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Benefits of Global Employer of Record

International Investment, Global Expansion Opportunities, and HR Risks

Globalization has resulted in significant interconnectivity, meaning businesses can travel and reach new markets like the Silk Road of old. The commercial space is now a globalized network, and companies that raised investments in the last 12 months can and should take advantage of it. The economic effects of a globalized market are amplified because founders and investors can access new opportunities at a greater distance than ever before — their physical location or proximity no longer limits their reach to the consumer. 

To rise above the competition and become industry leaders, tech companies need to expand into new markets. For startups and scale-ups, global growth can mean gaining access to more customers, increasing revenue, and boosting brand visibility globally — not just in one region. Companies with international team members can benefit from a larger talent pool, faster time-to-market, and significant cost savings.

However, as startups and scale-ups grow and their staffs expand, the potential for HR issues and compliance violations increases. Navigating the maze of international laws isn’t easy — even small mistakes can lead to compliance issues down the road.

Those who take the time and effort to mitigate and adequately manage these employment-related risks will ensure that they don’t face a pile of unexpected legal fees — or worse, a severe issue that results in lawsuits, damaged relationships with employees, or regulatory fines. This is especially true for startups and scale-ups taking on remote employees when your company is growing too fast and needs to figure out how to hire overseas.

As technology companies expand globally, they must manage HR risks carefully. There are several ways to enable overseas employment, with different risk tolerance, benefits, and drawbacks. Each company must decide which approach is best for it. We’ll discuss how to mitigate the risks of a multi-location workforce during global expansion.

3 Options for Multi-location International Employment

Businesses establishing a global presence face the challenge of managing and scaling an employee base with no common borders or language. To successfully expand abroad, companies have several options for enabling hiring in international markets. 

The most commonly used ways are by doing the following: 

  1. Establishing an overseas entity
  2. Selecting independent contractors to handle tasks remotely.
  3. Work with a global EOR (Employer of Record) partner. 

Let’s take a closer look at each of the available options. 

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Risks and Drawbacks of Setting Up a Foreign Entity

Traditionally, setting up a foreign entity has been the most common approach. It requires a significant upfront investment but can be a good option for companies committed to operating in a country for at least five years. It also works well for companies that plan to employ dozens of workers or acquire physical assets in-country. However, the approval process can take months, and recent global events have led many countries to halt approvals for new foreign entities.

As a stand-alone solution, foreign entities still work well for small companies operating in a single country. But they are becoming less common as companies with global ambitions increasingly look to more agile and faster approaches.

Cultural norms, employee expectations, and economic climates vary widely from country to country. Yet many companies fail to conduct due diligence before establishing a legal entity in a new locale. The result is that they come unprepared for the HR-related challenges that inevitably arise when expanding into global markets. 

Risks and Drawbacks of Working with Independent Contractors

Tech companies always try to find cheaper and easier ways to expand their business. Using independent contractors to launch in a new country is one solution. While it sounds like a simple solution, and these workers provide flexibility and cost savings, there are more than a few legal and compliance risks that companies need to consider before leaping. One of the most significant risks is misclassifying contractors, leading to severe penalties. The company must be careful not to fall into this trap. 

Penalties are harsher than you might think. If contractors working for your business are considered to be permanent employees and are therefore misclassified, labor authorities will consider them to be full-time and backdate payroll taxes onto your business — as well as on the workers themselves. Getting compliant can be difficult — it requires a lot of effort and time, which costs money. It’s better to take a proactive approach by outsourcing to a reliable Global Employer of Record partner.

Benefits of Working with a Global EOR (Employer of Record) Partner: Get Labour, Tax, and Immigration Compliance Right

You have a lot on your plate as an entrepreneur and business leader. But, what you probably don’t have time or expertise to manage is your company’s global employment risks

From managing multi-location employment and talent risk to mitigating local compliance risk when expanding internationally, outsourcing your global employment management to an Employer of Record Partner can save you time and money while controlling your legal compliance. Why subject yourself to all of the risks and complexities listed below when a global EOR partner can handle them?

Global Expansion: Top 20 Challenges for Startup and Scaleup Founders 

  1. Recruitment in international markets
  2. Mitigating multi-location employment risks, such as permanent establishment risk, worker misclassification risk, under-taxation, and regulatory non-compliance risk)
  3. Establishing a foreign entity requires significant investment in time, money, and long-term commitments.
  4. Misclassifying overseas employees as independent contractors could put tech companies at risk of incurring severe foreign penalties.
  5. Managing employee immigration and relocation
  6. Monitoring country-specific employment laws and regulations
  7. Finding the most cost-efficient ways to pay foreign employees
  8. Foreign taxation tracking and adherence
  9. Labour law regulations monitoring and compliance
  10. Complying with foreign regulations
  11. Managing different payroll processes in multiple locations
  12. Finding expert consultancy in international markets 
  13. Communicating long-distance with clients 
  14. Lack of government support
  15. Need to navigate the risks of finding a reliable local EOR/PEO partner 
  16. Dealing with hidden costs and non-transparent pricing models
  17. Lack of adherence to information security standards
  18. Foreign employment delays and bottlenecks 
  19. Lack of full in-country HR support
  20. Need to broaden competitive horizons beyond home countries
  21. Managing hidden business risks when establishing a presence in multiple countries.

How Global Employer of Record (EOR) Partner Can Solve Major Challenges Founders Face

Startup founders should consider hiring a global EOR Partner since if a business owner isn’t careful with their human resources, they could end up in financial trouble. If you’re not familiar with EOR solutions yet, it’s worth learning how they can help ease some pressures around managing HR risk during global expansion!

The global Employer of Record market size is projected to reach US$ 6604.4 million by 2028, from US$ 4299.1 million in 2021, at a CAGR of 6.8% during 2022-2028.

A comprehensive array of Employer of Record (EOR) services can help manage HR risk in your company’s global expansion journey  – whether a startup, scale-up, or enterprise-grade company. 

The EOR service provider is a legal employer of your international workforce and pays employee taxes, social security, and other benefits on behalf of your company. Additionally, the EOR already has a registered business in the country of interest, meaning your business can expand faster and more flexibly. This can be particularly beneficial when requiring a contingency workforce to meet business demands.

Employer of Record (EOR) services are crucial for your international expansion strategy. Collaborating with an Employer of Record (EOR) partner allows you to manage global employment risk better and reduce the administrative and tax burden that multi-location employment can create. An experienced and reliable EOR partner can help you keep costs low, maximize productivity, and ensure that your international teams are compliant and adequately compensated. 

Typically, this is done by taking over the responsibility of hiring workers from you and paying them directly. Still, an Employer of Record (EOR) partner may also assist with payroll processing, tax withholding, filing, insurance administration, compliance reporting, etc. EOR service providers like Acumen International offer these services to technology businesses looking to expand internationally faster without building out their workforce infrastructure in every location where they operate.

Global Employment Journey — Recruitment. Onboarding. Management. Retention. Termination

A Global Employer of Record ensures labour, tax, and immigration compliance and provides legal guidance at every step of the Global Employment Journey.
  • Talent skilled in highly-specialized areas
  • Executive search
  • Contingency workforce
  • Health checks
  • Criminal record checks
  • Background checks
  • Education checks
  • Employment Agreement drafting
  • Compliant worker onboarding on your behalf
  • Account setup in the payroll and HR system​
  • Employee data entry and records maintenance
  • Managing probation periods
  • In-country registration with statutory bodies
  • Day-to-day payroll management
  • Monthly pay slips or other pay frequency
  • Accruals
  • Allowances
  • 13th and 14th salary
  • Working hours
  • Overtime
  • Public holidays
  • Annual leave
  • Parental leave
  • Sick leave
  • Additional leave
  • Mandatory Benefits
  • Health insurance
  • Workers’ compensation
  • Unemployment insurance
  • Voluntary Benefits
  • Share plans for executives
  • Bonuses & Equipment provision
  • Expenses reimbursement & business trip processing
  • Health insurance, dental treatment
  • Tax Reporting
  • Employer taxes & contributions
  • Withholding tax
  • Local tax payments and reporting to local authorities
  • End of financial year reporting
  • Employment agreement termination:
  • Dismissal – by the employer
  • Resignation – by the employee
  • Termination by mutual agreement
  • Notice period handling
  • Final settlement & severance payments
  • De-registration with statutory bodies

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Quick and Easy Foreign Market Entry with a Global Employer of Record Services

1. Immigration Services to Support Global Employment via Global EOR Model

Employing international talent can be a real hassle. You have to figure out what immigration documents you need to hire them, which documents the local governments require from you, and how exactly you will fund hiring your international talent. A Global Employer of Record (EOR) is a third-party entity that can help you manage any of those headaches, including:

  • Immigration requirements
  • Visa applications
  • Extensions of stay
  • Work permit sponsorships
  • Local labour law compliance.

2. Streamlined Onboarding, Benefit & Payroll Management with a Global Employer of Record

As your company grows, it can be helpful to streamline the process of onboarding new employees. An Employer of Record can help you minimize costs and increase efficiency by creating an easy, streamlined process for new international hires and HR staff. You’ll avoid losing valuable time and money searching for information or documents that could have been collected earlier.

Benefits packages are another area where it can be helpful to streamline the process. Benefits are often complex (especially those mandatory employee benefits you must provide in certain countries). Therefore, your EOR partner can make it easy for employees to understand what benefits they are entitled to and avoid having employees feeling confused about their benefits.

Finally, payroll management also needs careful attention when expanding globally. There are various laws worldwide concerning how much tax an employee owes on income earned overseas (this is known as “double taxation”). Streamlining this process with your EOR partner means making sure all payroll records are up-to-date, so there aren’t any errors when calculating taxes owed by employees who work abroad, which could result in penalties being applied.

3. In-country Labor and Tax Law Compliance

As you expand your business globally, it is essential to understand each country’s local labor laws and regulations. You must comply with these laws, affecting your employees’ working conditions and rights. If you do not meet these standards, you will be at risk of fines from various government agencies. In addition, if an adverse situation occurs with one or more of your employees due to this breach in compliance, it could have repercussions for your company’s reputation worldwide. 

To avoid this fate, founders and company leaders in charge of international operations need to understand the various compliance requirements that come into play during global expansion. The good news is that Acumen International, your Global EOR partner, can help you navigate them across 190 countries.

When setting up an international operation, it is important to consult legal counsel or a Global Employer or Record who has experience dealing with these issues so that you do not run afoul of the law by inadvertently violating any employment.

Compliance with labour laws and tax regulations can be complex because they are often inconsistent from country to country, state to state, or city. As a result of these inconsistencies, employers must ensure that their global human resource policies are consistent with local laws wherever their employees or independent contractors work.

When it comes to taxes, there is no universal agreement on how they should be calculated or collected. In many countries worldwide, income taxes are deducted from employees’ paychecks before they receive them. This is known as the “withholding” tax. In some countries, employers are responsible for collecting withholding tax directly from their employees and submitting it to the government along with their tax filings. Many countries also have strict rules about when employment-related taxes must be paid and what forms must be filed.

In some cases, these requirements change depending on which country the employee is working in.

Multinational employers should know the tax implications of hiring foreign workers in different countries. Some cases may withhold taxes on employee salaries and bonuses that must be paid to foreign governments. Employers must regularly send this withholding amount to the appropriate state tax authority annually. The employer may also pay income tax on these funds locally or in another country. In addition, many countries impose social security taxes on employees, which can result in double taxation if not properly managed. Employers should consult with their accountants or seek to the advice of a Global Employer of Record partner to learn how to address these issues.

4. Employee Benefit and Insurance Administration

As you expand your business from one country to another, you’ll want to ensure your employees are cared for. You won’t be able to manage everything by yourself, so you need an Employer of Record (EOR) partner to help with employee benefits management.

Your EOR Partner  partner should be able to assist with the following:

Health Insurance

Health insurance is crucial in international expansion because it helps ensure employee retention and reduces absenteeism.

Life Insurance 

This type of insurance provides financial protection for the family of a deceased employee. It can also provide financial support when someone is disabled by illness or injury.

Disability Insurance

Disability coverage pays out benefits when an employee becomes disabled due to an injury sustained while working at their job site (or while travelling on business). This coverage helps protect against lost income if an employee cannot work due to an illness or accident that prevents them from performing their duties as usual at work — even if they’re still employed with the company!

5. Handling Employment Contracts, Terminations, and Compensations

There are many benefits to outsourcing your company’s foreign employment management, payroll processing, and other HR-related activities to an Employer of Record. When you entrust these core responsibilities to a professional EOR, you can expect more remarkable accuracy and precision in these crucial areas of your business. Meanwhile, your in-house team can focus on other aspects of the business. Acumen International Global EOR can help you navigate those details.

Employee Contracts

While you may have a standardized employee contract, it’s essential to understand what steps should be taken when hiring abroad. Are there special employment laws? What about holiday pay or sick leave requirements? Acumen International Global EOR can help navigate those details.

Employee Terminations

If an employee is terminated from their position with your organization abroad, it could lead to legal complications. It’s crucial for both parties involved to fully understand how these situations are handled under local laws so they can avoid issues down the road.

Compensation Programs 

Companies’ compensation programs vary depending on where they operate — including compensation benefits such as health insurance plans and retirement contributions (if any). Some countries don’t require employers to provide these benefits at all! Be sure everyone knows what options exist before deciding what kind of compensation programs should be offered while expanding internationally.

Benefits of Global Employer of Record: What Acumen International Can Bring to the Table

The benefits of Global Employer of Record are the following:

  • No need to set up a new entity in every country where you have operations. You are not required to hire local employees or worry about local compliance requirements.
  • The ability to scale your business quickly by hiring employees in multiple countries without setting up a new entity in each country.
  • A single point of contact for all employment-related questions and concerns.
  • A single point of contact for all tax compliance questions and concerns.
  • No need to worry about managing multiple payroll systems, tax filing requirements, or employee benefits programs across multiple countries since everything is handled by Acumen Global Employer of Record (EOR).

Headquartered in London, UK, Acumen International, a Global Employer of Record (EOR) and Professional Employer Organization (PEO) service provider, was founded in 2001. The company gives mid-sized and enterprise companies the power and flexibility to grow internationally with streamlined and simplified global labour expansion. 

Acumen International helps solve the frustrations faced by founders and leaders of technology companies looking to expand globally quickly but cannot or do not want to take on the liability, costs,  burden of direct employer status, or other risks associated with operating in individual countries. International employers can also use our global resources to test a new market quickly before establishing a local legal entity

Comprehensive Employer of Record (EOR) Packages and Budget-friendly Rates

With affordable packages and budget-friendly rates, Acumen International can offer secure, efficient global HR services to manage Global Payroll, HR & Benefits Administrations for businesses that need international talent but don’t have the resources or skills to handle it themselves.

Our full-service management solutions — from legal talent employment to benefits management, from compliance to payroll and taxation — are tailored to each client’s needs. 

Acumen International’s unique and integrated approach allows us to offer a comprehensive array of EOR functions, including:

  1. Processing business immigration requirements
  2. Visa applications & extensions
  3. Work permit sponsorships 
  4. Streamline onboarding, benefits, payroll, PTO
  5. Local labour and employment tax law compliance
  6. Audit-proof compliance requirements
  7. Employee benefit management
  8. Handling employment contracts, terminations, and compensation
  9. Processing medical insurance and benefits
  10. Payroll, including year-end tax statements 
  11. Relocation services & housing  
  12. Benefit management 
  13. Special needs or requirements  
  14. Multi-country employment without limitations 
  15. Handling contract workers and foreign workforce management
  16. Compliant employment or termination within 72 hours.

Let Acumen Global EOR Handle the Employment, Tax, and Compliance Aspects of Your Global Expansion 

As you can see, Global EOR is an option for business owners who want to expand their operations internationally. It’s a revolutionary way to internationalize your business without setting up a new entity, hiring local employees in each country where you have operations, or worrying about the legal and regulatory complexities of operating in multiple jurisdictions.

Acumen Global EOR can help you by removing some of the burdens of your busy schedule and the risks involved. Rest easy knowing that everything is taken care of. Global hiring is no more a hassle! With Acumen Global Employer of Record, you can employ, manage, and pay your employees in over 190 countries. No entity is needed. Start international operations with no delay.

To learn more about how Global Employer of Record can help your organization grow into new markets, contact Acumen International today to discuss how we can help you achieve your goals.

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