Episode 153

Payroll Leaders Reveal Key Strategies for Achieving Payroll Success | Ana Laiu & Ian Hodson

Today's Payroll podcast episode is brought to you by Deel, the all-in-one Global People Platform that simplifies how you pay your global team. Deel’s fully-managed global payroll makes it possible to pay your entire team in over 100 countries and in over 200 currencies, all in one place. 

So whether you’re an enterprise business, a small company, or something in between, Deel is built to meet your unique business needs.

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Welcome, everyone, to another episode of The Payroll Podcast! I'm your host, Nick Day, CEO of JGA Recruitment, specialist Global payroll Recruiters!

Joining us today are industry experts Ana Laiu, Director of Pay and Reward for PPHE Hotel Group, and Ian Hodson, Director of People and Culture at Housing 21. Both Ana and Ian bring a wealth of experience and knowledge, having recently launched a series of articles in CIPP’s Payroll professional magazine.


For those not familiar with these two formidable guests, Ana is a passionate payroll advocate with over 20 years’ experience and is committed to elevating the profile of the profession to the highest level. She has also worked as a CIPP Tutor, Global Payroll Association Mentor and she is involved in various industry initiatives that push back against the status quo!


Meanwhile, Ian currently oversees all aspects of people management including reward, payroll, pensions, employee benefits, HR systems and executive remuneration for Housing 21. Ian is a champion for payroll and reward strategy as a driver for change.  Ian is also the current board member of the Education Competencies Consortium and not only has he been the recipient of the Pay and Benefits Career Accomplishment Award, he was also the Employee Benefits Reward Professional of the Year in 2019. 


In this episode, we explore

  1. Balancing Service and Automation: Ian discusses how to maintain personalised service while automating payroll queries.
  2. Customer Experience: Ana highlights the importance of positive employee interactions with pay and reward teams.
  3. Securing Stakeholder Buy-In: Ian shares strategies for gaining senior support for a payroll service desk.
  4. Enhancing Payroll with Data: Ana explores using service desk data to improve payroll operations.
  5. Transitioning to a Service Desk Model: Ian provides insights on moving traditional payroll teams to a service desk model.
  6. Employee Involvement in Payroll Design: Ana emphasises the importance of involving employees in designing payroll services.
  7. Creating Clear Knowledge Base Articles: Ian offers tips for making complex payroll terms accessible in knowledge articles.



Find your ideal candidate with our job vacancy system: https://jgarecruitment.ck.page/691ee4537e



Ana Laiu’s LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/analaiumscfcipp/

Ian Hodson’s LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/ian-hodson-mscchmcippdip-26828a22/



Nick Day’s LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/nickday/



If you need the support of a payroll recruitment agency or a payroll staffing partner to help fill your next payroll vacancy, please please contact me!  I possess over 20 years of payroll recruitment agency expertise and I would love to help! nick@jgarecruitment.com or call 01727 800377


Find out more at www.jgarecruitment.com


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

About the Podcast

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About your host

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Nick Day

Nick Day is a globally recognised thought leader in the payroll and HR industry, with over 20 years of experience as the founder and CEO of JGA Recruitment.

As an ILM 7 qualified Executive Coach and Mentor, Nick has dedicated his career to guiding CHROs, entrepreneurs, and payroll industry leaders worldwide.
Nick received the PAYO Global Vision Award in 2024 and was also voted one of Thinkers360’s "Top Voices EMEA" the same year.

In 2023, Thinkers360 ranked Nick as the #1 Global "Thought Leader in Payroll” and #9 Global "Thought Leader in HR.” That same year, he received the Recruitment Leaders Leader Award (RDLC) and the Personality of the Year title at the Reward Strategy Leadership Awards.

Nick's deep knowledge of the payroll industry and his coaching expertise make him a sought-after speaker and mentor for payroll and HR leaders. His presentations are known for their interactive elements, real-world applications, and actionable takeaways, ensuring attendees leave with a clear path to enhance their leadership capabilities.

Nick Day has a rich history of delivering impactful presentations, keynote speeches and workshops at various industry conferences and events. His engaging speaking style and practical insights have earned him recognition as a leading voice in payroll leadership.