When Compensation & Payroll Converge with Special Guest Briana ‘Bri’ Mullens

On this episode, Pete and Julie welcome payroll and compensation expert and practitioner, Bri Mullens, to the show to discuss the convergence of payroll, compensation, benefits, and total rewards. Bri shares how an accounting background led to a career in payroll and why the key ingredients that kept her there were equal parts numbers, compliance, and real human impact. The conversation covers why aligning payroll with compensation and benefits can be a strategic unlock, especially as pay transparency laws accelerate, and employees expect clearer answers to how, why and what they are paid. Bri breaks down how she’s using market data, partnering closely with HR, and rolling out total compensation letters to help employees understand the full value of their rewards package and provide the transparency that builds trust. They also discuss modern pay experience enablers such as earned wage access (EWA), the payroll “latency” challenge, and financial wellness. Plus, a practical look at how HR and compensation teams are using AI today without compromising sensitive employee data. Connect with Bri: https://www.linkedin.com/in/brianamullens/ Connect with the show: LinkedIn: http://linkedin.com/company/hr-payroll-2-0 X: @HRPayroll2_0 X: @PeteTiliakos X: @JulieFer_HR BlueSky: @hrpayroll2o.bsky.social YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@HRPAYROLL2_0 WRKDefined Podcast Network: https://wrkdefined.com/podcast/hr-payroll-20 Thank you to our marquee sponsors for powering the HR & Payroll 2.0 podcast forward! G-P ‘Globalization Partners’: https://www.globalization-partners.com/ OneSource Virtual: https://hubs.ly/Q03YFNR90 Zoho: https://www.zoho.com/press.html Thank you to our ‘wizard behind the curtain’ and show producer Ryan Kielma: https://www.linkedin.com/in/ryan-kielma/