Why Top Payroll Talent Is Saying NO To Your Job

This episode is sponsored by Deel

Managing a global team is complex, Deel makes it simpler with payroll, HR, IT, and compliance all in one place. That's why over 35,000 businesses trust Deel to hire, pay, and manage their teams worldwide.

See how Deel works at www.deel.com/nickday


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

In this episode of the Payroll Podcast, Nick 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.


0:00 Preview & Intro
4:33 Payroll recruitment
7:56 Talent engagement
11:43 Future payroll skills
15:05 Global payroll hiring
20:24 Relationships and trust
25:12 Earned wage access
32:51 Pay transparency
41:59 Future payroll roles
47:08 Tokenised payroll
52:07 Career advice