the complexity, the pressure, and the transformation of it. And along the way, she learned something most organizations only discover too late. The vendor is rarely the problem. The process that chose them is.In this episode of @thepayrollpodcast, Nick Day, CEO of JGA Recruitment, sits down with Miranda Humphries, experienced global payroll leader and transformation specialist, to go deep on the one phase of payroll transformation that is most often rushed, most often misaligned, and most often responsible for implementations that fail before they even begin. The RFP process.This is not just a conversation about vendor selection. It is a conversation about what it really takes to make the right decision for your business. Miranda and Nick explore the full spectrum of procurement tools from direct award to RFI to RFP, why the RFI is one of the most underutilized tools in the payroll space, how to build questions that actually drive decisions, why hidden costs in your current vendor contract can completely distort your comparisons, and why no payroll leader should ever run this process alone.It is not just about finding the best vendor.It is about finding the right one for your business.And if your organization has ever gone live with a new system only to find the problems were already baked in, this episode will show you exactly where it went wrong and how to make sure it never happens again.Whether you are a payroll leader preparing to go to market, an HR or finance stakeholder being pulled into a vendor selection process, or a transformation professional who wants to understand what a truly rigorous RFP looks like from the inside, this episode is essential listening.This episode is sponsored by DeelManaging a global team is complex, Deel makes it simpler with payroll, HR, IT, and compliance all in one place. That's why over 35,000 businesses trust Deel to hire, pay, and manage their teams worldwide.See how Deel works at www.deel.com/nickdayGuest and Host:Connect with Miranda Humphries: https://www.linkedin.com/in/miranda-humphries-538aa72/Connect with Nick Day: https://www.linkedin.com/in/nickday/Find your ideal payroll candidate with our job vacancy system: https://jgarecruitment.ck.page/919cf6b9eaSign up to the Payroll Podcast Newsletter: https://jgarecruitment.ck.page/23e7b153e7Stay tuned for the next episode of The Payroll Podcast, brought to you by Nick Day, CEO at JGA Recruitment, landing soon!Enjoyed this? Check out our sister podcast @thehrldpodcast for more great content!Timestamps:(00:00) - Why Most Payroll Transformations Fail Before They Start(01:29) - What Payroll Really Means: Miranda's Story and Identity(04:32) - How Miranda Found Her Way Into Payroll(07:58) - What Is an RFP and What Is It Designed to Achieve(10:31) - RFP vs RFI vs RFQ: Choosing the Right Tool for the Job(17:42) - Who Should Own the RFP Process(22:06) - How to Handle Misalignment Between Payroll, HR, and Procurement(28:38) - Preparation: Knowing Your Current State Before You Go to Market(33:45) - Crafting the Right Questions and Scoring Your Vendors(44:21) - If You Could Redesign the RFP Process From Scratch(48:51) - The One Thing Every Payroll Leader Must Do Before Starting(51:23) - The Payroll Vault: Rapid Fire Advice for 2026 | — | ||||||
| 5/15/26 | Payroll Is No Longer Just Payroll with Vickie Graham & Ana Laiu | Most payroll teams are still viewed as operational functions focused on processing pay, maintaining compliance, and keeping systems running. But payroll is changing rapidly, and the organizations that understand this shift first will gain a major strategic advantage. Behind the systems, spreadsheets, and workflows sits one of the richest sources of workforce intelligence in any business, yet most companies are still underutilizing it.In this special webinar episode of @thepayrollpodcast, payroll and reward professionals join Vickie Graham and Ana Laiu for an in-depth discussion about how payroll and reward teams are evolving from transactional functions into strategic business partners through workforce analytics, automation, AI, and data-driven decision making.This is not just a conversation about payroll systems or reporting dashboards. It is a wider industry discussion about how payroll and reward functions are becoming central to workforce planning, productivity, cost optimization, business performance, and executive decision-making.Throughout the webinar, Vickie and Ana explore the hidden problems caused by fragmented systems, disconnected workforce data, and inconsistent processes that prevent payroll teams from influencing the C-suite effectively. Together with insights, comments, and perspectives shared by attendees during the session, the discussion highlights the growing demand for better workforce visibility, stronger technology integration, and more strategic payroll leadership across the industry.The webinar also covers the growing role of AI and automation in payroll, including predictive analytics, workforce planning, automated scheduling, and data integration, while exploring why human interpretation, business context, and strategic thinking will become even more valuable as technology evolves.One of the biggest themes from this webinar is that payroll professionals should stop thinking of themselves as administrators and start thinking of themselves as workforce intelligence leaders.Because payroll is no longer just about processing pay.It is about understanding workforce cost, productivity, employee behavior, organizational performance, and business strategy at a much deeper level.And the payroll professionals who embrace that shift will become some of the most influential voices inside modern organizations.Whether you are a payroll professional looking to become more strategic, an HR leader trying to unlock better workforce insights, or a business leader thinking about the future of workforce planning and payroll transformation, this webinar will completely change how you think about payroll and reward.This episode is sponsored by DeelManaging a global team is complex, Deel makes it simpler with payroll, HR, IT, and compliance all in one place. That's why over 35,000 businesses trust Deel to hire, pay, and manage their teams worldwide.See how Deel works at www.deel.com/nickdayGuest and Host:Connect with Vickie Graham: https://www.linkedin.com/in/vickiegrahamdipmacim/Connect with Ana Laiu: https://www.linkedin.com/in/analaiumscfcipp/Connect with Nick Day: https://www.linkedin.com/in/nickday/Find your ideal payroll candidate with our job vacancy system: https://jgarecruitment.ck.page/919cf6b9eaSign up to the Payroll Podcast Newsletter: https://jgarecruitment.ck.page/23e7b153e7Stay tuned for the next episode of The Payroll Podcast, brought to you by Nick Day, CEO at JGA Recruitment, landing soon!Enjoyed this? Check out our sister podcast @thehrldpodcast for more great content!Timestamps:(00:00) Why Payroll Is Becoming Strategic(02:44) Confidence in Payroll and Reward Data(06:40) The Most Underutilized Workforce Metrics(10:37) Pay Progression and Workforce Trends(16:02) Understanding the True Cost of Talent(23:09) The Problem With Fragmented Payroll Systems(29:44) Creating a Single Source of Workforce Truth(35:25) Why Process Mapping Matters Before New Tech(41:04) AI, Automation, and Workforce Planning(46:21) Why Human Judgment Still Matters in Payroll(48:10) Workforce Cost Optimization and Business Strategy(52:43) The Future of Payroll Leadership#PayrollPodcast #PayrollLeadership #FutureOfPayroll #PayrollAnalytics #PayrollStrategy #PayrollData #WorkforceIntelligence #AIinPayroll #PayrollTechnology #PeopleAnalytics #PayrollTransformation #PayrollProfessionals #WorkforcePlanning #HRTech #PayrollAutomation #PayrollInnovation #PayrollCommunity #AnaLaiu #VickieGraham #NickDay | — | ||||||
| 5/8/26 | April 2026 Payroll Changes | SSP, Holiday Pay, AMAP, P11D & Employment Rights Act Explained | In this episode: SSP Changes, Holiday Pay & Payrolling Benefits | Payroll Challenges for 2026 & BeyondPayroll Question Time is brought to you by SD Worx. SD Worx offers smart, tailored and integrated HR and Payroll solutions, along with the local expertise, global reach and reliable service you need to grow your business today!Payroll complexity is increasing fast. Are your payroll processes ready for the changes ahead?In this episode of Payroll Question Time, host Nick Day and our expert panel unpack the biggest payroll challenges facing employers this tax year, including SSP changes for zero-hours workers, holiday pay record-keeping, payrolling benefits readiness, AMAP mileage rates, and the future of payroll jobs.From statutory family pay confusion and sickness absence management to P11D transformation and mandatory payrolling concerns, this session explores the operational, compliance, and strategic issues payroll professionals need to prepare for now.We cover:•SSP day one entitlement changes and the impact on zero-hours workers•How qualifying days and average earnings calculations are catching employers out•Holiday pay record-keeping requirements and six-year compliance obligations•Rolled-up holiday pay rules and risks for variable-hours workers•Employment Rights Act changes and what payroll teams should prepare forP11D season priorities and mandatory payrolling of benefits from 2027•Class 1A NIC challenges and why software providers are raising concerns•Company car reporting complexities and benefit provider readiness•AMAP mileage allowance rates and why current rates may no longer be fair•National Minimum Wage calculation pitfalls including 52 vs 52.18 weeks•Payroll transformation, AI, outsourcing, and whether payroll jobs are evolving•Practical advice for reducing payroll risk, improving compliance, and preparing for legislative changeDon't forget to subscribe and turn on notifications to stay updated with every Payroll Question Time and the latest insights on UK Payroll Changes 2025 and ongoing payroll legislation updates UK.Learn more about SD Worx Academy training courses: https://www.sdworx.com/en-enFind your ideal candidate with our job vacancy system: https://jgarecruitment.ck.page/691ee4…Nick Day's LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/nickday/Enjoyed this? Check out our sister podcast @thehrldpodcast for more great content!Our Panel: Simon Parsons, Director of UK Compliance Strategies at SD Worx Richard George, Payroll Consultant & Industry Leader Samantha Mann, Payroll Team Manager, Armstrong Watson LLP Nick Day, Host, Founder of JGA Recruitment & Author of The Payroll PivotTimestamps:(00:00) Welcome & Panel Introductions(04:06) The New Tax Year: What Payroll Teams Need to Know(09:45) Statutory Sick Pay Overhaul: The Zero-Hours Wake-Up Call(18:11) Holiday Pay Recording: The New Mandatory Requirements(32:22) Employment Rights Act: Positive, Negative, or Indifferent?(44:54) Occupational Sick Pay: What Employers Can and Can't Do(46:25) Payrolling Benefits in Kind: The Road to 2027(1:06:16) AMAP Mileage Rates: Why 45p Per Mile No Longer Cuts It(1:20:12) National Minimum Wage: The 52 vs 52.18 Weeks Trap(1:24:40) Are Payroll Jobs Under Threat?(1:33:30) Free Resources & What's Coming NextHashtags:#PayrollQuestionTime #UKPayroll #SSPChanges #HolidayPay #P11D#PayrollingBenefits #PayrollCompliance #EmploymentRightsAct #PayrollUpdates#ZeroHoursContracts #PayrollLeadership #PayrollProfessionals #AMAP#PayrollTransformation #PayrollJobs #PayrollTraining #HRCompliance#PayrollRiskManagement #PayrollTechnology #SDWorx | — | ||||||
| 5/1/26 | Your Payroll Isn't Broken But It's Costing You More Than You Think with Sylvain Grande | Most payroll systems work. People get paid, compliance is met, and no one questions it. But working payroll is not the same as good payroll, and good payroll is not the same as modern payroll. Hidden behind the usual systems are inefficiencies, friction, missed insights, and a quietly eroding level of employee trust that most organizations never see coming.In this episode of @thepayrollpodcast, Nick Day, CEO of JGA Recruitment, sits down with Sylvain Grande, Chief Product Officer at PayFit, to challenge everything payroll leaders think they know about their current setup and make the case for why standing still is no longer an option.This is not just a conversation about software. It is a conversation about what payroll really is, a social contract, a cultural signal, and one of the most underrated artifacts in any business. Sylvain and Nick explore the hidden costs of payroll complacency, why year-end pain is almost always an upstream problem, how AI is genuinely transforming the profession right now, and what a truly modern payroll solution actually looks like in 2026.They also cover the real impact of PayFit Copilot, the AI agent already in the hands of thousands of HR and payroll professionals, the upcoming UK regulatory changes around benefits payrolling in April 2027, and why the future of payroll belongs to better-equipped experts supported by smarter systems, not fewer experts.It is not just about processing pay.It is about the trust, transparency, and culture sitting behind every single payslip.And if you are not thinking about it that way yet, this episode will change that.Whether you are a payroll professional looking to move from invisibility to influence, an HR leader trying to understand where your systems are holding you back, or a business owner who has never questioned your payroll setup, this episode will give you a new way of seeing one of the most important functions in your organization.This episode is sponsored by DeelManaging a global team is complex, Deel makes it simpler with payroll, HR, IT, and compliance all in one place. That's why over 35,000 businesses trust Deel to hire, pay, and manage their teams worldwide.See how Deel works at www.deel.com/nickdayGuest and Host:Connect with Sylvain Grande: https://www.linkedin.com/in/sgrande/Connect with Nick Day: https://www.linkedin.com/in/nickday/Find your ideal payroll candidate with our job vacancy system: https://jgarecruitment.ck.page/919cf6b9eaSign up to the Payroll Podcast Newsletter: https://jgarecruitment.ck.page/23e7b153e7Stay tuned for the next episode of The Payroll Podcast, brought to you by Nick Day, CEO at JGA Recruitment, landing soon!Enjoyed this? Check out our sister podcast @thehrldpodcast for more great content!Timestamps:(00:00) Introduction and What Modern Payroll Really Means(01:48) The Payslip as a Cultural and Business Artifact(04:07) The Hidden Costs of Normalizing Payroll Friction(09:29) Why Compliant Payroll Is Not Competitive Payroll(10:35) Interactive Payslips and the Case for Transparency(11:35) Year End Pain and the Upstream Problem Nobody Talks About(18:55) Where AI Is Actually Making a Difference in Payroll(23:24) PayFit Copilot and AI in Action(30:02) Benefits Complexity and the April 2027 UK Payrolling Change(35:29) What a Modern Payroll Solution Really Looks Like(42:53) Payroll as a Social Contract and Trust Builder(47:27) Payroll Vault: Rapid Fire Questions with Sylvain Grande#PayrollPodcast #ModernPayroll #PayrollTransformation #AIinPayroll #PayFit #SylvainGrande #NickDay #JGARecruitment #PayrollLeadership #HRPayroll #FutureOfPayroll #PayrollProfessional #EmployeeTrust #PayrollTech #PayrollCommunity #UKPayroll #PayrollInnovation #PayrollInsights #HRTech #PayrollStrategy | — | ||||||
| 4/23/26 | It Was Written on the Clock Cards: How Payroll Became My Whole Life with Tricia Hartley | Tricia Hartley spent 47 years doing the latter. From a chance encounter with a clock card-carrying HR manager at Heathrow Airport in 1977 to becoming one of the first women ever appointed as Director of Global Payroll Services, hers is a career that did not just keep pace with the payroll profession. It helped shape it.In this episode of @thepayrollpodcast, Nick Day, CEO of JGA Recruitment, sits down with Tricia Hartley, global payroll pioneer and recipient of the Reward Strategy Lifetime Achievement Award, to reflect on nearly five decades of payroll leadership across some of the world's most iconic organisations, including Chevron, Reuters, Cognizant, PayPal, and Microsoft.This is not just a career retrospective. It is a masterclass in what payroll truly means. Tricia and Nick explore why the payslip is one of the most important documents in a person's life, what it really takes to lead global payroll teams across multiple countries and cultures, and why the human touch in payroll must never be surrendered to automation. They also cover the honest realities of retiring after a career that consumed and fulfilled in equal measure, a coaching leadership philosophy that produced a generation of senior payroll directors, and what Tricia believes the next generation of payroll professionals must hold onto as AI begins to reshape the profession.It is not just about processing pay.It is about the people behind every payslip.And it always has been.Whether you are just starting out in payroll, leading a global team, or somewhere in between, this episode is proof that payroll is one of the most purposeful, adventurous, and human careers a person can choose.This episode is sponsored by DeelManaging a global team is complex, Deel makes it simpler with payroll, HR, IT, and compliance all in one place. That's why over 35,000 businesses trust Deel to hire, pay, and manage their teams worldwide.See how Deel works at www.deel.com/nickdayGuest and Host:Connect with Tricia Hartley: https://www.linkedin.com/in/tricia-hartley-9189259/Connect with Nick Day: https://www.linkedin.com/in/nickday/Find your ideal payroll candidate with our job vacancy system: https://jgarecruitment.ck.page/919cf6b9eaSign up to the Payroll Podcast Newsletter: https://jgarecruitment.ck.page/23e7b153e7Stay tuned for the next episode of The Payroll Podcast, brought to you by Nick Day, CEO at JGA Recruitment, landing soon!Enjoyed this? Check out our sister podcast @thehrldpodcast for more great content!Timestamps:(00:00) Introduction and Meet Tricia Hartley(01:56) What Payroll Really Means: The Human Responsibility Behind Every Payslip(03:33) How It All Started: Heathrow Airport and a Clock Card Interview in 1977(05:46) World Duty Free, Traveling the World and Catching the Global Bug(10:15) Leading Payroll at Chevron, Reuters, Cognizant, PayPal and Microsoft(12:24) Breaking Barriers as a Woman in Senior Payroll Leadership(15:19) Navigating Real Time Information, Brexit and the Big Industry Shifts(16:31) Winning the Reward Strategy Lifetime Achievement Award(18:26) Mentoring Future Leaders and Building Teams That Outlast You(24:43) The Honest Truth About Retirement and How to Prepare for It(33:19) The Future of Payroll, AI and Why the Human Touch Must Never Disappear(40:18) Payroll Vault: Career Advice for Every Stage of Your Payroll JourneyHashtags:#PayrollPodcast #GlobalPayroll #PayrollCareers #PayrollLeadership #LifetimeAchievement #TriciaHartley #NickDay #JGARecruitment #PayrollProfessional #WomenInPayroll #FutureOfPayroll #AIinPayroll #PayrollTransformation #CareerInPayroll #PayrollCommunity #HRPayroll #RewardStrategy #PayrollHistory #GlobalPayrollLeader #PayrollMentoring | — | ||||||
| 4/16/26 | Why Your Payroll Integration Will Fail on Day 300 (Not Day One) with David Docherty | Most companies think payroll integration is an IT project. They build it, they test it, they go live. Done. But here is the truth nobody is saying out loud: payroll integrations rarely fail on day one. They fail on day 100, day 300, or the moment something in your organization changes and the integration that once worked perfectly stops being reliable, compliant, or predictable. In this episode of @thepayrollpodcast, Nick Day, CEO of JGA Recruitment, sits down with David Docherty, Chief Commercial Officer at Epicenter, to unpack one of the most important and consistently underestimated challenges in global HR and payroll today. With over 20 years of hands-on experience and hundreds of real-world deployments behind him, David is one of the most credible voices on why payroll integrations fail and what organizations can do to stop it from happening to them.Nick and David make the case that treating integration as a technical sideshow is one of the most expensive mistakes a business can make, unpacking why payroll integration ROI is so often left on the table, how poor data governance quietly derails even the best-planned HCM implementations, and why integration belongs in the boardroom. They also cover the most common integration mistakes, from starting too late and over-engineering solutions to relying on vendor interfaces that were never built for multinational complexity, and what payroll leaders need to get in place right now as AI begins to reshape what is possible.It is not a technology problem.It is not an IT problem.It is a business risk that most organizations are not treating like one.Whether you are planning a global HCM implementation, currently mid-project, or already live and not getting the results you expected, this episode delivers the honest, practical advice the payroll integration space has been missing.This episode is sponsored by DeelManaging a global team is complex, Deel makes it simpler with payroll, HR, IT, and compliance all in one place. That's why over 35,000 businesses trust Deel to hire, pay, and manage their teams worldwide.See how Deel works at www.deel.com/nickdayGuest and Host: Connect with David Docherty: https://www.linkedin.com/in/davidjdocherty/ Epicenter website: https://epicenter.eu Connect with Nick Day: https://www.linkedin.com/in/nickday/ Find your ideal payroll candidate with our job vacancy system: https://jgarecruitment.ck.page/919cf6b9ea Sign up to the Payroll Podcast Newsletter: https://jgarecruitment.ck.page/23e7b153e7 Stay tuned for the next episode of The Payroll Podcast, brought to you by Nick Day, CEO at JGA Recruitment, landing soon! Enjoyed this? Check out our sister podcast @thehrldpodcast for more great content! Timestamps: (00:00) Introduction and Why Payroll Integration Is Underestimated (01:57) Meet David Docherty, CCO at Epicenter (04:20) What Payroll Really Means and Why It Cannot Fail (05:33) Why Integration Is Critical for Global Organizations (07:19) The Hidden ROI of Your HR and Payroll Tech Stack (09:16) Why 67% of HCM Implementations Disappoint (12:43) The Most Common Integration Mistakes and How to Avoid Them (17:12) Building the Business Case for Your Board (22:08) How Epicenter Acts as Your Integration Advisor (27:03) How AI Is Transforming Payroll Integration (34:29) About Epicenter and the Payroll Vault Hashtags: #PayrollIntegration #HRPayroll #GlobalPayroll #PayrollPodcast #PayrollLeadership #HRTransformation #OracleHCM #WorkdayHR #SAPSuccessFactors #HCMImplementation #DataGovernance #PayrollROI #AIinHR #EnterprisePayroll #PayrollStrategy #PayrollManagement #HRIntegration #PayrollProfessionals #FutureOfWork #PayrollInsights | — | ||||||
| 4/14/26 | Unlocked: How Payroll Congress Turned a First-Time Attendee Into a PayrollOrg Director with Christina Ruderer | Imagine attending Payroll Congress for the very first time and within a year becoming part of the PayrollOrg team responsible for training payroll professionals across the world. That is exactly what happened to Christina Ruderer, CPP, and her story perfectly captures what makes Payroll Congress unlike any other event in the profession.In this episode of @thepayrollpodcast, Nick Day, CEO of JGA Recruitment, sits down with Christina Ruderer, CPP, Director of Payroll Training at PayrollOrg, to unpack one of the most inspiring career stories in payroll today. From passing her CPP exam in tears to being selected on stage at Congress, to landing a leadership role at PayrollOrg within months, Christina's journey is living proof of what happens when preparation meets opportunity. The conversation also dives deep into what attendees can expect at Payroll Congress 2026 in Nashville, why the connections made at Congress have a compounding effect on your career, and why showing up, even alone and for the first time, could be the single best decision you make this year.It is not luck.It is not timing.It is showing up with intention.Christina shares how a clear mission, a willingness to step outside her comfort zone, and the right connections at Congress unlocked a career opportunity she had only dared to imagine. Whether you are a first-timer on the fence or a seasoned Congress veteran, this episode will remind you exactly why Payroll Congress remains the most powerful event in the global payroll profession.This episode is sponsored by DeelManaging a global team is complex, Deel makes it simpler with payroll, HR, IT, and compliance all in one place. That's why over 35,000 businesses trust Deel to hire, pay, and manage their teams worldwide.See how Deel works at www.deel.com/nickday Guest and Host: Connect with Christina Ruderer, CPP: https://www.linkedin.com/in/christina-ruderer-cpp-35632032b/Get your Payroll Congress 2026 tickets here: www.payrollcongress.comConnect with Nick Day: https://www.linkedin.com/in/nickday/Find your ideal candidate with our job vacancy system: https://jgarecruitment.ck.page/691ee4537eStay tuned for the next episode of The Payroll Podcast, brought to you by Nick Day, CEO at JGA Recruitment, landing soon!Enjoyed this? Check out our sister podcast @thehrldpodcast for more great content! Timestamps: (00:01) Introduction: Christina Ruderer's remarkable Congress-to-career story (02:14) What does payroll mean to you? (02:33) From member to certified: Christina's FPC and CPP journey (05:09) Attending Payroll Congress alone for the very first time (08:21) The Congress connection that changed everything (09:20) From first-time attendee to PayrollOrg Director (11:40) How Congress welcomes introverts and first-timers (15:26) What Christina is presenting at Congress 2026 and the education lineup (21:46) Congress traditions: the themed Fête party and what to expect (27:18) The moment that made the whole trip worth it (35:11) The Payroll Vault: rapid-fire career advice for 2026Hashtags: #PayrollCongress #PayrollPodcast #PayrollOrg #CPP #CertifiedPayrollProfessional #PayrollCareers #PayrollProfessionals #PayrollTraining #Nashville2026 #PayrollCommunity #PayrollLeadership #PayrollIndustry #PayrollConference #PayrollGrowth #FutureOfPayroll | — | ||||||
Want analysis for the episodes below?Free for Pro Submit a request, we'll have your selected episodes analyzed within an hour. Free, at no cost to you, for Pro users. | |||||||||
| 4/7/26 | The April 2026 Payroll Checklist | SSP Overhaul, Fair Work Agency & Fiscal Drag Explained | In this episode: April 2026 Payroll Changes | Tax, SSP, NMW & EV Salary Sacrifice ExplainedPayroll Question Time is brought to you by SD Worx. SD Worx offers smart, tailored and integrated HR and Payroll solutions, along with the local expertise, global reach and reliable service you need to grow your business today!The new tax year is here. Is your payroll ready for everything April 2026 brings?In this March edition of Payroll Question Time, host Steve Yardley and our expert panel break down the most critical changes hitting payroll teams right now, from fiscal drag and frozen thresholds to the landmark overhaul of Statutory Sick Pay, the launch of the Fair Work Agency, and the often-misunderstood world of EV salary sacrifice schemes.With the end of the tax year upon us, we cut through the complexity so HR, payroll, and finance professionals can head into the new financial year with clarity and confidence.We cover:Fiscal drag and frozen thresholds: what the rise in tax revenue to 37-38% of GDP means for employees and employersScottish income tax band changes and what payroll teams need to updateStudent Loan Plan 5: the new starter checklist rules and how to apply them correctlyStatutory payment rate increases for SSP, SMP and parental payPayrolling benefits in kind: voluntary registration deadline and preparing for mandatory payrolling in 2027Fair Work Agency launch on 7 April: enforcement powers, naming and shaming, and what it means for complianceNational Minimum Wage pitfalls: unpaid working time, salary sacrifice traps, apprentice rates and the 389 employers named and shamedHoliday pay complexity: average pay calculations, audit risk and Fair Work Agency enforcement aheadStatutory Sick Pay overhaul: day one rights, two-tier rates, transitional protections and software readinessPensions update: frozen auto-enrolment thresholds, pensions dashboard progress and tax relief confusionEV and hybrid car salary sacrifice: myths debunked, NMW risks, company car tax increases through to 2028-29 and maternity leave trapsDon’t forget to subscribe and turn on notifications to stay updated with every Payroll Question Time.Learn more about SD Worx Academy training courses: https://www.sdworx.com/en-enFind your ideal candidate with our job vacancy system: https://jgarecruitment.ck.page/691ee4…Nick Day’s LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/nickday/Our Panel:Simon Parsons, Director of UK Compliance Strategies at SD WorxRichard George, Payroll LeaderSteve Yardley, Managing Director, JGA RecruitmentSam Mann, Payroll Consultant, Armstrong Watson LLPHashtags: #PayrollQuestionTime #EmploymentRightsBill #NMW2026 #UKPayroll #PayrollCompliance #HRCompliance #SSPChanges #PayrollingBenefits #HolidayPayRules #PayrollUpdates #TroncAndTips #TaxAdvisory #PayrollRiskManagement #PayrollLeadership #SDWorx #PayrollProfessionals #HRandPayroll #PayrollTraining #UKEmploymentLaw #PayrollAccuracy | — | ||||||
| 4/2/26 | From Invisible to Influential: The Shift Payroll Needs Now | My first book: The Payroll Pivot book is out now!https://shorturl.at/rXBXPPayroll has long been seen as a “back office” function but what if that’s the biggest myth holding the industry back?In this episode, Anita Lettink steps in as host to interview Nick Day, CEO of JGA Recruitment and author of The Payroll Pivot, to explore why payroll professionals struggle with visibility and influence and how fear, self-perception, and mindset are holding the industry back from stepping into a more strategic role.It’s not technology.It’s not AI.It’s something much deeper: fear.Nick introduces his powerful “Fear Equation” (Anxiety + Uncertainty × Imagination) and explains how it silently shapes decision-making, confidence, and career growth across the payroll profession.This episode is sponsored by DeelManaging a global team is complex, Deel makes it simpler with payroll, HR, IT, and compliance all in one place. That's why over 35,000 businesses trust Deel to hire, pay, and manage their teams worldwide.See how Deel works at www.deel.com/nickdayConnect with Anita: https://linkedin.com/in/anitalettinkNick Day’s LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/nickday/Find your ideal candidate with our job vacancy system: https://jgarecruitment.ck.page/691ee4537eStay tuned for the next episode of The Payroll Podcast, brought to you by Nick Day, CEO at JGA Recruitment, landing soon!(00:00) Fear, uncertainty, and how payroll professionals perceive their role(01:29) Anita Lettink takes over as host and introduces Nick Day as the guest(02:40) Why Nick wrote The Payroll Pivot and the gap in the industry(03:32) How fear, anxiety, and uncertainty hold payroll professionals back(08:00) Nick’s writing journey and finding his authentic voice(13:55) Why the “back office” label is damaging payroll’s perception(22:35) The shift from invisibility to influence in payroll(23:41) Why payroll professionals struggle to speak up and be heard(29:41) Leadership, resilience, and navigating challenges with “true north”(33:49) The Fear Equation explained and how it impacts decision-making | — | ||||||
| 3/26/26 | SSP Reform Is Coming: What Payroll Leaders Need to Know About Transitional Protection | This episode is sponsored by DeelHire, manage and pay – anyone, anywhere: https://www.deel.com/nickday/Statutory Sick Pay (SSP) reform is one of the most significant payroll changes in years. Yet most of the complexity isn’t in the headline changes. It’s in what happens beneath the surface.In this episode of the Payroll Podcast, Nick Day is joined by payroll software expert Jason Sweby to break down exactly what’s changing, why it matters, and how payroll teams can prepare for the transition.The reform aims to expand access to sick pay, bringing over a million lower-paid workers into eligibility while removing waiting days and introducing new calculation rules. On paper, it sounds simple. In practice, it introduces one of the most technically complex transitions payroll professionals have had to navigate.Nick and Jason unpack the biggest challenges, including how transitional protection works across the tax year boundary, why payroll systems need to track historical data, and where employers are most likely to get caught out.They also explore the broader impact of the reform. From increased employer costs to potential shifts in employee behaviour, this episode gives you the context you need to understand not just what is changing, but what it means for your organisation.If you are responsible for payroll, compliance, or people operations, this conversation will help you approach SSP reform with clarity and confidence.Topics covered in this episode:What SSP reform is trying to achieveKey changes to eligibility and waiting daysHow the new SSP calculation worksTransitional protection explained simplyPayroll system and compliance challengesEmployer cost implicationsHow to prepare for April implementationFuture payroll trends including payrolling of benefitsSubscribe to the Payroll Podcast for more insights on payroll, compliance, and the future of work.Jason’s previous appearance on The Payroll Podcast: https://youtu.be/ty3qv1F1sP0Enjoyed this? Check out our sister podcast @thehrldpodcast for more great content!Connect with Jason: https://www.linkedin.com/in/jason-sweby-6753bb1/Nick Day’s LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/nickday/Payroll Talent Recruitment: www.jgarecruitment.comAdvertise Payroll Roles: www.payrolljobsboard.comKnow Your Worth in Payroll: www.payrollhrsalary.com(00:00) Introduction to SSP Reform(02:51) What the Reform Is Trying to Achieve(04:03) Why SSP Is Changing Now(05:55) Policy vs System Change Explained(07:13) Key Changes to SSP Rules(09:46) Why Transitional Protection Matters(10:26) Inside HMRC Guidance & Developer Insights(13:05) Technical Challenges for Payroll Systems(17:58) Biggest Risks for Employers(18:44) Is the Payroll Industry Ready?(19:55) Impact on Employees & Behaviour(22:22) How Payroll Leaders Should Prepare(24:32) Edge Cases & Transitional Nuances(25:59) Future Payroll Changes to Watch(30:42) The Role of Payroll Software Moving Forward(33:23) Final Thoughts & Key Takeaways#Payroll #SSP #PayrollPodcast #HR #Compliance #PayrollManagement #EmploymentLaw #HRTech #PayrollReform #FutureOfWork | — | ||||||
| 3/12/26 | Inside the EU Pay Transparency Directive and Its Impact on Employers with Lewis Roskilly | This episode is sponsored by DeelHire, manage and pay – anyone, anywhere: https://www.deel.com/nickday/The EU Pay Transparency Directive is one of the biggest regulatory changes facing payroll, HR, and reward leaders across Europe. With the June 2026 deadline approaching, many organizations are still figuring out what the legislation requires and how to prepare their pay structures, reporting processes, and reward frameworks.In this special Payroll Podcast panel discussion, Lewis Roskilly (Global Reward Lead at JGA Recruitment) leads a conversation with experts in employment law and reward strategy to break down the real implications of pay transparency.The panel explores gender pay gap reporting, job evaluation, pay architecture, and the risks of manager discretion in compensation decisions, while sharing practical guidance on how organizations can prepare before the directive goes live.If you work in payroll, HR, reward strategy, or compliance, this episode provides clear insights on how to prepare for the EU Pay Transparency Directive.Subscribe to The Payroll Podcast with Nick Day for more conversations shaping the future of payroll and reward.Connect with Lewis: https://www.linkedin.com/in/lewis-roskillyNick Day’s LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/nickday/Payroll Talent Recruitment: www.jgarecruitment.comAdvertise Payroll Roles: www.payrolljobsboard.comKnow Your Worth in Payroll: www.payrollhrsalary.com(00:00) Methodology And Audit Trails In Pay Reporting(00:52) Why The EU Pay Transparency Directive Matters(03:54) Panel Introduction: Reward, Law And Pay Transparency Experts(09:22) Gender Data And Reporting Without Forced Disclosure(14:37) Equal Value Work: Job Descriptions vs Real Duties(22:07) EU Implementation Timelines And Possible Delays(27:52) Building A Cross-EU Pay Transparency Strategy(34:31) Using Pay Transparency To Build Trust And Culture(40:01) Building Pay Architecture And Fixing Legacy Pay Systems(43:12) Who Is Responsible For Accurate Job Descriptions?(46:33) Why Manager Discretion Creates Legal Risk(48:28) The Four-Step Framework To Prepare For Pay Transparency(51:52) Why UK Employers Will Still Be Impacted(55:09) Unexpected Benefits Of Pay Transparency(58:28) Final Takeaways And Next Steps For Employers | — | ||||||
| 3/5/26 | The Behavioural Science Behind Perfect Payroll and Compliance with Lars Hyland | This episode is sponsored by DeelHire, manage and pay – anyone, anywhere: https://www.deel.com/nickday/Most payroll errors are not caused by systems or legislation. They are caused by human decisions made under pressure.My guest today, Lars Hyland, is a global learning strategist, former Chief Learning Officer, and Founder of Enlytning, a behavioural learning platform designed to improve judgement, reduce risk, and strengthen compliance.While companies invest heavily in payroll technology, automation, and compliance processes, the real challenge often lies in how people interpret policies, make decisions, and apply processes in real situations.Lars explains why traditional compliance training and tick-box learning rarely change behavior, and how organisations can improve payroll accuracy by focusing on judgment, context, and behavioral reinforcement. The conversation also explores how AI, micro-learning, and scenario-based training can help teams make better decisions and reduce risk before mistakes ever reach the payroll run.If you want to understand the real drivers of payroll accuracy and how modern learning and performance support strategies can strengthen compliance across your organisation, this episode offers valuable insights for payroll leaders, HR professionals, and operations teams.Connect with Lars on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/larshyland/Enlytning - Your policies and training, automated by AI: https://www.enlytning.comNick Day’s LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/nickday/Payroll Talent Recruitment: www.jgarecruitment.comAdvertise Payroll Roles: www.payrolljobsboard.comKnow Your Worth in Payroll: www.payrollhrsalary.com | — | ||||||
| 2/26/26 | Inside the Evolution of Modern Payroll and Leadership with Karen Beckett | This episode is sponsored by DeelHire, manage and pay – anyone, anywhere: https://www.deel.com/nickday/From accidental payroll clerk to award-winning NHS leader.In this episode of The Payroll Podcast, Nick Day speaks with Karen Beckett, Head of Payroll & Benefits at Dorset HealthCare University NHS Foundation Trust, about her 40-year journey in payroll and how the profession has evolved from manual processing to strategic influence.They discuss NHS payroll complexity, pensions, RTI, technology transformation, hybrid leadership, and why payroll is shifting from transactional work to transformational impact. Karen also shares insights on building an award-winning team and why payroll is now a powerful, purpose-driven career path.If you work in payroll, HR, finance, or reward, this episode explores the future of payroll leadership and the growing strategic value of pay and pensions.Karen Beckett’s’ LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/karen-beckett-ba-hons-chfcipp-2116a211b/Nick Day’s LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/nickday/Find your ideal candidate with our job vacancy system: https://jgarecruitment.ck.page/691ee4537eEnjoyed this? Check out our sister podcast @thehrldpodcast for more great content!(00:00) Why Payroll Really Matters in the NHS(03:13) Lesson after 40 years in Payroll(07:59) Public vs Private Sector Payroll(10:13) Major Milestones: ESR & RTI Implementation(14:43) From Technical Expert to Payroll Leader(19:32) Building an Award-Winning Payroll Team(25:12) Leadership Lessons & Not Taking It Personally(30:58) Leading Through Crisis(34:13) The Evolution of Payroll Technology(42:32) Raising the Profile of the Payroll Profession(46:25) Why Payroll Is a Serious Career Path(49:02) Transactional to Transformational: The Future of Payroll(51:44) Vault: Career Advice & Underrated Skills(56:29) Legacy: The Impact of 40 Years in Payroll | — | ||||||
| 2/12/26 | Why Payroll Is the Most Underrated Function in Business with Stephen Abbotts | This episode is sponsored by DeelHire, manage and pay – anyone, anywhere: https://www.deel.com/nickday/Payroll runs every business.Yet most leaders still treat it like admin.After 51 years in the profession, Stephen Abbotts says that mindset is costing companies millions.Stephen is Director of Payroll Services at Azets and a Lifetime Achievement Award winner. He’s seen payroll evolve from paper payslips to AI, and he’s built payroll teams into strategic, revenue-driving functions along the way.In this conversation, he shares the lessons that shaped his career and why payroll deserves a seat at the boardroom table.Stephen Abbotts’ LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/stephen-abbotts-2530232Nick Day’s LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/nickday/Find your ideal candidate with our job vacancy system: https://jgarecruitment.ck.page/691ee4537e(00:00) Why Payroll is Undervalued(03:42) What Payroll Really Means(04:17) Payroll in the 1970s(05:25) The Biggest Shift in Payroll(08:47) Learning Payroll With Zero Training(10:29) Public vs Private Sector(13:32) Changing Jobs at 62 (And Taking the Risk)(18:13) The Power of Payroll Data Most Leaders Miss(20:01) Turning Payroll From Cost Centre Into Profit Driver(23:52) Hiring for Data, Not Payroll(37:55) Will AI Replace Payroll?(40:43) Scaling a £20M Payroll Operation(44:36) One Rule for Success(47:14) Why Payroll Deserves a Seat at the Boardroom | — | ||||||
| 2/5/26 | Why Payroll is No Longer a Back Office Function with Vistra's Curtis Holmes | Vistra Website: https://www.vistra.com/Curtis’ LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/tcurtisholmes/Payroll isn’t just admin anymore. It’s one of the most strategic functions in your business.In this episode of The Payroll Podcast, Nick Day sits down with Curtis Holmes, Executive Vice President, Global Payroll at Vistra, to unpack how payroll is evolving from back-office processing into a people-first, AI-enabled, trust-driven business function.After scaling iiPay 20x and helping power payroll across 170+ countries, Curtis shares what most organizations still get wrong about payroll, why trust matters more than technology, and how AI is transforming compliance, automation, and the future of payroll careers.If you think payroll is just payslips and processing, this conversation will change your perspective.This episode is sponsored by DeelHire, manage and pay – anyone, anywhere: https://www.deel.com/nickday/Nick Day’s LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/nickday/Find your ideal candidate with our job vacancy system: https://jgarecruitment.ck.page/691ee4537e(00:00) Preview and Intro(01:36) Curtis’ Background and iiPay to Vistra Journey(03:56) From Software Leadership Into Payroll Tech(11:31) Why Payroll Is Now a Strategic Function(16:36) Pay Transparency and Global Compliance Challenges(24:13) How AI Enables Automation and Zero Touch Payroll(30:43) Vistra Scale, Enterprise Clients, and Trusted Partnerships(34:36) Career Advice and The Future of Payroll Leadership | — | ||||||
| 1/29/26 | How to Build High-Performing Payroll Teams with Wendy Uutala | This episode is sponsored by DeelHire, manage and pay – anyone, anywhere: https://www.deel.com/nickday/Payroll leadership is not about control, perfection, or staying invisible. It is about trust.In this episode of the Payroll Podcast, Wendy Uutala shares how the most successful payroll teams are built by removing fear, developing confidence, and leading people before systems. Drawing from decades of experience across domestic and global payroll, Wendy breaks down what it actually takes to create high-trust teams that perform under pressure.The conversation explores mentorship as a leadership responsibility, why payroll professionals underestimate their expertise, and how confidence changes the way teams show up. Wendy also shares lessons from building global payroll operations, navigating compliance complexity, and leading across cultures without losing alignment.This episode is a deep dive into what modern payroll leadership really looks like and why people-first leadership is no longer optional for payroll teams that want to scale, retain talent, and earn trust across the business.If you work in payroll, HR, finance, or lead operational teams, this episode will change how you think about leadership inside payroll.Wendy Uutala (LinkedIn): https://www.linkedin.com/in/wendy-uutala-6b97285aNick Day’s LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/nickday/Find your ideal candidate with our job vacancy system: https://jgarecruitment.ck.page/691ee4537e(00:00) The Mindset Behind Great Payroll Leadership(04:21) Wendy’s Origin Story and How Payroll Chose Her(06:55) Owning Expertise and Overcoming Imposter Syndrome(09:52) Confidence as a Turning Point in Leadership(12:57) The Three Pillars: Trust, Communication, Collaboration(15:41) Why Trust Is the Currency of Payroll(17:35) From Domestic to Global Payroll Leadership(21:19) Navigating Culture, Compliance, and Global Complexity(25:16) Building High-Trust Teams Without Fear(31:03) Mentorship as a Leadership Responsibility(49:13) Scaling Impact Through Mentoring and Speaking(01:02:42) The Legacy Payroll Leaders Should Leave Behind | — | ||||||
| 1/22/26 | Why Payroll Is No Longer a Back-Office Function with Kay Augustus | This episode is sponsored by DeelHire, manage and pay – anyone, anywhere: https://www.deel.com/nickday/In this episode, we sit down with Kay Augustus, founder of Augustus Payroll Services, to unpack what it really takes to build a career in payroll by choice, not by accident.With over two decades of hands-on experience, Kay shares how the payroll profession has evolved, why compliance pressure is increasing for payroll teams and bureau owners, and where many businesses are still getting payroll wrong. We talk about legislation, systems, automation, and the human responsibility that sits behind every payslip.This conversation goes beyond processes and software. It explores the mindset required to run payroll well, the importance of professional standards, and why payroll is becoming one of the most critical operational functions inside modern organisations.If you work in payroll, HR, finance, or run a payroll bureau, this episode offers grounded insight from someone who lives and breathes the profession every day.Watch now to understand where payroll is heading and what it takes to stay compliant, credible, and confident in a fast-changing landscape.Connect with Kay: Nick Day’s LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/nickday/Find your ideal candidate with our job vacancy system: https://jgarecruitment.ck.page/691ee4537e(00:00) What Payroll Really Means: Trust and Responsibility(04:13) From School Struggles to a Career in Payroll(07:45) Why Payroll Is Undervalued and Needs a Stronger Voice(09:17) Building a Business Through Personal Crisis(13:35) Acquiring 85 Clients in Two Weeks(18:40) How Personal Service Creates Client Trust(20:14) Building a Payroll Brand from Scratch(24:52) Winning Awards and Redefining Payroll Innovation(27:36) Becoming a Recognized Voice in the Payroll Industry(29:32) Leading with Empathy and Mental Health Awareness(33:55) Losing Identity at Work and Choosing Authenticity(37:26) Advice for Payroll Professionals Starting a Business(42:28) Lessons on Resilience and Dyslexia(44:06) Payroll as a Human Profession | — | ||||||
| 1/15/26 | The Hidden Compliance Crisis Inside Contingent Workforce Payroll with Anita Milasinovic | Today’s workforce looks nothing like it did a decade ago. Contingent workers, contractors, freelancers, and cross-border talent now make up a growing share of global teams, and payroll is right at the center of the risk.In this episode of The Payroll Podcast, Nick Day is joined by Anita Milašinović from Papaya Global to unpack why contingent workforce payroll is becoming the biggest compliance challenge of our time. Together, they explore how misclassification risk, fragmented systems, unclear engagement models, and fast-changing global regulations are putting pressure on payroll teams worldwide.The conversation breaks down why spreadsheets and disconnected processes no longer work at scale, how payroll leaders can step into a more strategic role across HR, finance, and procurement, and where AI can support compliance without replacing human judgment. Anita also shares practical insights on building consistent compliance frameworks, educating managers, and preparing for tighter enforcement across global markets.If you work in payroll, HR, finance, or workforce strategy, this episode offers a clear look at what is changing, where the real risks sit, and how payroll can lead the way in managing a compliant, blended global workforce.Papaya Global Workforce AI & CWX: https://www.papayaglobal.com/embedded-ai/Data Validation / Compliance Automation: https://www.papayaglobal.com/data-validation/Anita Milasinovic on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/anitamilasinovicNick Day’s LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/nickday/Find your ideal candidate with our job vacancy system: https://jgarecruitment.ck.page/691ee4537e(00:00) The Contingent Workforce Compliance Challenge(02:16) Payroll, Trust, and Paying People Right(03:24) Why Contingent and Global Work Is Growing(05:21) Talent Shortage vs Cost Pressure(06:40) Why Spreadsheets Fail at Scale(09:44) Common Payroll Compliance Mistakes(12:39) Aligning Payroll, HR, and Finance(14:30) Misclassification Risk Explained(16:42) What CFOs Worry About Most(18:22) Navigating Global Workforce Compliance(20:51) AI’s Role in Payroll Compliance(23:14) Where Human Judgment Matters(25:07) Payroll’s Role in Blended Workforces(28:02) Preparing for Global Enforcement(31:54) How Providers Reduce Compliance Risk(33:40) Advice for First Global Hires(36:23) Lessons From Regulatory Change | — | ||||||
| 1/4/26 | Payroll Reinvented: How Technology and EWA Are Shifting the Game with April Smith | This episode is sponsored by DeelManaging a global team is complex, Deel makes it simpler with payroll, HR, IT, and compliance all in one place. That's why over 35,000 businesses trust Deel to hire, pay, and manage their teams worldwide.See how Deel works at www.deel.com/nickdayIn this episode, April Smith, VP of Payroll and Benefits at Senior Lifestyle, joins Nick Day to break down how payroll is evolving from a back-office function into a strategic driver of retention, wellbeing, and workforce insight.April shares why she was initially opposed to Earned Wage Access and what changed her mind once she saw the real data and employee behavior firsthand. She explains how on-demand pay supports financial stability without creating dependency, why dignity and privacy matter in payroll programs, and how payroll teams are uniquely positioned to spot workforce issues before anyone else.The conversation also dives into how automation is shifting payroll from balancing numbers to diagnosing patterns, how payroll data influences executive decision-making, and why payroll leaders are earning a stronger seat at the leadership table.If you work in payroll, HR, or people operations, this episode offers a grounded, operator-level perspective on the future of payroll and what modern payroll leadership really looks like.Connect with April: https://www.linkedin.com/in/april-smith-cpp-98681a246?utm_source=chatgpt.comNick Day’s LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/nickday/Find your ideal candidate with our job vacancy system: https://jgarecruitment.ck.page/691ee4537eStay tuned for the next episode of The Payroll Podcast, brought to you by Nick Day, CEO at JGA Recruitment, landing soon!(00:00) Introduction and April’s Payroll Background(05:10) Why April Was Initially Against Earned Wage Access(10:35) What Changed Her Perspective on On-Demand Pay(16:40) Earned Wage Access as Financial Stability, Not a Perk(22:55) Dignity, Privacy, and Removing Payroll from Personal Hardship(29:30) Recruiting and Retention Impact of Same-Day Pay(35:45) Payroll as the Earliest Signal of Workforce Issues(41:20) Automation Shifting Payroll from Processing to Insight(47:10) Payroll’s Growing Role in Executive Decision-Making(52:30) The Future of Payroll and HRIS Ownership(57:20) Final Thoughts on Modern Payroll Leadership | — | ||||||
| 12/18/25 | The Shift That’s Redefining Pay Trust and Compliance | This episode is sponsored by DeelManaging a global team is complex, Deel makes it simpler with payroll, HR, IT, and compliance all in one place. That's why over 35,000 businesses trust Deel to hire, pay, and manage their teams worldwide. See how Deel works at https://www.deel.com/nickday Payroll is no longer just a back office function. It has become the foundation of compliance, employee trust, and organizational credibility.In this episode of the Payroll Podcast, host Nick Day is joined by payroll thought leader and compliance expert Simon Parsons to unpack why HR, employment law, and payroll are rapidly converging and what this shift means for modern businesses.Simon shares how increased government enforcement, evolving employment rights, and rising expectations around pay accuracy are forcing organizations to rethink where payroll sits and how it operates. You will hear why separating HR and payroll now creates real risk, how payroll data has become critical to employee experience and retention, and why compliance can no longer be treated as a reactive process. The conversation also explores earned wage access, real time and any day pay models, the rise of misinformation in payroll technology, and how leaders can innovate without creating new compliance or data risks.If you want to understand the future of payroll, avoid costly compliance mistakes, and position payroll as a strategic driver of trust and performance, this episode is for you.Nick Day’s LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/nickday/ Find your ideal candidate with our job vacancy system: https://jgarecruitment.ck.page/691ee4537e Stay tuned for the next episode of The Payroll Podcast, brought to you by Nick Day, CEO at JGA Recruitment, landing soon! | — | ||||||
| 11/30/25 | Payroll in the Firing Line: Budget 2025's Perfect Storm | This episode is sponsored by DeelManaging a global team is complex, Deel makes it simpler with payroll, HR, IT, and compliance all in one place. That's why over 35,000 businesses trust Deel to hire, pay, and manage their teams worldwide. See how Deel works at www.deel.com/nickdayPayroll is facing one of its biggest turning points. Complexity is rising, risks are increasing, and the latest UK Budget is reshaping how every employer must run payroll.In this episode of the Payroll Podcast, Nick Day breaks down the new government announcements, including mandatory payrolling of benefits, the incoming salary sacrifice NI cap, the frozen tax thresholds, and the national minimum wage increases that will place new pressure on both employers and payroll teams.Nick explains how these changes will affect costs, compliance, employee communication, and the systems and data that payroll relies on. You will hear why real time reporting may soon become more demanding, how HMRC specifications could impact software providers, and why these policies will challenge small businesses, bureaus, and in house teams in ways many are not expecting.This episode also uncovers the wider economic picture behind the Budget, from the national insurance landscape to workforce trends and the shrinking labour pool. Nick shares practical steps payroll leaders can take today, including how to audit salary sacrifice populations, prepare for payrolling of benefits, collaborate with HR and finance, and communicate with clarity during a period of rapid policy change.If you want to stay ahead of upcoming legislation, protect employee trust, and position payroll as a strategic partner during the most significant policy shift in years, this episode is for you.Nick Day’s LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/nickday/Find your ideal candidate with our job vacancy system: https://jgarecruitment.ck.page/691ee4537eStay tuned for the next episode of The Payroll Podcast, brought to you by Nick Day, CEO at JGA Recruitment, landing soon! | — | ||||||
| 11/27/25 | How to Simplify Global Workforce Complexity with AI | In this episode of The Payroll Podcast, host Nick Day sits down with Amit Levi, Senior VP of Product at Papaya Global, to explore how AI powered workforce agents are transforming global payroll. The conversation breaks down why paying people across 160 plus countries is still so complex, how compliance and payments create hidden risk, and where embedded AI can finally simplify global workforce operations at scale. You will hear how an AI workforce agent can validate payroll data before mistakes ever reach the bank, surface real time insights across multiple countries, and automate repetitive checks that drain payroll, HR, and finance teams. Amit shares practical examples from Papaya Global, including data validation for payroll and payments, AI driven onboarding flows, and measurable reductions in time, cost, and error. The discussion also covers safeguards and governance for trustworthy payroll AI, from human in the loop controls to audit trails and secure environments that protect sensitive employee data. Whether you are a payroll leader, HR director, CFO, or founder, this episode will help you move from manual reconciliation and fragmented systems to a strategic, AI enabled payroll model. Expect actionable ideas on how to use workforce agents to strengthen compliance, improve employee experience with on demand support and earned wage access, and turn global payroll into a resilient, data rich engine for financial wellbeing and business performance. For listeners who want to dive deeper, you’ll find links in the show notes to Papaya Global’s embedded-AI solutions:• Embedded AI at Papaya Global: https://www.papayaglobal.com/embedded-ai/ • Data Validation AI for Payroll & Payments: https://www.papayaglobal.com/data-validation/ Nick Day’s LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/nickday/ Find your ideal candidate with our job vacancy system: https://jgarecruitment.ck.page/919cf6b9eaSign up to the HR L&D Newsletter - https://jgarecruitment.ck.page/23e7b153e7 | — | ||||||
Showing 25 of 262
Sponsor Intelligence
Sign in to see which brands sponsor this podcast, their ad offers, and promo codes.
Chart Positions
2 placements across 2 markets.
Chart Positions
2 placements across 2 markets.