The Payroll Podcast

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.

Karen opens up about her path from administrator to partner, the importance of building influence beyond payroll, and why embracing technology is key for the future. She also speaks candidly about navigating personal challenges like menopause while leading, managing mergers and acquisitions, and keeping people at the heart of every decision.

If you’re ready to stand out, move up, and make an impact in payroll, this conversation is packed with insights you can put into action right away.

Karen Thomson’s LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/karenthomson/

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) Why Payroll Professionals Keep the World Ticking 

(01:38) Introducing Karen Thomson and Her Career Highlights 

(03:20) What Payroll Means to Karen 

(05:10) From Pensions to Payroll: Karen’s Early Career Steps 

(07:04) Discovering a Passion for Payroll and Early Promotions 

(10:07) Moving to Larger Payrolls and Implementing New Systems 

(13:43) Transition to Policy Work at the IPPM (Now CIPP) 

(17:05) Achieving Chartered Status for the Institute 

(18:29) Joining Armstrong Watson as Director of Payroll 

(20:48) The Journey to Becoming Payroll Partner 

(26:45) Team Reactions and Raising Payroll’s Profile 

(30:27) Navigating Menopause While Leading in Payroll 

(39:24) Modern Payroll Leadership and Employee Experience 

(42:49) Mentoring Apprentices and Client Communication Skills 

(45:18) A Day in the Life of a Payroll Partner 

(47:55) Lessons Learned from Early Career Mistakes 

(51:20) Managing Payroll Through Mergers & Acquisitions 

(57:29) Patience, Communication, and Leadership Themes 

(58:27) Advice for Payroll Professionals Starting Out 

(59:01) Karen’s Leadership Philosophy and Payroll Predictions 

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 Sick Pay (SSP) reforms, zero-hour contract regulation, and the rollout of Student Loan Plan 5, this episode is your comprehensive guide to navigating what's coming — and what it means for payroll professionals, HR teams, and business leaders.

We cover:

•  The 2026–2027 Employment Bill roadmap
• Major changes to SSP rules and payroll calculation impact
• Zero-hour contract reforms and employee protections
• Pensions, parental leave, and the rise of Fair Work Agency enforcement
• New student loan thresholds and the confusion around Plan 5
• Cross-border payroll challenges with ROI and NI jurisdictions
• What HMRC is doing to fix disputed RTI charges
• Why compliance risks are rising — and how to prepare

Whether you’re a payroll manager, HR lead, finance director, or compliance officer, this episode is packed with the insights you need to stay compliant and ahead of the curve.

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-en

Find 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 Worx

Samantha Mann, Payroll Team Manager, Armstrong Watson

Richard George, Director of Education, The Payroll Centre

Mathew Akrigg, Policy & Research Officer, CIPP

Andy Nicholls, Payroll and Pensions Expert, Consultant

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 functions in business—and how it’s shaping the future of work.

From AI and automation to earned wage access, DEI, and employee wellbeing, I break down the trends that are transforming payroll into a true driver of business performance. I also explain what this means for payroll professionals today—and why the opportunity to lead has never been greater.

Whether you’re a payroll leader, HR executive, or business decision-maker, this episode will show you how payroll is evolving, and how you can stay ahead.

If this episode resonates with you, don’t forget to subscribe, leave a review, and share it with your team. Let’s elevate payroll together.

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!

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.

In this episode, Max breaks down the structure behind The Global Payroll Manager’s Playbook and why it's becoming an essential resource for payroll professionals worldwide. He explains how to turn payroll into a strategic business driver using his four-pillar framework: strategy, governance, operating model, and delivery.

You’ll hear stories about real payroll failures, lessons in leadership, and how the right KPIs can shift payroll from a cost center to a source of insight and trust. This is a conversation about purpose, precision, and progress.

If you're managing payroll at any level and want to elevate your impact, this episode is your blueprint.

Connect with Max:https://www.linkedin.com/in/passionforpayroll/

Max’s Book: https://www.amazon.com/Global-Payroll-Managers-Playbook-Definitive/dp/B0F2SNJ622

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!

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!

With over 518 employers recently named and shamed for National Minimum Wage (NMW) breaches, this month’s Payroll Question Time exposes the hidden risks in payroll compliance and why C-suite leaders, HR directors, and payroll heads must pay attention.

Join Nick Day and a panel of industry experts as they unpack the real-world consequences of salary sacrifice missteps, apprentice misclassification, and the Employment Rights Bill.

Whether you're a payroll professional, HR leader, or executive decision-maker, this episode delivers critical insights to future-proof your payroll operations in a fast-changing legislative environment.

Don’t wait to be audited. Watch now and stay ahead.

Find 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 Worx
• Richard George, Director of Education, The Payroll Centre
• Karen Thomson, Head of Payroll, Armstrong Watson
• Andy Nicholls, Consuntant/Former Industry Liaison Manager

For anyone who wants to learn more about CloudPay, or explore the 3 A’s for themselves, head over to: https://www.cloudpay.com/

In this episode of The Payroll Podcast, we sit down with Nick Webb, Chief Marketing Officer at CloudPay, to explore how AI, automation, and APIs are redefining global payroll. 

With CloudPay’s “3A Strategy” (Automation, APIs, and Artificial Intelligence), Nick reveals how enterprise payroll teams are reclaiming 10+ days a month, eliminating manual errors, and delivering on-demand employee pay across the globe.

Whether you're a payroll leader, HR tech enthusiast, or CFO navigating digital transformation, this episode breaks down the tools and strategies needed to build high-performance payroll systems that scale.

What You’ll Learn:

• The 3 A’s powering next-gen payroll systems
• Why legacy payroll tech is holding teams back
• How CloudPay helped global brands slash errors & increase retention
• The rise of on-demand pay & the end of traditional pay cycles
• Why AI should support — not replace — payroll professionals
• Real-world results: saving 10 days/month for global payroll teams
• How to modernize payroll with visibility, control & automation

Connect with Nick Webb: https://www.linkedin.com/in/nickmwebb/

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) Intro: Why Payroll Needs a Tech Makeover  

(02:17) Meet Nick Webb, CMO of CloudPay  

(04:10) How AI Is Transforming Payroll Operations  

(09:24) The Power of Automation, APIs & AI (The 3 A’s)  

(15:10) Real Case Study: Saving 10 Days a Month with Tech  

(21:35) On-Demand Pay & The End of Traditional Pay Cycles  

(25:20) Why Payroll Pros Must Embrace Tech Fluency  

(30:49) Global Integrations: Visa, Avis & the API Advantage  

(36:46) Payroll’s Role in Employee Experience & Retention  

(41:06) Human Expertise + Tech = High-Performance Payroll  

(47:04) Final Advice for Payroll Leaders Going Digital

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

Welcome to another episode of The Payroll Podcast hosted by Nick Day!

In this game-changing conversation, Nick sits down with Mark Paraskeva, CEO & Co-Founder of Paiyroll, to unpack how artificial intelligence is revolutionizing the payroll industry. 

Mark brings 30+ years of experience in software and payroll leadership, including his time as UK MD at Sage. Now, as the founder of paiyroll®, he’s building tools that cut workload by up to 75% and he’s here to help you get ahead of the curve.

If you’ve ever wondered what a smarter, faster, more automated payroll process looks like, this is the episode for you.

Connect with Mark: https://www.linkedin.com/in/markparaskeva/

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) The Problem with Traditional Payroll

(04:50) Mark’s Journey into the World of Payroll

(06:56) How AI Is Impacting Payroll Migration

(13:28) Understanding the Role of AI vs Automation

(15:35) Do Payroll Professionals Need to Learn AI?

(16:58) How AI Reduces Errors and Manual Data Entry

(23:00) From Operator to Programmer: Payroll’s New Role

(29:45) Can AI Deliver 100% Payroll Accuracy?

(31:09) Empowering Employees with Self-Service & LivePay

(37:15) How Much Time Can AI Really Save?

(39:46) Misconceptions About AI in Payroll

(40:59) New Skills Required in the AI-Driven Payroll World

(45:05) Can Payroll Be Fully Automated?

(49:50) Mark’s Vision: Making Payroll a Career People Love

This episode is sponsored by 'Deel: Your Forever People Platform.'

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 teams worldwide.

See how Deel works: https://www.deel.com/nickday/?utm_medium=podcast&utm_source=nickday&utm_campaign=emea-t1a-gb_aware_branding_nickday_podcast_fin-nickday-h125_all_all&utm_content=aware_all_podcast_fin-preroll-h125script_en

Payroll is no longer just about payslips. It’s becoming the beating heart of business strategy.

In this episode, Nick Day speaks with Anna Hammarkvist, CEO of Amesto AccountHouse and former Global Payroll Manager of the Year, to explore how payroll is transforming into a strategic force within organizations.

From her early days as a receptionist to leading one of the top Nordic payroll and accounting firms, Anna shares her remarkable leadership journey—and why collaboration, simplicity, and bravery are shaping the future of payroll. She also reflects on the evolving role of payroll professionals, the need for stronger integration with business leadership, and what the future of work might look like by 2030.

Whether you're in payroll, HR, finance, or executive leadership, this episode will challenge how you think about payroll's role in driving business success.

Connect with Anna: https://www.linkedin.com/in/anna-hammarkvist-72a73919/

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) Preview

(01:05) Introducing Anna Hammarkvist & the Nordic Payroll Landscape  

(10:25) How Payroll Has Evolved in Europe  

(14:59) AI, Automation & Digital Transformation in Payroll  

(19:14) Human Skills Payroll Leaders Need Now  

(28:27) Anna’s Leadership Philosophy & Lessons  

(33:11) Balancing Strategy with Day-to-Day Operations  

(36:29) Big Challenges: Complexity & Collective Agreements  

(40:50) The Future of Payroll Roles & Business Partnering  

(43:23) What Payroll Could Look Like by 2030 

This episode is sponsored by 'Deel: Your Forever People Platform.'

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 teams worldwide.

See how Deel works: https://www.deel.com/nickday/?utm_medium=podcast&utm_source=nickday&utm_campaign=emea-t1a-gb_aware_branding_nickday_podcast_fin-nickday-h125_all_all&utm_content=aware_all_podcast_fin-preroll-h125script_en

Join Nick Day at the 43rd Annual Payroll Congress for an exclusive inside look at the most important event in global payroll!

In this special episode of The Payroll Podcast, Nick sits down with payroll leaders, award winners, and first-time attendees to uncover what’s really shaping the future of payroll. From global expansion and AI adoption to C-suite influence and public speaking mastery—this episode is packed with practical takeaways and powerful insights straight from the Congress floor.

If you're in payroll, HR, or people operations, this episode is your front-row pass to the conversations redefining our industry.

Featured guests:

• Patricia Fripp: https://fripp.com/
• Dee Coakley: https://www.linkedin.com/in/deecoakley/
• Wendy Muirhead: https://www.linkedin.com/in/wendymuirhead0980
• Mary Holland: https://www.linkedin.com/in/mary-holland-cpp-616722a/

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!

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!

In this episode of Payroll Question Time, Nick Day and a panel of industry experts unpack one of the biggest shifts in UK payroll legislation—the mandatory payrolling of benefits-in-kind (BiKs) coming in 2027.

From the delayed rollout and RTI complexities to how software providers and payroll teams must adapt, this episode dives deep into what the changes mean for your business. You’ll also hear sharp insights on the rising risks around salary sacrifice compliance, student loan deductions, and the ongoing impact of minimum wage increases.

We round out the episode by exploring the evolving role of AI and data analytics in payroll, and how payroll teams can use tech to deliver strategic insights and earn a seat at the boardroom table.

If you're a payroll leader, software provider, or HR decision-maker—this is essential listening.

🎧 Watch now and stay ahead of the legislative curve.

Find 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 Worx

Richard George, Director of Education, The Payroll Centre

Karen Thomson, Head of Payroll, Armstrong Watson

Matthew Akrig, Policy & Research Officer, CIPP