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 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.com

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!

(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 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 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 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 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/691ee4537e

Stay tuned for the next episode of The Payroll Podcast, brought to you by Nick Day, CEO at JGA Recruitment, landing soon!