The Payroll Podcast

Hosted by Nick Day - JGA Payroll Recruitment

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281

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Oct 2026

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About the show

Payroll gets noticed when it goes wrong. That's about it. Which is a strange way to treat the function that pays everybody. I'm Nick Day. Twenty years recruiting payroll professionals means I've had the same conversation hundreds of times, with people who were brilliant at the job and invisible in the business. The Payroll Podcast started because I wanted to know why that keeps happening, and what the ones who broke out of it did differently. Every week I sit down with payroll leaders, global payroll operators, payroll technology founders and compliance specialists. We get into UK and international payroll legislation that lands with three weeks' notice. Fiscal drag, and what it quietly does to the people you pay. Pay transparency, AI legislation, earned wage access, salary administration, payroll AI tools and the payroll systems everyone is being sold. Payroll systems implementations that went sideways, and what was learned on the way out. Careers come up constantly. What it takes to move from running payroll to being asked your opinion before the decision gets made. And because I run a payroll recruitment agency, a fair amount of the conversation lands on hiring. This Payroll Podcast was born out of these payroll leadership conversations. Salary administration across a global workforce. Staff wellbeing in teams that carry more risk than anyone above them realises. Should companies hire a chief payroll officer? What role should a payroll body play in supporting the payroll profession? Why do good payroll leaders leave? No script, no polite version. Mostly it's the conversation you'd have with someone who does your job, if you ever got the chance to sit down with them. Four hundred episodes in, it's the most listened to payroll podcast in the world. Which still surprises me, given nobody thinks payroll is interesting until their pay is wrong. If you work in payroll, or you're building a career in it, start by subscribing to The Payroll Podcast. Topics include UK and global payroll, payroll legislation and compliance, payroll AI, payroll systems and management tools, the payment industry, earned wage access, pay transparency, DEI, payroll leadership and strategy, payroll recruitment and career development. 🌐 Stay ahead of the global payroll curve with insights on AI, strategy, earned wage access, wellbeing, DEI and more. Perfect for payroll professionals and global payroll leaders looking to embrace the future and enhance their strategies. 👉 Subscribe now and help raise the profile and drive the future evolution of payroll! 👉 Need Payroll Staff? Contact Payroll Recruitment Agency, JGA Recruitment - www.jgarecruitment.com / info@jgarecruitment.com 👉 Want to be a guest on the show? Email Nick@jgadigital.com

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October 23, 202650 min

Why Payroll Isn't Finished at Gross-to-Net with Jonny Nash

Imagine approving a payroll that has been calculated perfectly, only for millions in salaries and taxes to leave your control in a spreadsheet that can be downloaded, edited and emailed. For thousands of organisations, that is still how payroll payments work, and Jonny Nash believes it is time the global payroll profession declared war on the bank file and rethought payroll payment security. In this episode of @thepayrollpodcast Nick Day, CEO of JGA Recruitment, sits down with Jonny Nash, Global Head of EOR, Payroll and Pensions at Navro, to unpack what really happens between payroll approval and payday. From employee data sitting on desktops and GDPR exposure in finance teams to bank details that are never validated until the bank rejects the file, Jonny explains why the calculation is rarely the problem and the payment so often is. The conversation also dives deep into the hidden complexity of statutory and tax payments in global payroll, from Spain's approved bank rules to Singapore's GIRO requirements, and why one US manufacturer paid more than $50 million in late tax payment fines. It also covers how to win over security and IT teams, why first-time right payments matter as much as first-time right payroll, and how to start modernising payroll payment infrastructure one country at a time. It is not pay and pray. It is not just gross-to-net. It is end-to-end payroll. Jonny shares how documenting the end-to-end payment process, validating bank details at the point of entry and choosing partners who genuinely understand payroll payments can cut manual touch points, fraud risk and costly penalties. Whether you lead payroll, HR or finance, this episode will change how you measure payroll accuracy and why the journey from approval to confirmed payment belongs at the top of your agenda. This episode is sponsored by Deel. This episode is additionally sponsored by Navro Managing 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 Guest and Host: Connect with Jonny Nash: https://www.linkedin.com/in/jonathonnash/ Explore Navro: www.navro.com Explore Navro Workforce and global payroll payments: https://navro.com/solutions/navro-workforce Connect with Nick Day: 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! Enjoyed this? Check out our sister podcast @thehrldpodcast for more great content! Timestamps: (00:00) Introduction: Declaring War on the Bank File (01:33) What Does Payroll Mean to Jonny Nash? (04:52) The Calculation Was Fine, the Payment Was the Problem (09:55) Redefining Clean Data: Validating Bank Details at Point of Hire (12:52) From First-Time Right Payroll to First-Time Right Payments (17:28) How Integrated Payments Replace the Bank File (21:07) Why Bank Files Won't Disappear Overnight (24:55) Security Exemptions and Documenting the End-to-End Process (27:39) When Protecting a Legacy Process Becomes the Bigger Risk (36:50) Authority Payments: The Hidden Ugly Duckling of Payroll (40:21) How to Migrate Payroll Payments Without Risking Payday (46:48) The Payroll Vault: Predictions and Final Takeaways

October 15, 202649 min

Your Payroll Knows Something Your Credit Score Doesn't with Nico Simko

Most conversations about on-demand pay stop in the same place. Employees want their money sooner, employers want to hold onto cash for longer, and an app sits somewhere in the middle. But a product that only moves payday forward will never fix the real problem, and a system that judges people on credit scores alone will keep shutting out those with stable jobs. Behind every early pay request lies a much bigger question about what payroll data could make possible. In this episode of @thepayrollpodcast, Nick Day, CEO of JGA Recruitment, sits down with Nico Simko, Co-Founder and CEO of Clair, to explore how on-demand pay really works, what it takes to deliver it responsibly, and why payroll could be the key to fairer, cheaper credit for working people. This is not just a conversation about early wage access. It is a look at what payroll is becoming, a source of trusted data, a home for financial services, and the place where credit finally connects to the workplace. Nick and Nico unpack why some US states treat on-demand pay as lending, why Clair chose to get licensed in every state, and why countries like Brazil already repay around 30% of credit through payroll. They also cover how Clair reached 330,000 businesses in about two years by embedding inside payroll systems, why access is free by default with one flat fee for instant pay, and why it is capped at 35% of net pay to avoid debt traps. It is not just about getting paid sooner. It is about using payroll to open the door to fairer credit. And if you still think on-demand pay is just a nice-to-have employee perk, this episode will change your mind. Whether you are a payroll leader weighing up an on-demand pay provider, a payroll vendor deciding how to build it into your platform, or someone curious about where payroll and financial services are heading, this episode will show you exactly what to look for. This episode is sponsored by Deel. This episode is additionally sponsored by Clair. Managing 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 Guest and Host: Connect with Nico Simko: https://www.linkedin.com/in/nsimko/ Explore Clair: https://getclair.com/ 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: When Payday Doesn't Match the Bills (03:03) Nico's Story: Employed but Refused Credit (06:08) Is On-Demand Pay a Form of Credit? (12:03) Why Payroll Is the Future of Financial Services (14:34) What Makes Clair Different (17:16) From Zero to 330,000 Businesses in Two Years (20:32) Building Credit and Transparent Pricing (22:05) How Payroll Data Can Help Employees (27:55) The 35% Cap: Avoiding Debt Traps (30:16) The Employer Experience and Why Clair Embeds (39:13) Advice for Payroll Leaders (47:10) The Payroll Vault and Closing Thoughts

October 7, 202652 min

Real-time Payroll, Mandatory Payrolling and National Minimum Wage

Payroll 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 keeps carrying the blame for data it doesn't control. Is your business ready for the real-time reporting shift that lies ahead? In this episode of Payroll Question Time, host Steve Yardley and our expert panel break down why payroll takes the blame for data owned by HMRC, HR, finance and benefit providers. From HMRC disputed charges and duplicated employee records, to mandatory payrolling of benefits and real-time Class 1A contributions. With April 2027 approaching fast and the Fair Work Agency naming more employers, this is essential viewing for every payroll professional in the UK. From PAYE registration delays and medical benefit reporting to minimum wage naming and unrecorded working time, this session covers the operational, compliance, and strategic issues you need to act on today. We cover: • How HMRC's online disputed charges process cut resolution times from years to months • Why duplicated employee records throw employer accounts out of balance with HMRC • Why resending your FPS can make an HMRC account imbalance worse, not better • RTI as "right time" not real time, and why clients trust the HMRC portal over payroll • New PAYE scheme registration delays and the activation code problem for overseas employers • Mandatory payrolling of benefits from April 2027: cars, vans, fuel, and medical in phase one • Why voluntary payrolling experience does not mean you are ready for mandatory payrolling • Fuel cards, car allowances, and what counts as a medical benefit under the new rules • The 50% regulatory limit and why employee communication is critical before April 2027 • Real-time Class 1A on all payrolled benefits and the first-year cash flow double hit • Globally mobile employee exemptions and the new rules for reporting medical renewal premiums • Why finance, HR, and benefit providers share accountability for payrolling data • HMRC's light touch penalty approach and whether employers can expect support in year one • National Minimum Wage naming round 24 and the common errors still catching employers out • Unrecorded working time, salaried hours, and why high earners can still breach minimum wage Don'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 Samantha Mann, Payroll Team Manager, Armstrong Watson LLP Richard George, Senior Payroll Director, MHA Advisory Steve Yardley, Host, Managing Director, JGA Recruitment Group Timestamps: (00:00) Welcome & Panel Intro (07:36) HMRC Disputed Charges Explained (17:45) Is HMRC Getting Better? (20:59) PAYE Scheme Registration Delays (24:13) Mandatory Payrolling of Benefits: Phase One (27:22) Audience Q&A: Fuel Cards & Medical Benefits (29:55) Voluntary vs Mandatory Payrolling (34:29) Class 1A in Real Time & Cash Flow (41:14) Who Owns the Data? Payroll's Accountability (47:12) NMW Naming Round 24 & Working Time (57:42) Audience Q&A: Unpaid Extra Hours (1:01:37) Wrap-Up & Next Session Hashtags: #PayrollQuestionTime #UKPayroll #MandatoryPayrolling #PayrollingBenefits #PayrollCompliance #HMRC #DisputedCharges #RTI #PAYE #Class1A #BenefitsInKind #P11D #NationalMinimumWage #NMW #FairWorkAgency #PayrollLegislation #PayrollProfessionals #SDWorx #JGARecruitment

September 29, 202636 min

The Strategic Payroll Leader | Beyond Compliance at Payroll Summit 2026 with Vickie Graham

Most payroll and reward events cover the same ground. Legislation updates, compliance checklists, a few case studies, then everyone goes home. But an event built only around compliance will never move a profession forward, and a profession that only talks about compliance will never earn a seat at the strategic table. Behind the awards, the keynotes, and the networking drinks lies a much bigger question about where payroll and reward are really headed. In this episode of @thepayrollpodcast, Nick Day, CEO of JGA Recruitment, sits down with Vickie Graham, Managing Director of Reward Strategy, fresh off the Reward and Payroll Summit 2026, to break down what happened, what it means, and why this year felt different from every summit before it. This is not just an event recap. It is a conversation about what the pay and reward profession is becoming, a strategic function, a boardroom voice, and a community that refuses to stay in the back office. Nick and Vickie unpack the skills shift reshaping the profession, why marketing techniques like personas are showing up in reward strategy, and what almost every person in the room said they actually want from their careers. They also cover what it really takes to win one of the Summit's 28 award categories, the story behind this year's emotional Lifetime Achievement Award, and why Reward Strategy is aiming to grow the event from 300 to 400 attendees next year. It is not just about an awards ceremony. It is about an entire profession redefining its own identity. And if you still think payroll and reward are just back-office functions, this episode will change your mind. Whether you are a payroll professional wanting a seat in the strategic conversation, a reward specialist curious about where the profession is headed, or someone weighing up whether to attend next year's Summit, this episode will show you exactly what you have been missing. This episode is sponsored by Deel Managing 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 Vickie Graham: https://www.linkedin.com/in/vickiegrahamdipmacim/ 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: (01:10) Introduction: Debriefing the Reward and Payroll Summit 2026 (03:07) Aims and Objectives Behind This Year's Summit (06:33) Key Insight: How Pay and Reward Skills Are Evolving (10:13) Shedding the Old Identity and What 99% of the Room Really Wants (11:44) The Compliance Wake-Up Call: National Minimum Wage and Fair Work (13:10) Inside the Judging Process and What Wins an Award (17:46) Nick's Award Win and Inside the Ceremony (20:05) Networking Outcomes and a Message from JGA Recruitment (23:28) Bar Chats and the Birth of New Award Categories (25:34) Celebrating Julie’s Lifetime Achievement Award (29:01) Growing the Summit, Career Pivots, and Closing Thoughts

September 19, 202633 min

Minimum Wage Compliance | Technology Closing the Payroll Deductions Gap with Wendy Muirhead

Payroll compliance isn't about hitting the minimum wage threshold on paper, it's about understanding what deductions, benefits, and statutory calculations actually mean in law. In this episode of @thepayrollpodcast, Nick Day, CEO of JGA Recruitment, sits down with Wendy Muirhead, co-founder of Fair Work Solutions, about the technology closing compliance gaps that catch thousands of UK employers off-guard, triggering fines, arrears, and reputational damage. Discover how payroll professionals can move from assumption-based compliance to accuracy-first operations. The conversation also dives deep into what the new Fair Work Agency means for payroll and HR leaders, why National Minimum Wage should be treated as a board-level business risk rather than a payroll-only problem, and how proactive compliance can actually elevate payroll's standing within an organization. It also highlights the true cost of getting it wrong, including 200 percent fines, six-figure settlements, and a public place on the government's Name and Shame list. It is not just a rate check. It is not just a payroll problem. It is a business-wide compliance risk. Wendy shares how her own frustration working inside major payroll organizations, combined with the investigative expertise of co-founder Jenny Morris, led her to build a platform designed to give every payroll leader total visibility over their National Minimum Wage exposure. Whether you are confident in your current compliance or have never closely examined the calculations behind it, this episode will change how you think about what "above minimum wage" actually means. This episode is sponsored by Deel Managing 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 Wendy Muirhead: https://www.linkedin.com/in/wendymuirhead0980/ Learn more about Fair Work Solutions: https://www.fairworksolutions.co.uk/ Connect with Nick Day: https://www.linkedin.com/in/nickday/ Find your ideal candidate with our job vacancy system: https://jgarecruitment.ck.page/919cf6b9ea Sign up to our 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: (00:01) Introduction: The Minimum Wage Compliance Trap (01:29) What Does Payroll Mean to Wendy Muirhead? (02:38) Why Wendy Left Corporate Payroll to Found Fair Work Solutions (09:08) Building Fair Work Solutions with Jenny Morris (11:28) The Biggest Misconception About Minimum Wage Compliance (13:53) The Data Governance Problem Behind NMW Risk (15:51) The Nurse in the Car Park: Why NMW Is More Than a Rate Check (17:28) Why Payroll Software Alone Can't Fix Minimum Wage Risk (20:27) Inside the Name and Shame List and the Cost of Non-Compliance (22:48) Minimum Wage, Maximum Clarity: What Compliance Should Look Like (27:19) Turning Compliance Into a Board-Level Opportunity (30:50) Final Takeaways and Where to Learn More

September 9, 202652 min

Talent Retention in Payroll Leadership | Building Careers for 2040 with Troy Markusson

Payroll leadership faces a 2040 crisis that has nothing to do with compliance, technology, or AI. It's our failure to attract, educate, and listen to the next generation of payroll professionals. In this episode of @thepayrollpodcast, Nick Day, CEO of JGA Recruitment, sits down with Troy Markusson, a global payroll leader with nearly 30 years of experience in large-scale payroll operations, transformation, and compliance, to unpack his original research project, Payroll 2040. Built from surveys and roundtables with over 200 students and early-career professionals, the research asks the question almost no one else is asking: what does the next generation actually think about payroll, and are we building a profession they even want to inherit? The conversation dives into the research's most striking findings, including how many early-career employees say they do not trust their employer to get their pay right, how quickly that trust breaks down over even a small dollar-value error, and why the vast majority want a human being, not an AI chatbot, the moment something goes wrong. Troy and Nick also explore payroll's looming talent cliff, why so many payroll departments still undersell the profession to the people who could power its future, and how language, storytelling, and even "payroll nerd" culture are becoming real tools for reclaiming the profession's identity. It is not a technology problem. It is not a compliance problem. It is a trust problem. Troy shares what his research revealed about closing the education gap, where AI genuinely helps versus where it undermines trust, and why strong cross-functional partnerships, not better systems, are what will actually carry payroll into its next era. Whether you're a payroll leader building your team's future or simply passionate about where this profession is headed, this episode reframes the payroll technology conversation around the people who matter most. This episode is sponsored by Deel Managing 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 Troy Markusson: https://www.linkedin.com/in/troy-markusson/ Check out Troy's payroll nerd merchandise: https://www.nerdoutfitters.shop/ Connect with Nick Day: https://www.linkedin.com/in/nickday/ Find your ideal candidate with our job vacancy system: https://jgarecruitment.ck.page/919cf6b9ea Sign up for our 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: (00:01) Introduction: Payroll's Greatest Future Risk (01:40) What Payroll Really Means: Trust Behind Every Payslip (06:10) Inside the Payroll 2040 Research Project (09:53) Key Findings: Trust, Errors, and AI Discomfort (17:22) Why Payroll Isn't Marketed Like Other Careers (21:30) The Hardest Skills to Replace as Talent Retires (24:18) The Payroll Talent Cliff (27:01) What Language Attracts (and Repels) Young Talent (32:58) The Pay Slip Understanding Gap (34:39) What Payroll Data Reveals Beyond Payroll (47:14) Reclaiming Payroll's Identity Through Storytelling (52:04) Payroll Vault: Career Advice, AI, and Final Takeaways

September 1, 202654 min

Silent Payroll Errors | Why Compliance Blindspots Matter with Jay Crider

Your payroll runs smoothly but that's exactly where payroll compliance risk hides. In this episode In this episode of @thepayrollpodcast, Nick Day, CEO of JGA Recruitment Group, sits down with Jay Crider, CPP, MBA, founder and principal of ValuGuard Payroll Advisory, talked about the hidden payroll errors, implementation gaps, and data vulnerabilities lurking beneath green status reports. Discover what audits, acquisitions, and system migrations reveal about payroll maturity, and learn how to identify and remediate silent failures before they cost you. This is not just a conversation about whether payroll gets processed. It is a conversation about whether payroll is governed. Jay and Nick break down the five pillars of payroll risk, why key person dependency quietly puts entire operations at risk, and how payroll leaders can finally translate what they see into language the C-suite actually listens to. They also cover Jay's Payroll Stability Index, or PSI, a free scoring framework built to quantify payroll risk the way a FICO score quantifies credit risk, real statistics on fraud, compliance penalties, and outage costs, and why payroll may be the largest uncontrolled financial process in most companies today. It is not just about getting the paycheck right. It is about proving the process behind it can be trusted under pressure. And if you have never measured that before, this episode will change that. Whether you are a payroll professional trying to earn a seat at the table, a finance leader trying to understand where your real exposure sits, or a business owner who assumes payroll is fine because no one has complained, this episode will give you a new way of seeing one of the most important functions in your organization. This episode is sponsored by Deel Managing 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 Jay Crider: https://www.linkedin.com/in/jay-crider/ Learn more about ValuGuard Payroll Advisory and run your free PSI snapshot: https://valuguardpayroll.com/psi-snapshot?src=payrollpodcast 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: Why a Green Payroll Status Report Can Still Be Hiding Risk (03:01) What Payroll Really Means: Trust Made Operational (04:06) The Iceberg Analogy: What's Hiding Beneath a Stable-Looking Payroll (06:35) Why "Paid Accurately and On Time" Is an Incomplete Definition of Success (11:17) Controlled Process vs. Correct Outcome: The Real Test of Governance (13:29) Key-Person Dependency and the True Cost of Payroll Heroics (20:04) Introducing the Five Pillars of the Payroll Stability Index (24:27) Operational Continuity, Governance Controls, and the Cost of Fraud (32:17) Why a Risk Score Changes the Conversation With the C-Suite (39:55) Who Should Own Payroll Governance: HR, Finance, or a Future CPO? (45:56) Diagnosing Risk Before a Crisis Forces Your Hand (52:21) Payroll Vault: Rapid-Fire Questions and Jay's Boldest Prediction

August 24, 202649 min

AI for Payroll | How Failed Implementations Shape Your Career with Raju Chauhan

AI for payroll is reshaping the profession but failed implementations reveal what truly matters. In this episode of @thepayrollpodcast, Nick Day, CEO of JGA Recruitment, sits down with Raju Chauhan, explore why payroll compliance and management require human judgment, what automation gets wrong, and how payroll professionals evolve into strategic oversight roles. Essential for anyone navigating payroll implementation in the AI era and building a resilient career This is not just another AI hype conversation. It is a grounded, practical look at where the technology genuinely helps and where it quietly creates risk. Nick and Raju explore why AI does not fix broken payroll processes but exposes them, how AI can act as a structured thinking partner without replacing critical thought, and why safeguarding personal and payroll data has become the single biggest risk facing leaders today. They also cover the real difference between adoption and AI literacy, practical starting points for leaders who feel behind, and why automating the most repetitive manual tasks first is the smartest place for any payroll team to begin. It is not about replacing payroll professionals. It is about revealing where payroll needs to evolve. And those are two very different things. Whether you are just starting to explore AI or already rolling it out across a global payroll function, this episode is an honest, practical look at how to do it without losing the discipline payroll depends on. This episode is sponsored by Deel Managing 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 Raju Chauhan: https://www.linkedin.com/in/rajuchauhan40/ Connect with Nick Day: https://uk.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: (00:01) Introduction: Is AI Coming for the Payroll Profession? (02:15) What Payroll Really Means: Creating Smiles Behind Every Payslip (06:52) Raju's First Encounter with AI: From ChatGPT to Real Payroll Tools (12:31) Getting Started: Where Payroll Leaders Should Begin with AI (14:27) Overcoming the Two Biggest Fears About AI in Payroll (18:24) The Real Risk: Data Safeguarding and AI Literacy (21:55) How AI Became Raju's Thinking Partner, Not His Idea Generator (26:13) Can AI Actually Improve the Employee Experience? (29:38) Shortcut or Discipline? What Recruitment Teaches Payroll About AI (35:39) Bad Data In, Bad Data Out: Why Structured Prompting Matters (40:00) Automation Priorities and the Future of Payroll in an AI World (44:09) Payroll Vault: Career Advice, Data Risk, and Predictions

August 17, 202643 min

Building a Strategic Payroll Career | Leadership Beyond Compliance with Jamie Phillips

Payroll careers are often written off as accidents. Someone needed a job, a shared service center needed a body, and thirty years later they never left. But staying in payroll for three decades and being recognized as one of the best in the profession does not happen by accident. So what actually separates people who simply work in payroll from those who go on to shape its future? In this episode of @thepayrollpodcast, Nick Day, CEO of JGA Recruitment, sits down with Jamie Phillips, CPP, the 2026 Payroll Man of the Year as named by Payroll Org. With over three decades of experience spanning payroll leadership, workforce management, human capital management, industry education, and mentoring, Jamie brings a rare, career-long view of what it actually takes to stay relevant in an industry that keeps changing shape. This is not just a conversation about winning an award. It is a masterclass in what separates accumulating years of experience from becoming more valuable with every one of them. Nick and Jamie unpack how payroll has shifted from a transactional function to a strategic one over the past thirty years, why data analytics has been the single biggest transformation in the profession, and why the idea that payroll resists change is more myth than reality. They dig into Jamie's own path back to graduate school at fifty, why lifelong learning is a mindset rather than a milestone, and how mentoring newcomers through Payroll Org's certification courses has shaped his own legacy. They also talk candidly about the isolation that can come with reaching the top of a payroll career, and why community and networking are two of the most underrated tools for staying sharp. It is not just about winning an award. It is about what you do with thirty years to deserve it. And that is what separates a job from a career. Whether you are six weeks into payroll or thirty years in, this episode makes the case that longevity means nothing without curiosity, contribution, and a willingness to keep evolving. This episode is sponsored by Deel Managing 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 Jamie Phillips:https://www.linkedin.com/in/jamie-phillips-mha-mhrd-cpp-19b2505 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: Is Payroll Longevity Ever an Accident? (01:35) The Elephant in the Room: Jamie's Cycling Accident (03:33) What Payroll Means to Jamie After 30 Years (04:31) Meet Jamie Phillips: Life Beyond the Payroll Desk (08:31) How Jamie Fell Into Payroll By Accident (11:00) The APA's Role in Giving Jamie a "30,000-Foot View" (15:00) 30 Years of Change: From Transactional to Strategic Payroll (20:15) Ranking the Biggest Transformations: Data, Experience, and Technology (22:43) Why Jamie Went Back for Two Master's Degrees After 50 (27:59) Community, Networking, and Avoiding Isolation at the Top (29:44) Becoming the 2026 Payroll Man of the Year (37:47) Advice for Newcomers: Learn, Network, Zoom Out

August 10, 20261 hr 22 min

Mandatory Payrolling of Benefits, Salary Sacrifice Traps and Zero-Hours Reform

In this episode: Mandatory Payrolling of Benefits, Salary Sacrifice Traps and Zero-Hours Reform | Payroll Question Time Payroll 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 has a lot to get through before the summer break. Is your business ready for the biggest shake-up to benefits reporting in a decade? In this episode of Payroll Question Time, host Steve Yardley and our expert panel tackle the most pressing payroll topics of the moment, from mandatory payrolling of benefits in kind to salary sacrifice and national minimum wage risk. From new HMRC data requirements for company cars to the Fair Work Agency's zero-hours contract consultation. With April 2027 mandation now confirmed and phased, this is essential viewing for every payroll professional in the UK. From car benefit reporting quirks and real-time Class 1A charges to holiday pay record keeping and salaried staff hours tracking, this session covers the operational, compliance, and strategic issues you need to act on before September. We cover: • Mandatory payrolling of benefits in kind: the confirmed April 2027 and April 2028 phased timetable • New and dropped HMRC reporting fields for company cars and medical benefits • Why payrolling benefits in kind isn't a lift-and-drop of your P11D process • The new real-time Class 1A employer NI charge and what it means for your April to July bills • When the voluntary payrolling registration service is expected to reopen • Car benefit reporting quirks, the P46 car form, and why real-time alignment still isn't there • Salary sacrifice and national minimum wage: why "voluntary" doesn't mean it's exempt • GymFlex, cycle to work, and other disguised salary sacrifice arrangements • The Fair Work Agency's zero-hours contract consultation: guaranteed hours, notice and canceled shift pay • Why zero-hours reform could create an ongoing obligation, similar to pension re-enrolment • Holiday pay record keeping and why NMW investigators are asking about it • Tracking working hours for salaried staff and the burden of proof on employers • The April 2029 proposal to cap salary sacrifice tax relief at £2,000 a year • Is HMRC getting better? A look at dispute resolution timescales in practice Don'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://uk.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 Richard George, Senior Bureau Manager, MHA Mathew Akrigg, Policy & Advisory Leader, CIPP Jeni Morris, National Minimum Wage Specialist Steve Yardley, Host, Managing Director, JGA Recruitment Group Timestamps: (00:00) Welcome & Panel Introductions (06:03) Mandatory Payrolling of Benefits in Kind Confirmed (09:50) New HMRC Data Requirements for Company Cars (15:20) Preparing Payroll for Real-Time Reporting (22:37) Live Q&A: Voluntary Registration Reopening (28:07) Car Reporting Quirks & the P46 Car Form (32:58) Salary Sacrifice's Hidden NMW Trap (42:48) Zero-Hours Contract Consultation Breakdown (54:33) Holiday Pay & Worker Status Under NMW Scrutiny (1:04:15) Salary Sacrifice's Future: The 2029 Cap (1:11:14) Tracking Hours for Salaried Staff (1:18:27) Is HMRC Getting Better? Wrap-Up Hashtags: #PayrollQuestionTime #UKPayroll #MandatoryPayrolling #PayrollingBenefits #SalarySacrifice #NationalMinimumWage #ZeroHoursContracts #FairWorkAgency #PayrollCompliance #Class1A #EmploymentRightsAct #PayrollLegislation #PayrollProfessionals #SDWorx #CIPP #JGARecruitment