The Payroll Podcast

How AI Solves Payroll’s Biggest Challenges | George Dunnett & Nick Clarke (Zellis)

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Today’s Payroll podcast is brought to you by Deel, the all-in-one global people

platform that consolidates global enterprise payroll to ensure big businesses can navigate payroll complexities easily and compliantly. 

Learn more: https://www.deel.com/resources/global-payroll-compliance-checklist/?utm_medium=sponsored-newsletter&utm_source=nickday&utm_campaign=ww_engage_download_nickday_sponnewsletter_payrollnewsletter-gpcompliance-nov24_gp_all&utm_content=engage_gp_sponnewsletter_gpcompliance-sponnews400-fin_en

Welcome back to The Payroll Podcast! I’m your host, Nick Day, CEO of JGA Recruitment, and today we’re diving into an exciting new era of payroll—one that’s smarter, faster, and focused on reducing stress for both payroll professionals and employees.

I’m thrilled to welcome George Dunnett, Chief Product Officer at Zellis, and Nick Clarke, Director of Product Management. Together, they’ll share insights into Zellis HCM AIR, a major product upgrade that leverages real-time payroll calculations and AI to make payroll more efficient and stress-free. 


Today, we’ll discuss how these innovations are transforming payroll, improving financial wellbeing, and reshaping the payroll talent experience.


Key Learnings:

  • Real-Time Payroll Transformation: Zellis HCM Air introduces real-time payroll processing and AI-powered features, enhancing accuracy, efficiency, and employee satisfaction.
  • AI in Payroll: Generative AI explains payslips in simple terms, reducing stress for employees and workload for payroll teams, while machine learning detects anomalies and improves compliance.
  • Financial Wellness Focus: Employers are increasingly expected to support employee financial health through tools like earned wage access and budgeting resources.
  • Strategic Payroll Role: Payroll professionals are evolving into strategic "business partners," leveraging data insights to improve retention and organizational outcomes.
  • Future Innovations: Flexibility in pay cycles, AI co-pilot tools, and advanced automation are shaping the next generation of payroll technology.


If you’re interested in how payroll is evolving with cutting-edge tech, then stay tuned—this episode has plenty to offer!



Check Out Zellis HCM Air to Optimise Your Payroll today: https://www.zellis.com/hcm-air/


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



Connect with Geroge:https://www.linkedin.com/in/dunnett/

Connect with Nick: https://www.linkedin.com/in/nickpclarke/



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! [email protected] 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!



(00:00) Preview and Introduction 

(02:38) Introducing George Dunnett and Nick Clark  

(04:36) Complexity and Challenges in Payroll  

(08:46) How to Leverage Automation  

(11:20) Importance of Financial Wellness and Employee Support  

(13:22) Role of AI in Improving Payroll Accuracy  

(16:56) How AI Simplifies Payslip Explanations  

(18:04) AI for Anomaly Detection and Fraud Prevention  

(22:05) Payroll as a Profit Center  

(24:09) Employees’ Expectations of Financial Support  

(27:46) Evolution of Zellis HCM Air  

(31:01) Benefits of Real-Time Payroll Systems  

(35:10) User Feedback Shaping Payroll Innovation  

(38:28) Inside Zellis HCM Air: Features and Benefits  

(43:27) Future of Payroll Technology and AI  

(46:28) AI’s Role in Payroll Innovation