The Payroll Podcast

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...

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...

In this episode: SSP Changes, Holiday Pay & Payrolling Benefits | Payroll Challenges for 2026 & Beyond

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 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...

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...

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...

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...

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...

My first book: The Payroll Pivot book is out now!

Visit: www.thepayrollpivot.com

Or Purchase on Amazon today: https://shorturl.at/rXBXP

Payroll Congress is often seen as just another industry conference but what if it's actually the single most career-defining investment a payroll professional can ever make? In this episode of @thepayrollpodcast we explore why Payroll Congress is so much more than a conference and how attending can completely transform your career in payroll.

In this episode, Laurel Serra, CPP, Director of Education Services at PayrollOrg, joins Nick Day...

In this episode: April 2026 Payroll Changes | Tax, SSP, NMW & EV Salary Sacrifice Explained

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!

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 F...

My first book: The Payroll Pivot book is out now!

https://shorturl.at/rXBXP

Payroll 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 tech...

This episode is sponsored by Deel

Hire, 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...

In this episode: Payroll vs Reward Debate | P11D Electronic Mandate | BACS Hash Dropped | Pension Dashboard Delay

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!

The 100th HMRC employer bulletin just landed, and it changes more than you think.

In this episode of Payroll Question Time, host Nick Day and our expert panel tackle the growing debate...

This episode is sponsored by Deel

Hire, 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...

This episode is sponsored by Deel

Hire, 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 pe...

This episode is sponsored by Deel

Hire, 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 im...

This episode is sponsored by Deel

Hire, 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 s...

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 t...

This episode is sponsored by Deel

Hire, 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 re...

This episode is sponsored by Deel

Hire, 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 th...

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...

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

In 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...

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 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...

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

Payroll 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...

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...

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

Payroll is more than compliance. It shapes trust, drives policy outcomes, and anchors how organisations support their people.

In this episode of the Payroll Podcast, Nick Day brings together leading...

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

Payroll is more than payslips. It is the skill set that protects trust, keeps people paid, and turns a “back office” function into a strategic engine for the business.

In this episode of the Payroll Podcast, Nick...

In this episode: NMW & Employment Rights Bill and How it Changes HR & Compliance

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 is changing fast. Are you ready for 2026 and beyond?

In this episode of Payroll Question Time, host Nick Day and our expert panel unpack the Employment Rights Bill timeline, National Minimum Wage hot spots...

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

Payroll is more than process. It is the heartbeat of employee trust and business performance.

In this episode of the Payroll Podcast, Nick Day sits down with Stuart Curtis, an accountant turned payroll leader, to explore how passion, people, a...

*In this episode: Payroll Compliance Explained & How New Laws Are Changing HR and Finance | Payroll Podcast*

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 is evolving faster than ever. Are you ready to keep up?

In this episode of Payroll Question Time, host Nick Day and a panel of leading payroll and compliance experts explore how...

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

What does it take to turn a payroll job into a leadership career? In this episode of The Payroll Podcast, Nick Day sits down with Carlyn Davis, CPP – Director of Payroll at CBRE Government & Defense Services, 2024 Texas Payroll Professional of the Year, and President of...

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

Payroll is no longer just a back-office function, it’s the heartbeat of every organization.

In this episode of the Payroll Podcast, Nick Day sits down with Michael Francis,a glo...

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

Payroll is no longer just about processing payments.

It’s about driving strategy, compliance, and employee experience. In this episode of The Payroll Podcast, host Nick Day sits down with Richard George, Director of...

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

Every conversation is public speaking, and legendary speech coach Patricia Fripp is here to teach payroll professionals how to own the stage, win respect, and communicate with clarity.

In this e...

Managing global payroll shouldn’t mean juggling vendors and compliance risks. Deel, recognized in the Gartner® Market Guide for Multicountry Payroll Solutions, helps finance teams automate payments, standardize reporting, and stay compliant in 100+ countries. Get key insights from industry experts to future-proof your payroll strategy.

Download the Report: https://bit.ly/4g5mfQG

Payroll never sleeps and neither did we at Global PayFest 2025. For 24 hours straight, payroll leaders from 24 countries came together to share the latest insights on compliance, tax, legislation, and payroll innovation. 

From...

Managing global payroll shouldn’t mean juggling vendors and compliance risks. Deel,

recognized in the Gartner® Market Guide for Multicountry Payroll Solutions, helps finance

teams automate payments, standardize reporting, and stay compliant in 100+ countries. Get key insights from industry experts to future-proof your payroll strategy.

Download the Report: https://bit.ly/4g5mfQG

Kevin Fitzgerald, Managing Director UK at Employment Hero, joins Nick Day on The Payroll Podcast to unpack one of the boldest moves in HR tech: free payroll software for UK SMEs. 

Th...

Struggling with global payroll complexity? Get Deel’s expert-backed playbook to automate payments, stay compliant in 100+ countries, and simplify multicountry payroll.

Download the report and future-proof your payroll strategy today:  https://shorturl.at/jtKL9

In this episode of The Payroll Podcast, Nick Day speaks with Vic O’Callaghan, Director of Global Payroll Pre-Sales Delivery at Deel, about how Deel is disrupting global payroll and redefining what payroll careers can be.

Vic shares her journey from handing out paper payslips in Manchester to leading payroll transformation at one of th...

Struggling with global payroll complexity? Get Deel’s expert-backed playbook to automate payments, stay compliant in 100+ countries, and simplify multicountry payroll.

Download the report and future-proof your payroll strategy today:  https://shorturl.at/jtKL9

How do you go from an entry-level payroll role to becoming a Partner at one of the UK’s leading accountancy firms?

In this episode, payroll leader Karen Thomson shares her 30-year journey and the career moves, leadership skills, and mindset shifts that helped her break barriers in the industry.

...

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 Is Changing: Are You Ready for What’s Coming in 2026?

In this episode of Payroll Question Time, host Nick Day and a panel of leading payroll and compliance experts break down the most critical changes set to impact UK payroll over the next two years.

From the upcoming Employment Rights Bill to Statutory Si...

Struggling with global payroll complexity? Get Deel’s expert-backed playbook to automate payments, stay compliant in 100+ countries, and simplify multicountry payroll.

Download the report and future-proof your payroll strategy today:  https://www.deel.com/resources/gartner-guide-multicountry-payroll-2024/?utm_medium=sponsored-newsletter&utm_source=nickday&utm_campaign=ww_engage_download_nickday_sponnewsletter_payrollnewsletter-gartnerreportpayroll-jul25_gp_all&utm_content=engage_gp_sponnewsletter_gartnerreportpayroll-sponnews400-fin_en

Payroll is no longer just about processing pay. It’s about people, data, trust, and strategy. In this solo episode, I explore why payroll is fast becoming one of the most strategic funct...

Struggling with global payroll complexity? Get Deel’s expert-backed playbook to automate payments, stay compliant in 100+ countries, and simplify multicountry payroll.

Download the report and future-proof your payroll strategy today:  https://www.deel.com/resources/gartner-guide-multicountry-payroll-2024/?utm_medium=sponsored-newsletter&utm_source=nickday&utm_campaign=ww_engage_download_nickday_sponnewsletter_payrollnewsletter-gartnerreportpayroll-jul25_gp_all&utm_content=engage_gp_sponnewsletter_gartnerreportpayroll-sponnews400-fin_en

Max van der Klis-Busink didn’t just write a payroll book. He created the guide he wished he had when he started his global payroll journey.

...