SHAPING THE FUTURE OF PAYROLL

Financial wellbeing is now a strategic and regulatory imperative, not a perk. See why it has reached the board agenda in 2026.

Speaker: Abigail Vaughan

Payroll has changed dramatically—and it's continuing to evolve.

As AI, automation and connected workforce data reduce the burden of routine processing, payroll professionals are playing a bigger role in workforce planning, financial wellbeing, compliance and employee experience.

Join us as we discuss why payroll has become one of the most rewarding and influential careers in business today, and what the future holds for the profession.

We'll discuss:

• How AI and automation are helping payroll teams focus on higher-value work

• The growing influence of payroll data and workforce insights

• Payroll's role in supporting employee financial wellbeing

• The skills and career opportunities shaping the next generation of payroll leaders

• Real-world experiences from professionals at the forefront of the industry

• Why payroll remains one of the most trusted and impactful functions in every organisation

Speaker: Abigail Vaughan, Jason Davenport

AI is redefining what's possible in payroll.

By reducing administrative effort and unlocking richer workforce insights, intelligent technology is enabling payroll professionals to spend less time processing transactions and more time influencing strategic business decisions.

Join us for a practical discussion exploring how purpose-built AI and trusted payroll data are transforming the profession.

We'll explore:

• The AI trends every payroll professional should understand
• The difference between general-purpose AI and purpose-built payroll AI
• How AI can automate routine tasks and free up time for higher-value work
• How payroll teams can use trusted data and insights to support strategic decisions
• What the future of payroll looks like when human expertise and intelligent technology work together

Speaker: Steve Elcock, Adrian Goddard

Compliance doesn't need to keep payroll teams awake at night.

Keeping pace with legislative change, maintaining reporting accuracy and ensuring confidence in payroll data are ongoing challenges for every organisation. The right technology can reduce risk, simplify compliance and give payroll professionals greater peace of mind.

Join Cybill Watkins and Neville Cotton for a practical session exploring how modern payroll technology helps organisations stay compliant while creating more time for strategic work.

We'll explore:

• Keeping pace with legislative and compliance changes without increasing risk
• How Zellis interprets legislative changes and updates the payroll engine, removing the need for customers to reconfigure systems or retest processes
• Building confidence in payroll data, reporting and insights to support better decision-making
• Reducing manual effort while improving compliance, accuracy and operational resilience
• Giving payroll teams more time to focus on work that adds real value to the organisation 

Speaker: Cybill Watkins, Neville Cotton

Payroll is changing faster than ever. This session will explore what that actually looks like.

AI, automation, connected data and a shifting compliance landscape are reshaping what payroll teams do every day, and what they're able to contribute to the wider business.

Join us for a practical look at where payroll goes next, with live demonstrations and stories from customers already making the shift, informed by the conversations and questions raised across National Payroll Week.

We'll explore:

1. How AI and automation are helping payroll teams spend less time processing and more time adding value
2. The difference between general-purpose AI and purpose-built payroll AI, and why accuracy and trust can't be compromised
3. Keeping pace with legislative change without increasing risk, and building confidence in payroll data and reporting
4. What your peers told us. The poll results, questions and themes that emerged across the week

Close National Payroll Week by seeing how payroll can redesign the way real work gets done.

Speakers: Steve Elcock, Nick Clarke, Neville Cotton