The growing role of technology in payroll and HR
The payroll and HR landscape has changed dramatically in recent years. Manual data entry, paper payslips, and isolated spreadsheets have given way to integrated, automated systems that save time and reduce human error. For recruiters and HR professionals, understanding this technology is no longer optional – it’s essential.
Modern payroll software doesn’t just calculate wages; it manages compliance, handles pensions, automates reporting, and integrates directly with HR and recruitment platforms. This means less admin, faster onboarding, and fewer mistakes that could lead to compliance issues.
As one of the UK’s leading payroll and HR recruitment specialists, JGA Recruitment has seen first-hand how technology is transforming the sector. Whether it’s cloud-based platforms for distributed teams or AI-driven tools predicting workforce trends, staying informed about the latest payroll and HR systems is key for both employers and candidates who want to stay competitive.
JGA Recruitment Group can support with HRIS positions including enterprise systems such as Workday, SAP or Oracle, or UK powerhouses such as Sage, Moorepay, IRIS/Staffology and Dayforce.
Why the right payroll and HR tech matters for recruiters
Choosing the right payroll and HR technology isn’t just about efficiency – it directly affects compliance, candidate experience, and overall business performance. For recruiters, particularly those placing payroll professionals or managing internal HR processes, understanding these systems can make a real difference.
Modern payroll platforms help ensure accurate, timely payments and compliance with ever-changing regulations such as PAYE, pensions, and holiday pay rules. Mistakes in these areas can be costly and damage trust, both internally and with clients. By contrast, automated systems reduce human error and ensure consistency across every pay cycle.
Integration is another major factor. Linking payroll with HR and recruitment systems allows information to flow seamlessly from candidate onboarding to ongoing employment. This saves hours of data entry, speeds up new starter processes, and improves reporting accuracy.
Recruiters who understand these integrations gain an edge when matching candidates to employers. They can identify talent familiar with specific tools, highlight technical skills that boost efficiency, and advise clients on how adopting the right tech can improve retention and performance.
In short, payroll and HR software doesn’t just streamline back-office work – it empowers recruiters to operate more strategically and deliver better outcomes for both clients and candidates.
Leading Payroll Platforms in 2025
Below are the key payroll systems every recruiter and HR leader should understand — especially when advising clients or placing payroll talent.
Workday Payroll
Enterprise-grade payroll deeply integrated with HR and finance.
Best for: large organisations seeking a unified HR, finance and payroll ecosystem.
Dayforce
Real-time continuous calculation with powerful compliance automation.
Best for: organisations with complex pay rules, high-volume workforces or multi-entity structures.
Sage Payroll
A trusted UK mainstay designed for accuracy, compliance and ease of use.
Best for: SMEs and mid-sized businesses that value reliability and strong HMRC alignment.
Moorepay
A hybrid model offering software, managed payroll or a combination.
Best for: organisations wanting flexibility, outsourced support or stronger governance controls.
IRIS & Staffology
API-first cloud payroll strong in multi-entity, contractor and bureau environments.
Best for: businesses needing flexibility, transparency and automation at scale.
ADP Global Payroll
A global leader known for security, compliance and multi-country capability.
Best for: enterprises operating across borders or managing complex workforce structures.
Rippling Global Payroll
Modern, fast-growing platform unifying HR, IT and payroll.
Best for: scale-ups or international teams needing automation and global workforce management.
PayFit
A user-friendly SME payroll solution built around automation and self-service.
Best for: fast-growing businesses modernising manual or spreadsheet-based payroll.
BrightPay
High-value UK payroll with strong Auto-Enrolment capability.
Best for: small businesses looking for reliable, cost-effective payroll.
Employment Hero Payroll
HR + payroll in one cloud system with strong automation workflows.
Best for: SMEs wanting simple, connected people processes.
SAP SuccessFactors ECP
Rules-based automation and powerful global compliance.
Best for: organisations already using SAP or managing complex multi-country operations.
Oracle HCM Cloud Payroll
Highly configurable enterprise payroll with deep analytics.
Best for: global organisations requiring strong reporting, scale and configurability.
Tip for recruiters: When screening payroll candidates, ask which of these systems they have used, how deeply (e.g., full payroll run, RTI submissions, pension integrations) and whether they’ve worked in an ecosystem with both HR & payroll tools. That helps you assess fit more accurately in this tech-embedded payroll world.
HR and People Management Systems Worth Knowing
While payroll platforms handle compliance and payments, HR systems are the backbone of people management. For recruiters, especially those placing HR and payroll professionals, it’s valuable to understand which systems are in use and how they complement payroll technology.
BambooHR
One of the most popular HR platforms for SMEs. It’s known for user-friendly dashboards, simple onboarding flows, and performance management tools. When linked with payroll platforms like Xero or Deel, it creates a seamless employee lifecycle from offer to offboarding.
HiBob
Favoured by scale-ups and tech firms, HiBob (often branded simply as “Bob”) focuses on culture and engagement alongside HR essentials. Its analytics and employee experience features make it ideal for companies growing quickly or managing hybrid teams.
Personio
A fast-growing European platform designed for small and medium-sized businesses. It combines HR, recruitment, and payroll functionality in one system. Many UK firms choose Personio for its clear compliance handling and ease of use for distributed workforces.
Workday
A premium, enterprise-level HR platform used by larger organisations and global employers. It offers powerful reporting, learning management, and workforce planning. For recruiters placing HR Directors or Payroll Managers in major corporations, Workday experience is often a key differentiator.
These systems all integrate with popular payroll tools, helping recruiters and employers reduce admin, improve data accuracy, and create a better experience for employees.
Understanding how these platforms connect – for example, syncing new hires from an ATS into an HR system and then onto payroll – gives recruiters a more strategic edge. It allows them to advise clients on efficiency, compliance, and the types of software experience to look for in candidates.
How Recruiters Can Use Integrations to Save Time
Integrations are where payroll, HR, and recruitment systems truly come to life. Instead of juggling multiple platforms and entering the same data twice, recruiters can now build automated workflows that connect every stage of the employee journey.
For example, when an applicant tracking system (ATS) such as Workable or Bullhorn is integrated with an HRIS like BambooHR, all candidate details can flow automatically once a hire is confirmed. That information then syncs with payroll platforms such as Sage or PayFit, creating a single, continuous process from offer letter to first payslip.
This reduces manual entry, cuts onboarding time, and prevents costly data errors. For internal recruitment teams, it also means fewer compliance risks – for instance, ensuring right-to-work checks, pension enrolments, and tax codes are correctly logged from day one.
Agencies benefit too. Integrations make it easier to manage temporary workers or contractors by linking timesheets, pay, and invoicing. Recruiters using systems like Bullhorn, Vincere, or RecruitCRM can connect these directly to payroll and finance tools, saving hours each week on administration.
In short, integrations allow recruiters to focus on people, not paperwork. Whether placing payroll talent or managing their own workforce, leveraging connected systems creates a smoother, faster, and more compliant process – which ultimately builds stronger client and candidate relationships.
Future trends: where payroll and HR tech is heading
Here are some of the key shifts in payroll and HR technology that recruiters should keep an eye on – particularly to advise clients and assess candidates for tomorrow’s roles.
- AI and predictive analytics
- According to the payroll-software provider IRIS Software Group, the year 2025 is seeing a stronger understanding of the difference between automation and true artificial intelligence (AI) in payroll.
- One study found that 42 % of UK employers are already using AI-powered agents or chatbots in payroll operations.
- In HR systems broadly, the trend is toward embedding AI not just for automation but for insights — for example, predicting turnover, analysing absence patterns and matching skills to roles.
- For recruiters: candidates who understand how to interpret data, work alongside AI tools, and advise on strategic people decisions will be increasingly in demand.
- Global & hybrid workforce support
- As companies scale internationally and adopt hybrid or remote models, payroll systems must handle complex scenarios: cross-border tax, different labour laws, variable pay-cycles and contractor arrangements.
- HR tools are evolving to meet the demands of flexible work-locations, asynchronous work and globally dispersed teams.
- For recruiters: roles will increasingly ask for experience in global payroll or multi-jurisdiction compliance, so spotting those skills is a differentiator.
- Unified systems & integration
- A major trend for 2025 is the move away from disparate tools toward unified platforms that combine recruitment, HR, payroll, performance, analytics and more.
- Integration matters more than ever — data flowing seamlessly across ATS, HRIS, payroll and finance systems reduces risk, improves accuracy and cuts admin time.
- For recruiters: when discussing roles with clients, emphasise experience of working in integrated technology stacks rather than siloed systems.
- Employee experience & on-demand pay
- Payroll teams are looking beyond “pay by payday” toward models that support flexible pay, real-time earnings access, financial wellbeing and modern employee-centric services.
- HR platforms are increasingly focused on remote worker engagement, digital onboarding, self-service and mobile-first experiences.
- For recruiters: candidates who supply help with employee-experience tools, mobile HR apps or flexible-pay models will stand out.
- Increased emphasis on compliance, security and data ethics
- With data flowing between so many systems and jurisdictions, the risk of error, non-compliance or data-breach rises. Tech decisions now need a strong governance angle.
- In HR automation and AI usage, transparency, fairness and ethical design are becoming requirements, not nice-to-haves.
- For recruiters: look for candidates who not only know the tools but understand the policy, regulatory and data-governance implications of using them.
In short: the tech is shifting from what we do (paying people and managing HR admin) to how we do it (using data, flexible models, global reach, holistic systems and employee-centric design). For recruiters placing payroll and HR professionals, this means the question is increasingly: do candidates have technology and systems experience, not just process experience?
How JGA Recruitment Helps Companies Stay Ahead
JGA Recruitment sits at the centre of the payroll and HR technology evolution. As one of the UK’s most trusted payroll and HR recruitment specialists, the team has a front-row view of how software and automation are reshaping the profession – and how businesses can adapt. Our team works daily with employers using platforms such as Workday, Dayforce, Sage, Moorepay, IRIS/Staffology, ADP, Rippling, PayFit, Personio, HiBob and more.
For employers, JGA provides access to talent who not only understand payroll compliance but also know their way around the latest systems – from Sage, Xero, and PayFit to Workday, Personio, Payslip, and HiBob. That technical awareness helps organisations run smoother, more accurate payrolls and make the most of their HR investments.
For candidates, JGA offers guidance on which systems are most in demand, helping payroll and HR professionals future-proof their careers. Understanding integrations, automation, and data-led HR isn’t just an advantage anymore – it’s becoming essential.
Whether you’re hiring, building a more efficient payroll function, or looking for your next career move, JGA Recruitment’s deep network and insight into payroll and HR technology make it the partner of choice.
FAQs
What’s the most popular payroll system in the UK right now?
There’s no single winner, but Dayforce, Workday, Sage, and Moorepay remain among the most widely used payroll systems for UK businesses. Larger employers often prefer platforms like IRIS Cascade or Workday, while SMEs lean toward cloud-first options such as PayFit for ease of use and automation.
Which HR tools integrate best with recruitment software?
Platforms like BambooHR, HiBob, and Personio integrate smoothly with applicant tracking systems (ATS) such as Workable, Bullhorn, and Vincere. These integrations save time by automatically syncing candidate details from the recruitment stage through to onboarding and payroll setup.
How can small recruitment firms choose the right payroll provider?
Focus on scalability, automation, and compliance support. Cloud-based tools such as Xero Payroll or PayFit are ideal for small agencies because they require minimal setup, offer remote access, and integrate easily with HR and finance systems.
Are AI payroll systems reliable for compliance?
Yes – provided they’re properly configured and monitored. AI tools can flag anomalies, ensure accuracy in reporting, and even predict potential compliance issues. However, human oversight remains critical, especially when handling sensitive employee or tax data.
How can recruiters keep their payroll and HR tech knowledge up to date?
Following industry leaders, attending webinars, and connecting with specialists such as JGA Recruitment is key. Because JGA partners closely with both employers and technology vendors, their insight into current tools and hiring trends can help recruiters stay ahead of market shifts.
Whether you’re hiring, transforming your payroll function or planning your next move, JGA provides the market insight, talent network and strategic support to help you stay ahead.
