Advertise on podcast: The Payroll Podcast

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

For years, multinational payroll was managed country by country, provider by provider, and spreadsheet by spreadsheet. That model worked when businesses expanded slowly. Global workforces do not expand slowly anymore. In this episode of @thepayrollpodcast, Nick Day, CEO of JGA Recruitment, sits down with Sivanne Fishel, VP of Client Success for Global Enterprise Accounts at Papaya Global, to ask whether the traditional multi-provider payroll model has become one of the biggest risks in global payroll today. With over 12 years of experience supporting large organisations through workforce payments, compliance, and technology transformation, Sivanne brings a rare inside view of what full consolidation actually looks like at scale. This is not just a conversation about switching platforms. It is a masterclass in why fragmentation quietly costs companies far more than they realise. Nick and Sivanne unpack why payroll consolidation has shifted from a hard sell to client-driven demand, why the strongest case for going all-in on one platform is not efficiency but accountability, and why fragmented providers create hidden costs in compliance risk, worker experience, and retention that rarely show up on a balance sheet. They dig into Papaya's new agentic AI compliance tool, One by Papaya, how AI is genuinely saving payroll teams time and cost today, and why the human touch behind every payslip still cannot be automated away. They also look ahead to what a connected global workforce ecosystem could look like by 2030. It is not just about which provider you use. It is about who takes accountability when things go wrong. And that changes everything about how payroll should be built. Whether you are managing one provider or twenty-seven, this episode makes the case that global payroll's next chapter is about ownership, not just optimisation. 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 Sivanne Fishel: https://www.linkedin.com/in/sivanne-fishel-805993218/ Explore Papaya: https://www.papayaglobal.com Read Papaya Global's research on the future of global payroll: https://www.papayaglobal.com/research/the-future-of-global-payroll 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 This the End of Country-by-Country Payroll? (01:12) What Payroll Really Means Today (and How COVID Changed Everything) (04:07) From Convincing Clients to Client-Driven Demand for Consolidation (09:41) Inside One by Papaya: Agentic AI, BI Analytics and the Payments Merger (17:57) Why Payroll Still Hasn't Earned Full Strategic Recognition (24:25) Is the Multi-Provider Model Still Sustainable? (28:40) Accountability Over Efficiency: The Real Case for Consolidation (32:28) How Compliance Changes on a Consolidated Global Platform (35:56) Where AI Is Delivering Real, Measurable Value in Payroll (42:32) Prompting Tips and Fast-Forwarding to Payroll in 2030 (45:06) Building a Global Workforce From Scratch: Sivanne's Blueprint (48:35) Payroll Vault: Career Advice, Predictions and Final Questions

Payroll Has Never Been More Complex. Are You Prepared for What's Next? In this Special Vault edition, Nick Day gathers some of the sharpest minds in global payroll and asks them all the same questions, distilling decades of experience into one powerful episode. The result is a masterclass in why payroll is never just about processing numbers. It's about trust, livelihoods, and leading through change. From navigating the EU Pay Transparency Directive to learning why "no system will solve all your problems," this episode unpacks the real difference between business transformation done right and transformation that fails. Guests share hard-won advice on AI adoption, RFP discipline, career growth, and what it really means to be a custodian of trust in payroll. 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 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) Intro: Wisdom from Payroll's Top Minds (00:37) Welcome to the Payroll Podcast Vault (02:31) EU Pay Transparency Directive: Advice and Predictions (04:51) Payroll as a Livelihood, Not Just a Transaction (06:35) Why No System Solves Everything (07:11) The Future of Payroll: AI and Automation by 2030 (09:28) Why Every Payroll Leader Must Learn AI (10:39) Getting RFPs and Transformation Right (13:26) Trusting Your Instincts in a Payroll Career (16:06) Listening First: Lessons for 2026 (19:53) Appreciating Your Payroll Team (22:11) Why You Should Never Be Fully Reliant on Software

Most businesses think payroll is simple. Checks go out, employees get paid, and nobody complains. But treating payroll as an administrative task rather than a strategic function is exactly what keeps it invisible, underfunded, and one crisis away from becoming the biggest story in the business. In this episode of @thepayrollpodcast, Nick Day, CEO of JGA Recruitment, sits down with Tiana Neal, Founder and CEO of Transcenders Consulting Group, to make the case that payroll is one of the most human, strategic, and risk-critical functions in any organisation. It is not an admin task sitting quietly in the background, but a direct line to employee trust, compliance exposure, and business intelligence most companies never think to use. This is not just a conversation about clicking a button and running a payroll cycle. It is a conversation about why payroll remains one of the most misunderstood functions in business, and what happens when errors, blind spots, and burnout are left unaddressed. Nick and Tiana explore why data is payroll's most underused strategic asset, why hackers understand payroll's value better than most executives do, and why automation is changing the profession without replacing the expertise behind it. They also cover why unchecked overtime and PTO abuse quietly cost companies far more than most leaders realise, why buying a new payroll system rarely fixes a broken process, why payroll professionals should get involved in building their company's AI tools rather than fear them, the case for treating payroll as a genuine career path rather than a stopgap job, and why getting payroll heard before decisions are made matters more right now than chasing a seat with a job title attached. It is not just about getting the payroll numbers right. It is about the trust, resilience, and business intelligence sitting behind every single payslip. And if you are not thinking about payroll that way yet, this episode will change that. Whether you are a payroll professional tired of being seen as a back office function, an HR or finance leader trying to understand the real risk and value sitting inside your payroll team, or a business owner who has never thought twice about what payroll actually protects, this episode will give you a new way of seeing one of the most business-critical functions in your organisation. 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 Tiana Neal: https://www.linkedin.com/in/tiana-neal-emba-22903386/ 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: (00:01) Introduction: Why "Back Office" Is the Wrong Label for Payroll (02:04) Meet Tiana Neal, Founder and CEO of Transcenders Consulting Group (03:58) The Real Cost of Getting Payroll Wrong (08:35) The Language Gap Between Payroll and Leadership (13:15) Payroll Data, Security, and Why Hackers Get It Before Executives Do (19:44) Overlooked Compliance Risks: Overtime, PTO, and Union Filings (23:39) When Companies Blame the System Instead of the Process (26:25) AI and Automation: A Tool, Not a Replacement (29:19) What Separates a Good Payroll Team From a Strategic One (32:06) Rethinking the Chief Payroll Officer Debate (35:21) Inside the Human Role Podcast and Tiana's Own Journey (39:01) Preparing Payroll Leaders for What's Coming Next (45:05) The Payroll Vault: Closing Advice and Final Thoughts

Most organizations are treating the EU Pay Transparency Directive as a compliance deadline to hit. But the employers who will come out ahead are the ones who understand what it actually represents: the biggest shift in the employer-employee relationship since the internet changed retail forever. In this episode, Vickie Graham is joined by Stuart Hyland, Partner at Ellason, to tackle the EU Pay Transparency Directive head-on. What it means, why the clock is running out faster than most HR and reward leaders realise, and how forward-thinking organizations can use it as a genuine strategic advantage rather than just another box to tick. The core question driving this conversation: is your reward strategy built for a world where employees can see everything? Stuart Hyland breaks down why pay transparency is not just a legal requirement. It is a cultural turning point. He explains why the organizations rushing to comply in May will already be too late, why manager discretion is one of the biggest hidden risks in any reward programme, and why a workforce that can benchmark its own pay in real time will ask very different questions of its employer than the workforce of today. Vickie Graham explores the practical realities facing HR, payroll, and reward professionals right now. From navigating compliance across multiple EU jurisdictions to managing employee expectations when pay structures that have existed for years are suddenly visible. She also draws on live audience poll results throughout the session, revealing that managing employee communication is already seen as the single biggest challenge, ahead of data accuracy, compliance complexity, and even leadership buy-in. Together they cover what organizations need to do right now. Auditing for manager discretion, validating job evaluation methodologies, narrowing salary ranges on job adverts, documenting reward philosophy, and correcting pay anomalies before a grievance or tribunal forces their hand. The biggest theme running through this entire episode is this: Pay transparency is not arriving. It is already here. And the organizations that treat it as an opportunity to rebuild trust, strengthen their employer brand, attract better talent, and create genuinely fair reward structures will be the ones that look back on this moment as a turning point rather than a crisis. Whether you are a reward or HR professional preparing for the June 2026 deadline, a business leader trying to understand the reputational stakes, or a payroll professional navigating the compliance landscape, this episode will change how you think about pay transparency and what it means for the future of reward. 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 Guests and Host: Vickie Graham: linkedin.com/in/vickiegrahamdipmacim Stuart Hyland: linkedin.com/in/stuarthyland Find your ideal payroll candidate with our job vacancy system: https://jgarecruitment.ck.page/919cf6.. Sign up to the Payroll Podcast Newsletter: https://jgarecruitment.ck.page/23e7b1… 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) Welcome and Introduction to Pay Transparency (00:18) Equal Pay Cases Playing Out in UK Courts (00:55) Poll: Biggest Barriers to Implementing Pay Transparency (02:44) Why Leadership Buy-In and Employee Communication Matter (04:09) Poll: Is Pay Transparency a Compliance Task or Strategic Opportunity? (05:30) Compliance vs Competitive Advantage: Where Do You Stand? (08:34) How Salary Ranges Help You Hire Better Talent (09:15) Fixing Pay Anomalies and Reducing Manager Discretion (18:22) Why the Clock Is Running Out Faster Than You Think (20:40) The Next 3 to 5 Years: A Better-Informed Workforce (25:23) Culture Change, Fairness, and the Road Ahead

In this episode: Zero-Hours Reform, Umbrella Liability and Payrolling Benefits | 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 is in one of its busiest consultation periods yet. Are your processes ready for changes that haven't even been finalised? In this episode of Payroll Question Time, host Steve Yardley and our expert panel break down the most pressing consultations and compliance deadlines hitting payroll teams right now. From zero-hours contract reform and SSP qualifying day pitfalls, to umbrella company liability rules and mandatory payrolling of benefits. With the Fair Work Agency expanding its powers and April 2027 approaching fast, this is essential viewing for every payroll professional in the UK. From zero-hours SSP edge cases and unpaid carers' leave proposals to P11D deadlines and devolved tax thresholds, this session covers the operational, compliance, and strategic issues you need to act on today. We cover: • SSP qualifying days for zero-hours workers and a common employer misconception • Zero-Hours Contract Consultation: guaranteed hours and the 12, 26, or 52 week reference period debate • Hours worked versus hours paid: the practical gap payroll systems cannot solve • Why zero-hours reform could create an ongoing obligation, similar to pension re-enrolment • Unpaid Carers' Leave Consultation and what evidence gathering means for employers • Ethnicity pay gap reporting: why a firm start date still doesn't exist • Devolved tax thresholds in Wales and Scotland, and the push to align announcement dates • Managing World Cup related absence, annual leave requests, and SSP under the new day one rules • The Fair Work Agency's growing powers and the shift from individual tribunal claims to direct enforcement • Holiday pay compliance risk and the scale of underpayment employers still aren't addressing • P11D and PSA deadlines, common referencing errors, and what qualifies for a settlement agreement • Mandatory payrolling of benefits in kind from April 2027: phase one covering cars, vans, fuel, and medical • New and dropped reporting fields for company cars and medical benefits • Umbrella company joint and several liability from April 2026 and what it means for agencies • Why HMRC will not accept bills of exchange as payment of tax 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 Mathew Akrigg, Policy & Advisory Leader, CIPP Samantha Mann, Payroll Team Manager, Armstrong Watson LLP Karen Thomson, Head of Payroll, Armstrong Watson Richard George, Payroll Consultant & Industry Leader Steve Yardley, Host, Managing Director, JGA Recruitment Group Timestamps: (00:00) Welcome & Panel Intro (06:31) SSP Qualifying Days for Zero-Hours Workers (08:38) Zero-Hours Contract Consultation Deep Dive (29:29) Unpaid Carers' Leave Consultation (34:58) Ethnicity Pay Gap Reporting (37:54) World Cup Workforce Planning & Absence Management (44:06) Fair Work Agency & Holiday Pay Enforcement (54:19) Devolved Tax Thresholds: Wales & Scotland (58:11) P11D & PSA Deadlines (1:02:48) Mandatory Payrolling of Benefits in Kind (1:15:34) Umbrella Market Liability, IR35 & Bills of Exchange (1:20:44) Wrap-Up & Next Session Hashtags: #PayrollQuestionTime #UKPayroll #ZeroHoursContracts #MandatoryPayrolling #PayrollingBenefits #PayrollCompliance #EmploymentRightsAct #FairWorkAgency #HolidayPay #P11D #PSA #Class1A #UmbrellaCompanies #IR35 #PayrollLegislation #PayrollProfessionals #SDWorx #CIPP #JGARecruitment

Most businesses think payroll is working. People get paid, deadlines are met, and no one raises a flag. But compliant payroll is not the same as strategic payroll, and in a regulatory landscape that is shifting faster than most employers realise, the gap between the two has never been more costly. In this episode of @thepayrollpodcast, Nick Day, CEO of JGA Recruitment, sits down with Julie Gunnell, Associate Director of Growth Payroll at Azets, one of the UK's leading accountancy and business advisory firms, to make the case that payroll is no longer a back-office function. It is a compliance risk, a strategic asset, and a direct reflection of how much an organisation respects its people. This is not just a conversation about processing pay. It is a conversation about what is coming, what most employers are not ready for, and why the payroll profession is quietly becoming one of the most important functions in any business. Julie and Nick explore the three game-changers that have transformed the profession, auto-enrolment, furlough, and the imminent arrival of the Fair Work Agency, and why the FWA represents the most fundamental shift in how businesses manage HR and payroll data that the UK has ever seen. They also cover why six-year holiday record retention from April is a wake-up call for every employer, how payroll data is one of the most underused strategic assets sitting inside any organisation, why salary sacrifice and benefits review should be on every employer's agenda right now, the case for making internal payroll audits a non-negotiable part of the annual calendar, and why the next generation of payroll professionals, many of them post-graduates, are choosing payroll as a deliberate, informed career decision. It is not just about getting the numbers right. It is about the trust, compliance, and business intelligence sitting behind every single payslip. And if you are not thinking about payroll that way yet, this episode will change that. Whether you are a payroll professional navigating the wave of regulatory change heading your way, an HR or finance leader trying to understand the real risk sitting inside your payroll function, or a business owner who has never questioned whether your payroll is truly working for you, this episode will give you a new way of seeing one of the most business-critical functions in your organisation. 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 Julie Gunnell: https://www.linkedin.com/in/juliegunnell/ 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 Meet Julie Gunnell, Associate Director of Growth Payroll at Azets (01:49) What Payroll Really Means and Why Julie Calls It the Best Profession in the World (03:29) How Julie Fell Into Payroll and the Mentors Who Built Her Foundation (06:30) Bureau vs. In-House and Why Processing for Multiple Clients Changes Everything (08:50) The Three Game-Changers: Auto-Enrolment, Furlough, and the Fair Work Agency (14:55) AI in Payroll: Powerful Tool, Not a Replacement (19:16) The Next Generation and Why Post-Grads Are Choosing Payroll as a Career (23:10) Julie's Proudest Moment: Getting Payroll a National Shout-Out on BBC Radio 2 (27:13) Growth Meets Compliance and How Julie Balances Both at Azets (31:01) Payroll as a Strategic Asset and the Data Your Business Isn't Using (34:39) Why Every Employer Needs Regular Internal Payroll Audits (37:35) The Future of Payroll: Recognition, Qualifications, and What's Coming Next