Payroll Reinvented: How Technology and EWA Are Shifting the Game with April Smith

This episode is sponsored by DeelManaging a global team is complex, Deel makes it simpler with payroll, HR, IT, and compliance all in one place. That's why over 35,000 businesses trust Deel to hire, pay, and manage their teams worldwide.See how Deel works at www.deel.com/nickdayIn this episode, April Smith, VP of Payroll and Benefits at Senior Lifestyle, joins Nick Day to break down how payroll is evolving from a back-office function into a strategic driver of retention, wellbeing, and workforce insight.April shares why she was initially opposed to Earned Wage Access and what changed her mind once she saw the real data and employee behavior firsthand. She explains how on-demand pay supports financial stability without creating dependency, why dignity and privacy matter in payroll programs, and how payroll teams are uniquely positioned to spot workforce issues before anyone else.The conversation also dives into how automation is shifting payroll from balancing numbers to diagnosing patterns, how payroll data influences executive decision-making, and why payroll leaders are earning a stronger seat at the leadership table.If you work in payroll, HR, or people operations, this episode offers a grounded, operator-level perspective on the future of payroll and what modern payroll leadership really looks like.Connect with April: https://www.linkedin.com/in/april-smith-cpp-98681a246?utm_source=chatgpt.comNick Day’s LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/nickday/Find your ideal candidate with our job vacancy system: https://jgarecruitment.ck.page/691ee4537eStay tuned for the next episode of The Payroll Podcast, brought to you by Nick Day, CEO at JGA Recruitment, landing soon!(00:00) Introduction and April’s Payroll Background(05:10) Why April Was Initially Against Earned Wage Access(10:35) What Changed Her Perspective on On-Demand Pay(16:40) Earned Wage Access as Financial Stability, Not a Perk(22:55) Dignity, Privacy, and Removing Payroll from Personal Hardship(29:30) Recruiting and Retention Impact of Same-Day Pay(35:45) Payroll as the Earliest Signal of Workforce Issues(41:20) Automation Shifting Payroll from Processing to Insight(47:10) Payroll’s Growing Role in Executive Decision-Making(52:30) The Future of Payroll and HRIS Ownership(57:20) Final Thoughts on Modern Payroll Leadership

This episode is sponsored by DeelManaging a global team is complex, Deel makes it simpler with payroll, HR, IT, and compliance all in one place. That's why over 35,000 businesses trust Deel to hire, pay, and manage their teams worldwide. See how Deel works at https://www.deel.com/nickday Payroll is no longer just a back office function. It has become the foundation of compliance, employee trust, and organizational credibility.In this episode of the Payroll Podcast, host Nick Day is joined by payroll thought leader and compliance expert Simon Parsons to unpack why HR, employment law, and payroll are rapidly converging and what this shift means for modern businesses.Simon shares how increased government enforcement, evolving employment rights, and rising expectations around pay accuracy are forcing organizations to rethink where payroll sits and how it operates. You will hear why separating HR and payroll now creates real risk, how payroll data has become critical to employee experience and retention, and why compliance can no longer be treated as a reactive process. The conversation also explores earned wage access, real time and any day pay models, the rise of misinformation in payroll technology, and how leaders can innovate without creating new compliance or data risks.If you want to understand the future of payroll, avoid costly compliance mistakes, and position payroll as a strategic driver of trust and performance, this episode is for you.Nick Day’s LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/nickday/ Find your ideal candidate with our job vacancy system: https://jgarecruitment.ck.page/691ee4537e Stay tuned for the next episode of The Payroll Podcast, brought to you by Nick Day, CEO at JGA Recruitment, landing soon!

This episode is sponsored by DeelManaging a global team is complex, Deel makes it simpler with payroll, HR, IT, and compliance all in one place. That's why over 35,000 businesses trust Deel to hire, pay, and manage their teams worldwide. See how Deel works at www.deel.com/nickdayPayroll is facing one of its biggest turning points. Complexity is rising, risks are increasing, and the latest UK Budget is reshaping how every employer must run payroll.In this episode of the Payroll Podcast, Nick Day breaks down the new government announcements, including mandatory payrolling of benefits, the incoming salary sacrifice NI cap, the frozen tax thresholds, and the national minimum wage increases that will place new pressure on both employers and payroll teams.Nick explains how these changes will affect costs, compliance, employee communication, and the systems and data that payroll relies on. You will hear why real time reporting may soon become more demanding, how HMRC specifications could impact software providers, and why these policies will challenge small businesses, bureaus, and in house teams in ways many are not expecting.This episode also uncovers the wider economic picture behind the Budget, from the national insurance landscape to workforce trends and the shrinking labour pool. Nick shares practical steps payroll leaders can take today, including how to audit salary sacrifice populations, prepare for payrolling of benefits, collaborate with HR and finance, and communicate with clarity during a period of rapid policy change.If you want to stay ahead of upcoming legislation, protect employee trust, and position payroll as a strategic partner during the most significant policy shift in years, this episode is for you.Nick Day’s LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/nickday/Find your ideal candidate with our job vacancy system: https://jgarecruitment.ck.page/691ee4537eStay tuned for the next episode of The Payroll Podcast, brought to you by Nick Day, CEO at JGA Recruitment, landing soon!

In this episode of The Payroll Podcast, host Nick Day sits down with Amit Levi, Senior VP of Product at Papaya Global, to explore how AI powered workforce agents are transforming global payroll. The conversation breaks down why paying people across 160 plus countries is still so complex, how compliance and payments create hidden risk, and where embedded AI can finally simplify global workforce operations at scale. You will hear how an AI workforce agent can validate payroll data before mistakes ever reach the bank, surface real time insights across multiple countries, and automate repetitive checks that drain payroll, HR, and finance teams. Amit shares practical examples from Papaya Global, including data validation for payroll and payments, AI driven onboarding flows, and measurable reductions in time, cost, and error. The discussion also covers safeguards and governance for trustworthy payroll AI, from human in the loop controls to audit trails and secure environments that protect sensitive employee data. Whether you are a payroll leader, HR director, CFO, or founder, this episode will help you move from manual reconciliation and fragmented systems to a strategic, AI enabled payroll model. Expect actionable ideas on how to use workforce agents to strengthen compliance, improve employee experience with on demand support and earned wage access, and turn global payroll into a resilient, data rich engine for financial wellbeing and business performance. For listeners who want to dive deeper, you’ll find links in the show notes to Papaya Global’s embedded-AI solutions:• Embedded AI at Papaya Global: https://www.papayaglobal.com/embedded-ai/ • Data Validation AI for Payroll & Payments: https://www.papayaglobal.com/data-validation/ Nick Day’s LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/nickday/ Find your ideal candidate with our job vacancy system: https://jgarecruitment.ck.page/919cf6b9eaSign up to the HR L&D Newsletter - https://jgarecruitment.ck.page/23e7b153e7

This episode is sponsored by DeelManaging a global team is complex, Deel makes it simpler with payroll, HR, IT, and compliance all in one place. That's why over 35,000 businesses trust Deel to hire, pay, and manage their teams worldwide. See how Deel works at www.deel.com/nickday 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 experts to unpack HMRC’s new plans for mandatory payrolling of benefits and why the latest RTI specifications could create one of the most complex shifts payroll has ever faced. What was introduced as simplification is now raising serious concerns across the payroll community.You will hear how the new reporting structure transforms RTI into a monthly P11D process, why the volume of data required will put pressure on software providers and employers, and how the changes could impact employees through tax adjustments and Universal Credit interactions. We explore the risks of inaccurate benefit data, the hidden workload behind reconciliation, and the challenges for payroll teams already managing limited resources and rising operational demand.If you want to understand how HMRC’s 2027 changes will reshape payroll, what your organisation must prepare for, and how to protect both accuracy and employee outcomes during one of the biggest reform periods in years, this episode is essential listening.Nick Day’s LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/nickday/ Find your ideal candidate with our job vacancy system: https://jgarecruitment.ck.page/691ee4537e Stay tuned for the next episode of The Payroll Podcast, brought to you by Nick Day, CEO at JGA Recruitment, landing soon!

This episode is sponsored by DeelManaging a global team is complex, Deel makes it simpler with payroll, HR, IT, and compliance all in one place. That's why over 35,000 businesses trust Deel to hire, pay, and manage their teams worldwide. See how Deel works at www.deel.com/nickdayPayroll is 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 Day sits down with Abu Choudhury, a specialist payroll recruiter with over 17 years of experience, to unpack the real skills every payroll professional needs right now. From entry level roles to global payroll leadership, they explore how the expectations on payroll teams are changing in a world of AI, hybrid work, and new pay models.You will hear how the most in demand payroll pros blend technical accuracy with data literacy, stakeholder communication, and change leadership. Discover what hiring managers really look for beyond job titles, how to stand out in a crowded market, and why storytelling matters as much as software skills. Nick and Abu also dive into earned wage access, financial wellbeing, global hiring, and even the rise of tokenised pay and crypto, and what all of this means for your future career.If you want to build a resilient payroll career, attract and retain top talent, or lead a modern payroll team that adds visible value to the business, this episode is for you.Abu Choudhury's  LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/abuchoudhury/ Nick Day’s LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/nickday/Find your ideal candidate with our job vacancy system: https://jgarecruitment.ck.page/691ee4537eStay tuned for the next episode of The Payroll Podcast, brought to you by Nick Day, CEO at JGA Recruitment, landing soon!

In this episode: NMW & Employment Rights Bill and How it Changes HR & CompliancePayroll 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, SSP day one changes, payrolling benefits readiness, and the expanding tax advisory landscape that could affect payroll teams.From holiday pay averaging and tips or tronc rules to AML supervision proposals and software readiness for SSP, we break down what matters now so HR, payroll and finance leaders can prepare with confidence.We cover:- Employment Rights Bill milestones and what to prepare now- National Minimum Wage compliance risks including unpaid working time and apprentice rates- Holiday pay using 52 worked weeks and where employers go wrong- SSP day one entitlement and the impact on processes and software- Payrolling benefits timelines, registration dates and P11D phase out planning- Tips and tronc treatment and what cannot count toward NMW- Tax advisory market changes and AML obligations for payroll providers- Equal pay case lessons and how job design choices create risk- ONS and data reporting workload and what to streamline- Practical actions to cut audit risk and improve accuracyDon’t forget to subscribe and turn on notifications to stay updated with every Payroll Question Time.Learn more about SD Worx Academy training courses: https://www.sdworx.com/en-enFind your ideal candidate with our job vacancy system: https://jgarecruitment.ck.page/691ee4537e Nick Day’s LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/nickday/Our Panel:Simon Parsons, Director of UK Compliance Strategies at SD WorxMathew Akrigg, Policy & Research Officer, CIPPAndy Nicholls, Payroll and Pensions Expert, ConsultantRichard George, Payroll leader

This episode is sponsored by DeelManaging a global team is complex, Deel makes it simpler with payroll, HR, IT, and compliance all in one place. That's why over 35,000 businesses trust Deel to hire, pay, and manage their teams worldwide. See how Deel works at www.deel.com/nickdayPayroll is 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, and purpose can transform payroll from a cost center into a strategic value driver.Stuart shares how an accountant’s mindset can elevate payroll operations through people-first leadership, clear pricing, and productized services. You will hear how to position payroll advisory, use automation and AI as quality co-workers, turn data into persuasive stories for decision makers, and protect team wellbeing with simple, sustainable habits. We also dig into financial wellbeing trends, earned wage access, and the “trust triangle” that helps leaders build credibility with clients and stakeholders.If you want to lead payroll with confidence, grow margins without burning out your team, and build a culture that clients love, this episode is for you.Checkout LearnWorlds, the #1 AI-powered LMS built for course creators: https://www.learnworlds.com/Stuart Curtis' LinkedIn: uk.linkedin.com/in/stuart-curtis-02a02baNick Day’s LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/nickday/Find your ideal candidate with our job vacancy system: https://jgarecruitment.ck.page/691ee4537eStay tuned for the next episode of The Payroll Podcast, brought to you by Nick Day, CEO at JGA Recruitment, landing soon!

*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 technology, legislation and policy updates are reshaping the future of payroll.From new HMRC guidance and data security requirements to EV reimbursement rates, salary sacrifice schemes and the latest anti-money laundering obligations, this session breaks down the biggest issues affecting payroll, HR and finance teams right now.We cover:The latest payroll compliance and policy developmentsEV charging rates and salary sacrifice scheme challengesAccuracy, automation and the future of payroll technologyHow payroll impacts employee wellbeing and mental healthNew anti-money laundering rules and agent registration requirementsStudent loan updates and starter checklist changesThe connection between payroll accuracy, cost control and business riskExpert predictions for the next phase of payroll transformationWhether you’re a payroll professional, HR leader or finance director, this episode offers practical insights to help you stay compliant, improve accuracy and build a more resilient payroll function.Don’t forget to subscribe and turn on notifications to stay updated with every Payroll Question Time.Learn more about SD Worx Academy training courses: https://www.sdworx.com/en-enFind your ideal candidate with our job vacancy system: https://jgarecruitment.ck.page/691ee4537eNick Day’s LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/nickday/Our Panel:Simon Parsons, Director of UK Compliance Strategies at SD WorxKaren Thompson, Partner and Head of Payroll Services at Armstrong WatsonMathew Akrigg, Policy & Research Officer, CIPPAndy Nicholls, Payroll and Pensions Expert, Consultant*Hashtags:*#PayrollPodcast #PayrollQuestionTime #EmploymentRightsBill #PayrollCompliance #NickDay #SDWorx #PayrollLegislation #PayrollUpdates #PayrollProfessionals #PayrollLaw #PayrollRegulations #PayrollManagement #PayrollStrategy #PayrollLeadership #PayrollReforms #PayrollIndustry #PayrollTrends #PayrollInsights #PayrollGovernance #PayrollOperations #PayrollSolutions #PayrollEducation #PayrollAudit #PayrollExperts #PayrollChanges

This episode is sponsored by DeelManaging a global team is complex, Deel makes it simpler with payroll, HR, IT, and compliance all in one place. That's why over 35,000 businesses trust Deel to hire, pay, and manage their teams worldwide. See how Deel works at www.deel.com/nickdayWhat 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 the Alamo Chapter of Payroll Professionals.After spending 18 years in payroll before pursuing her CPP certification, Carlyn’s career transformed. Today, she’s a respected leader, speaker, and advocate for payroll professionals everywhere. If you’ve ever wondered how to grow from processing paychecks to becoming a true payroll leader, this episode will inspire you to take action.Carly Davis LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/carlyn-davis-cpp-35988485/Nick Day’s LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/nickday/Find your ideal candidate with our job vacancy system: https://jgarecruitment.ck.page/691ee4537eStay tuned for the next episode of The Payroll Podcast, brought to you by Nick Day, CEO at JGA Recruitment, landing soon!(00:00) Preview(03:25) Carlyn’s Start in Payroll  (09:04) Winning Texas Payroll Professional of the Year  (12:44) Leading the Alamo Chapter  (15:57) Overcoming Overwhelm(17:18) Finding Balance in Payroll Leadership  (22:12) The Power of Reliable Payroll  (27:32) AI in Payroll(29:12) The Biggest Obstacle Holding Payroll Back(33:52) Payroll’s Collaborative Community (35:37) The Dream of Global Payroll Consistency  (38:38) Carlyn’s Timeless Advice for Payroll Professional