In Episode 04 of the Instant Payments Podcast, Instant’s CEO Tal Clark sat down with Dr. Martin Armstrong, VP of Payroll Shared Services at a Fortune 100 telecom company. With 30+ years of experience, Martin has had a front-row seat to payroll’s evolution—and he sees a clear pattern: every major shift is driven by technology and by what people expect in their everyday lives.
From Paper Checks to Paycards
Payroll once ran on paper checks. Then came direct deposit—a leap many resisted. “In the early eighties, people said, ‘No way would I put my account number on the internet,’” Martin recalled. Today, adoption is nearly universal.
The same skepticism greeted paycards, yet they became essential for unbanked employees and helped employers reduce the cost and friction of paper checks. Each step forward wasn’t just a process change—it was about aligning payroll with the way people were already living and banking.
The Rise of Earned Wage Access
Another new wave is, of course, earned wage access (EWA). At first, employers questioned why they should “pay people early.” But as Martin explained, EWA isn’t about advancing wages—it’s about meeting modern expectations and competing for talent.
“If you want to retain employees, you have to meet them where they are. EWA gives workers the choice to access wages they’ve already earned, and that choice can be the difference between someone staying with your company or leaving for one that offers it.”
Just as consumers grew used to ordering rides, groceries, and products instantly, workers now see on-demand pay as a standard benefit—not a luxury. For employers, it has quickly become a differentiator in reducing turnover and strengthening workforce loyalty.
What’s Next
Looking ahead, Martin sees automation as payroll’s next frontier. Robotic process automation (RPA) can handle repetitive, error-prone tasks like correcting time punches, processing overpayments, or managing special cases such as deceased employee payouts. By removing these manual burdens, payroll teams can focus on strategy, compliance, and employee experience.
The Takeaway
Payroll isn’t static. It evolves with every new wave of technology and every change in expectation. From checks to direct deposit, from paycards to earned wage access, each leap has aligned with the way people already live their lives.
For leaders, the lesson is clear: if employees can get groceries delivered in an hour, they won’t understand waiting two weeks to access their pay.
🎧 Listen to the full episode of the Instant Payments Podcast here: instant.co/podcast.
