10 Best Global HR Services Shortlist
Here's my pick of the 10 best software from the 24 tools reviewed.
There are seemingly countless global HR services available, so figuring out which is best for you is tough. You want to outsoruce the management of human resource functions across different countries and cultures for your multinational organization—but need to figure out which partner is the best fit. In this post, I make things simple, leveraging my experience as an HR specialist working with dozens of different global HR companies to bring you this shortlist of the best global HR services overall.
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Best Global HR Service Providers: Comparison Chart
This comparison chart summarizes pricing details for my top global HR service provider selections to help you find the best option for your budget and business needs.
| Tools | Price | |
|---|---|---|
| Oyster HR | From $499/employee/month or $29/contractor/month | Website |
| Deel | Flat rate user pricing, with free HR tool for businesses | Website |
| Remofirst | From $199/employee/month for EOR and $25/mo for contractors | Website |
| Agile Hero | From $499 to $599/employee/month (15% discount for annual) | Website |
| IRIS FMP | Pricing upon request | Website |
| Execupay | Pricing upon request | Website |
| Velocity Global | Pricing upon request | Website |
| Global HR Research | Pricing upon request | Website |
| Mercans | Pricing upon request | Website |
| Airswift | Pricing upon request | Website |
Compare Software Specs Side by Side
Use our comparison chart to review and evaluate software specs side-by-side.
Compare SoftwareHow to Choose a Global HR Service
A global HR service can help you mitigate and manage complex HR challenges that may be a little over your head, adding to the expertise of your in-house HR support team. To help you figure out which global HR service best fits your needs, you need to document your specific challenges first.
As you work through your own unique selection process, keep the following points in mind:
- What problem are you trying to solve - Start by identifying the challenges you're trying to overcome, whether that's paying employees in multiple currencies, crafting competitive healthcare plans, or managing international compliance across multiple countries.
- Who will benefit from the service - Consider who will manage the services relationship (i.e., who will your main contact people be in-house?) and how having a global HR service provider will improve their day-to-day work tasks.
- What is your budget - Most global HR service providers only provide pricing upon request, due to the complex and tailored nature of the services they provide. However, it's important to have a realistic understanding of your potential budget in advance, so you can quickly determine if a particular service will or won't work for your needs. I recommend speaking with your senior finance team to determine an estimated budget early in your research process.
- What outcomes are important - Review the capabilities you want to gain or improve, and how you will measure success. For example, you may want to seek expert advice to improve your employee retention, or completely overhaul your internal training and development program for better outcomes. You could compare service providers until you’re blue in the face but if you aren’t thinking about the outcomes you want to achieve, you'll waste a lot of valuable time.
- How it would work within your organization - Consider how the service provider's software ecosystem would work alongside your existing workflows and systems. Would their software framework integrate with your existing HR software, or would you face data management roadblocks?
Remember every business is different — don’t assume that a global HR service will work for your organization just because it's popular.
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Deel
Visit WebsiteThis is an aggregated rating for this tool including ratings from Crozdesk users and ratings from other sites.4.8 -
Paycor
Visit WebsiteThis is an aggregated rating for this tool including ratings from Crozdesk users and ratings from other sites.4.1 -
Paychex Flex
Visit WebsiteThis is an aggregated rating for this tool including ratings from Crozdesk users and ratings from other sites.4.2
Reviews of the Best Global HR Service Providers
Here’s a comprehensive overview that showcases each service provider’s notable features, services, pricing, and more. Keep reading to find additional bonus picks at the bottom of the list.
Oyster HR is a global HR services provider that offers a comprehensive range of solutions for global HR compliance, including employer of record services, global payroll, total rewards, talent mobility, and more. With coverage in over 180 countries, Oyster HR provides automated hiring processes and strategic partnerships with experts to ensure compliance and streamline global employment.
Why I Picked Oyster HR: Recognizing the complexity and variety of global payment preferences, Oyster HR supports a wide range of local payment options. This includes not just the major currencies but also local currencies in countries that are often overlooked by other platforms. The platform's ability to handle diverse payment options extends to local payment methods, making it easier for employees to receive their salaries in the most convenient and cost-effective manner. This feature is particularly unusual among global HR platforms, which tend to focus on a more limited set of currencies and payment methods.
Oyster HR Key Services:
As a global employer of record (EoR) service provider, Oyster HR offers a comprehensive suite of services designed to enable businesses to manage international teams effectively and compliantly. These services include facilitating global payroll and benefits, ensuring compliance with local employment laws, offering flexibility in staffing, providing significant cost savings, and enabling faster company expansion.
Additionally, Oyster HR helps businesses access a more diverse talent pool by managing the complexities of employing individuals in over 180 countries. Their hybrid EoR model combines direct operations in some countries with partnerships in others, offering a mix of deep local expertise and broad global coverage. This approach allows companies to navigate the complexities of global employment without the need to establish their own legal entities abroad, streamlining the process of hiring and managing international employees while mitigating legal and compliance risks
Their backend software, which you will have complete access to, integrates with Slack, Hibob, QuickBooks, HiBob, Greenhouse, BambooHR (for both HRIS and ATS purposes), Xero, NetSuite, Workday, Expensify, and more via Zapier (may incur additional costs).
Pros and cons
Pros:
- Streamline global payroll and benefits administration
- Robust support for remote teams
- Comprehensive global compliance features
Cons:
- More advanced analytics and reporting features welcomed
- Learning curve for navigating some of its extensive functionality
Deel
Best for remote teams seeking simplified payroll & compliance services worldwide
Deel offers multiple HR management services, like payroll, admin, and compliance.
With Deel, you can hire top talent without setting up multiple legal entities in various countries. Moreover, Deel enables you to track time off, maintain employee engagement, manage equity, and streamline global workflows, to scale your business to greater heights internationally.
Why I picked Deel: Deel offers industry-best contractor management and EOR functionalities. Additionally, Deel helps businesses hire, manage, and pay freelancers and contractors across the globe while adhering to international compliance and tax laws.
Deel has stationed local country experts in-house to provide valuable consultation for global hiring. As a result, their HR platform allows you to manage your staff from start to finish, including custom contract changes, cost reimbursements, and off-cycle payroll adjustments. Moreover, the initial setup and implementation procedures are fairly simple.
Deel Key Services:
Deel offers great versatility in its payroll processing solutions. The platform offers 10+ options at their disposal for payroll processing, from bank transfers to cryptocurrency payouts. Your employees can easily cash out payments using 15+ international financial service provider portals like Wise, Payoneer, and PayPal, etc.
Deel's ACA reporting solution streamlines compliance adherence according to the Affordable Care Act by automatically creating and filing forms 1094-C and 1095-C. It also has built-in compliance checks to help prevent mistakes and penalties.
Furthermore, Deel’s global hiring guide offers detailed information about country-specific requirements and standards, for hiring and onboarding contractors and EOR employees.
Deel’s platform integrates seamlessly with several key HR tools like BambooHR, Expensify, Greenhouse, Okta, NetSuite, Quickbooks and others.
Pros and cons
Pros:
- Hassle-free global payroll in 100+ countries
- Extensive EOR services for global talent acquisition
- Seamless employee and contractor onboarding
Cons:
- Complicated to track failed payments
- Costs increase with the size of the workforce
Best affordable EOR service provider to hire and manage global talent compliantly
Remofirst is an EOR and global compliance HR service provider that allows businesses to hire employees from 170+ countries. It also provides a cloud-based platform for hiring and global payroll processes.
Why I picked Remofirst: I like the payment services that Remofirst offers. Rather than making separate payments, Remofirst’s global payroll feature gives you the option to condense and aggregate invoices. Remofirst's software also computes your team's hours, time off, vacation balances, bonuses, and commissions. Consequently, you only need to review and approve monthly invoices for timely payment.
Remofirst also provides legal expertise, and their HR team also ensures that you always onboard your workers with locally compliant contracts to avoid misclassification risks.
Remofirst Key Services:
The Remofirst platform features a centralized dashboard for tracking different assignments and tasks. The platform also offers data visualization, budgeting, benefits administration (including insurance and equity plans), attendance and time-off tracking, expense tracking, and employee tax management.
Remofirst also integrates seamlessly with third-party payment providers like Wise and PayPal for hassle-free payroll processing.
Pros and cons
Pros:
- Affordable pricing as compared to other vendors offering similar services
- Fast and responsive customer service
- Intuitive and user-friendly platform
Cons:
- Some ambiguities in working with local HR consultancy partners in different countries
- Bugs and delays in updating information on the dashboard
Agile Hero is a cutting-edge solution designed to revolutionize the recruitment process and enhance project-based hiring. It stands out for its dynamic skill-matching engine, real-time collaborative hiring features, and its agile project-based recruitment module.
Why I Picked Agile Hero: As a global HR service provider, Agile Hero employment software excels in connecting businesses with the right talent swiftly and effectively. Its dynamic skill-matching engine utilizes advanced algorithms to ensure candidates are matched to roles not just on the basis of keywords but also their relevance and context within the industry. This approach is invaluable for global HR service providers looking to navigate the complexities of diverse and distributed talent pools.
Agile Hero facilitates companies' international workforce expansion without the need to establish legal entities in new countries. This service includes handling administrative tasks like payroll, taxes, benefits, and compliance with local laws, thereby allowing businesses to focus on growth. Agile HRO's Global EOR supports compliant and risk-free hiring practices, maintains full control over employee management for companies, and offers ongoing support with a dedicated Customer Success Manager, making global expansion efficient and compliant.
Agile Hero Key Services:
Agile Hero provides a platform with a range of HR solutions, such as global employer of record services, payroll management, and support for global mobility. I especially like that they emphasize employee engagement through self-onboarding features and collaborations with non-profit organizations. The platform also ensures privacy and legal compliance at the global and local levels, with tools for handling leave and expense requests and an employee portal for resource access.
Pros and cons
Pros:
- Manages payroll and taxes efficiently
- Ensures adherence to local labor laws
- Global expansion support
Cons:
- May be cost prohibitive for small businesses
- Slight learning curve
IRIS FMP specializes in global payroll processing software. Additionally, they provide HR services like recruitment, administration, training, benefits, and legal advice to companies in more than 135 countries. IRIS FMP is ideal for SMBs with less than 1,000 employees.
With 90,000 happy customers across industries worldwide, IRIS FMP is a reliable HR consultancy partner.
Why I picked IRIS FMP: IRIS FMP offers a fully automatic payroll processing solution tailored to the specific needs of your business. It comes with additional capabilities such as BACS payments, third-party disbursements, multi-currency support, and file management. IRIS FMP is instrumental in complete HR lifecycle management, thereby, contributing to increased HR efficiency.
IRIS FMP Key Services:
With IRIS FMP, you can generate real-time data for workforce analytics and compliance using their reports on employee demographics and compliance laws.
Additionally, IRIS FMP allows you to set your company’s payroll schedule, and you can even include provisions for pensions, loans, and vacations. IRIS FMP has connections with Paychex and Western Union to provide payroll services, allowing you to pay employees in their home currency.
IRIS FMP also offers a full suite of international HR services. They specialize in employee onboarding & offboarding, employee relations, and compensation management. Their onboarding services include HR policies, offer letters, inductions, employment rights, and contracts. Similarly, their offboarding services include managing resignations, redundancies, and dismissals.
Pros and cons
Pros:
- Useful self-starter guide
- User-friendly dashboard with calendar notifications, task lists, and deadlines
- Includes online payslips and audited payroll calculations
Cons:
- Lacks time tracking and expense management tools
- Complicated menu layout
Execupay is a leading global HR services provider for SMBs, with over 40 years of experience in catering human capital management (HCM) solutions for global teams. Execupay offers HR services under four pillars—Pay, Build, Manage, and Retain. From applicant tracking, to background checks for recruitment, to payment management, Execupay does it all.
Why I picked Execupay: Execupay offers a versatile payroll solution that streamlines the process of paying employees. The platform offers other useful features like automating employee benefit accruals, delivering payments, and importing data from a timeclock file. Moreover, Execupay accepts negative '-' values for easy adjustments and error fixes.
Execupay Key Services:
Execupay offers many powerful HCM solutions like applicant tracking, employee self-service, and onboarding documents with e-signatures. With Execupay, you can streamline performance reviews, assign training classes, and establish a comprehensive, system-wide auditing process.
Pros and cons
Pros:
- 24/7 customer service
- Flexible payroll processing with real-time aggregated data reports
- Straightforward user interface
Cons:
- No “ad-hoc” reporting
- No general ledger payroll reconciliations or customizations available
Velocity Global is an international expansion and professional employer organization (PEO) service provider. Velocity Global provides various services such as global employment, payroll, HR compliance, and benefits administration.
Why I picked Velocity Global: The sheer coverage provided by Velocity Global’s PEO services is impressive. With its full-service suite of EOR and multi-country payroll solutions, you can hire, pay, and manage top talent in over 185+ countries. Furthermore, Velocity Global also covers all 50 US States under its services.
Velocity Global also provides independent contractor management solutions on a global scale. As a result, the service provider is a one-stop solution for business owners looking to expand internationally, with a distributed workforce.
Velocity Global Key Services:
I’m impressed by Velocity Global’s multi-country payroll system. Using a centralized platform for paying your employees worldwide saves time and money. Velocity Global also provides customizable payment methods (from ACH to wire transfers), and extensive reporting to optimize payroll metrics.
Velocity Global also offers a comprehensive global employment overview, employee onboarding visibility, a supported employee welcome experience, enhanced time-off tracking, integrated employee training, and more.
Velocity Global integrates seamlessly with customer HRIS, ERP, ATS, and other HR software systems that help maintain a unified view of your globally distributed workforce.
Pros and cons
Pros:
- 24/7 customer service
- Ideal for company expansion, market entry, and talent relocation
- Extensive geographical coverage
Cons:
- Pricing structure is complex and not publicly available
- User interface can be difficult to navigate
Best for handling international pre-employment screening programs
Global HR Research (GHRR) offers intelligent pre-employment background checks and other talent acquisition solutions to global businesses. Their proprietary employee screening platform, Clariti, has assisted hundreds of large corporations in managing the risks associated with global recruitment.
As a global HR service provider, GHRR provides comprehensive background checks, drug testing, employment verifications, criminal record checks, and other pre-employment screening services.
Why I picked Global HR Research: Hiring remote top talent to expand your business globally has many benefits, but it can be a tad risky. Global HR Research ensures that a new hire has valid credentials. You can also customize the background checks required for specific job categories and positions.
Global HR Research Key Services:
Global HR Research provides multiple screening services through its self-owned platform, Clariti. These include civil and criminal background checks and screening of motor vehicle records and licenses. They also perform risk and compliance checks, social media searches, credit reporting, drug and health screening, and identity and biometric screening procedures such as fingerprinting.
Pros and cons
Pros:
- Intuitive user interface
- Prompt and helpful customer service
- Quick and reliable background checks
Cons:
- Ocasional reporting inconsistencies
- Reporting format must be more user-friendly
Mercans is your go-to for ramping up global talent acquisition efforts. Additionally, Mercans ensures that your foreign employees have access to all essentials, including insurance, credit card options, and loans.
Moreover, Mercans offers native payroll technologies to businesses, from SMB startups to multinational corporations. Mercans’ proprietary HRM SaaS product, HR Blizz, offers multi-country coverage for processing payroll for your global workforce, all within a single global platform, without the involvement of any subcontractors, ICPs, or third-party software.
Why I picked Mercans: The accuracy, turnaround time, and cost-effectiveness provided by Mercans’ payroll processing solution are unmatched, when compared to any other HR service provider in the industry. The platform boasts payroll accuracy of up to 99.7%, processes payments for workers worldwide within 48 hours, and can reduce your payroll overheads by 50%.
From a talent acquisition perspective, Mercans can help you source contractual, temporary, and permanent employees across several industries. Moreover, Mercans also features an effective job portal tailored for international candidates.
Mercans ships an intuitive UX and a fully-controllable Administrator Console to manage your full payroll lifecycle. Additionally, Mercans provides a self-service portal for employees, mobile app connectivity, and 24/7 dedicated customer support.
Mercans Key Services:
They offer several HRM functionalities, such as a centralized dashboard for viewing employee information. Additionally, the platform also covers real-time performance assessments, time and attendance tracking, and dynamic reporting on payroll processing.
Mercans integrates seamlessly with third-party software like Oracle, Microsoft, Workday, SAP SuccessFactors, and more.
Pros and cons
Pros:
- 24/7 customer support
- Digitized employee experience with self-service features
- High-quality automated payroll processing
Cons:
- Lacks comprehensive tutorials
- Slightly cluttered UI
Airswift is a seasoned global workforce solutions provider for the energy, process, and infrastructure industries. With more than 7,000 contractors and a candidate database of 1.5 million, Airswift has great exposure and expertise in supplying top talent for STEM industries.
Airswift offers various HR services like international talent management, global employment, and mobility. Additionally, they also offer managed solutions and consulting for recruitment process outsourcing.
Why I picked Airswift: The STEM industries like energy, engineering, and infrastructure, which drive global development and innovation, truly demand top talent. Airswift caters to such industries and offers top-notch solutions for hiring, onboarding, managing, and paying quality talent for these sectors, across the globe.
Airswift Key Services:
Airswift offers global employment and recruitment process outsourcing. Additionally, they also provide talent mapping, benchmarking of compensation and benefits, and assistance formulating progressive workforce policies. Moreover, Airswift services include charting the skills and talent required for upcoming projects or global business expansion, and maintaining employee relations.
Pros and cons
Pros:
- 24/7 customer service
- Great geographic coverage
- Technical talent recruitment
Cons:
- Serves only STEM companies
- The platform has a slightly steep learning curve
Other Global HR Services
Here are a few more global HR service providers. I didn’t have room for a full review for each of these but they are still worthy of consideration:
- BlueMarble Global Payroll
Best for treasury management services
- Mauve
Best for scaling compliantly in new markets and territories
- Rippling
Best for unified workforce management
- Remote
Best HR service provider for creating international incentive plans
- Atlas HXM
Best for international employer of record (EOR) services
- Mercer
Best for consulting on digital implementation and change management
- Melita
Best for building a robust HR foundation for businesses
- Immedis
Best for expatriate management and covering mobility tax obligations
- Horizons
Best human-centric EOR/PEO solution on the market
- Omnipresent
Best for multi-payroll cycle management
- People 2.0
Best PEO services provider in Europe and the UK
- Globalization Partners
Best fully-customizable EOR solution for global employment
- ADP HR Outsourcing
Best for outsourcing HR admin tasks
- Safeguard Global
Best for recruitment process outsourcing (RPO)
Related HR Software Reviews
If you're looking for better HR tools in addition to services, check out these other core HR offerings, that we've tested and evaluated:
- HR Software
- Payroll Software
- Recruiting Software
- Employer of Record Services
- Applicant Tracking Systems
- Workforce Management Software
Selection Criteria for Global HR Services
Selecting the best global HR services requires a thorough understanding of how these services can address the challenges of managing an international workforce. My approach to choosing the best global HR services is grounded in thorough research into HR professional services and my understanding of the comprehensive services organizations need to operate globally.
Here's a short summary of the selection criteria I used to develop this list:
Core Global HR Services (25% of total score): To be considered for inclusion in this list, each provider had to offer the following basic services and capabilities first:
- Support basic HR needs in more than 50+ countries
- Offer efficient global payroll processing across multiple countries
- Manage comprehensive benefits packages tailored to local regulations
- Assistance with managing international labor laws and compliance requirements
- Recruitment and onboarding services for new talent across diverse geographic locations
- Expertise with performance management systems that align with global business strategies
Additional Standout Services (25% of total score): To help me determine the best global HR services, I also noted any unique or less common services, including:
- Experience designing innovative employee engagement programs tailored to diverse cultural backgrounds
- Global mobility services to create a smooth experience for employees transitioning between countries
- Experience creating specialized training programs focused on cross-cultural competency and leadership in a global context
- Unique technology solutions for HR management, like AI-driven analytics for workforce planning
Industry Experience (10% of total score): To evaluate the industry experience of each global HR service provider, I considered the following:
- Their track record of successful global HR management spanning multiple years
- The depth of their global expertise, including how many different countries they offer services in
- Staff qualifications and HR certifications (if available) that highlight specialized knowledge in international HR management
- The combined language skills offered by the service provider
- Any recognition from industry peers or awards in the field of global HR services
Since global HR services rely heavily on the in-country expertise of local HR consultants, industry knowledge is essential to deliver a quality standard of HR services from hiring and onboarding to payroll processing.
Customer Onboarding (10% of total score): To get a sense of each provider's customer onboarding process, I considered the following factors:
- Clear, straightforward onboarding processes that minimize transition times
- The availability of comprehensive onboarding materials, such as fact sheets, guides, FAQ repositories, or other training resources
- Hands-on guidance during the initial onboarding phase, including personalized service kick-off meetings and plans
- Direct access to onboarding specialists, customer support, or a dedicated account manager during the initial setup phase
Customer Support (10% of total score): To evaluate the level of customer support each company offered, I considered the following:
- 24/7 customer support across different timezones to address urgent HR issues
- The availability of multilingual support to serve global employees
- Multiple support channels, including phone, email, and live chat
- Evidence of responsiveness and effectiveness in resolving issues, as inferred from customer reviews
Value for Price (10% of total score): To gauge the overall value of each service, I considered the following factors:
- Competitive pricing models that align with the service scope and quality expected
- Transparent billing practices, with no hidden costs or fees
- Flexibility in service packages to suit different business sizes and needs
Note that most global HR services only provide their pricing details upon request. This is because the price varies depending on the nature of the services you need assistance with and the specific countries your international staff are based in.
Customer Reviews (10% of total score): Evaluating customer reviews is the final element of my selection process, which helps me understand how happy real HR professionals are with a service. Here are the factors I considered:
- Consistently high ratings across a variety of consumer review platforms
- Specific feedback or testimonials that highlight exceptional service when managing complex HR scenarios
- Positive feedback or endorsements from a broad range of international clients
Using this assessment framework helped me identify the global HR services that go beyond basic requirements to offer additional value through unique services, deep industry experience, smooth onboarding, effective support, and overall value for price.
Trends in Global HR Services for 2024
As businesses continue to expand across borders, the need for efficient, compliant, and user-friendly solutions for managing international employees, payments, compliance, benefits, and onboarding has never been more critical. As a result, global HR services have continued to evolve, showing an increase in technology-driven solutions that streamline global operations.
Here are the most recent trends affecting global HR services and the HR software systems that are used to offer them:
Rapidly Evolving Technology
- Increased Adoption of AI and Automation: Many services have begun incorporating artificial intelligence (AI) and automation into their software to improve HR processes like payroll, benefits administration, and compliance management.
- Focus on Employee Experience Platforms: There's a notable rise in platforms that focus on the overall employee experience, integrating wellness, learning, and engagement tools into one system, highlighting the direct impact employee satisfaction has on retention.
Enhanced Services
- Expansion of Global Mobility Solutions: Providers are expanding services around global mobility, offering more comprehensive support for immigration, relocation, and cross-border employee management. This evolution caters to the increasing mobility of the workforce and the complexities of managing international assignments.
Unique and Unusual Capabilities
- AI-Powered Recruitment and Onboarding: Some services are introducing AI-driven capabilities for talent acquisition and onboarding, offering a more personalized and efficient process.
- Blockchain for Secure Employee Data Management: A few pioneering services are exploring the use of blockchain technology to enhance the security and transparency of employee data management.
These trends show a clear trajectory towards digital transformation, increased efficiency, and an enhanced employee experience. Working with a top HR service that understands these trends will help you navigate the complexities of international HR management and stay one step ahead of your competition.
What are Global HR Services?
Global HR services refer to the comprehensive management of human resources for businesses operating across multiple countries. These services address the complexities of managing a diverse, international workforce, including recruitment, payroll, employee benefits, compliance with local labor laws, and talent development.
Global HR service providers are tailored to accommodate different cultural, legal, and regulatory environments, ensuring that HR practices are consistent yet adaptable to local needs. They facilitate effective cross-border communication, support organizational growth strategies, and help multinational companies maintain a cohesive, well-managed workforce, regardless of geographical boundaries.
Global HR Services & Features
Here are some key services and features a global HR services provider should offer to be a truly efficient solution:
- HR Consulting: Many services provide expert advice on various HR matters, including strategy and policy development. This helps HR departments tap into industry best practices and innovative HR processes they may not be aware of.
- Global Mobility Services: Global HR services can assist with relocating employees abroad, which is essential for companies with a global presence. This service ensures a smooth transition for the employee and compliance with international employment standards, giving the client company peace of mind.
- Employee Relations: Management consultants can act as a bridge between the employer and employees, handling disputes and ensuring a positive work environment. Strong employee relations contribute to higher employee engagement and productivity.
- Global Payroll Management: This service involves managing timely payments of employee salaries worldwide, including compliance with local tax laws and regulations.
- Global Compliance and Risk Management: This service ensures business practices are compliant with local and international labor laws and regulations, which is vital to minimize legal risks and protect the company's reputation.
- Recruitment and Talent Acquisition: Some HR services offer assistance with sourcing, hiring, and onboarding talent globally, helping to ensure that the right talent is brought into the company, which is fundamental for its success.
- Employee Training and Development: Many HR consulting firms can work with your HR department to enhance your internal processes for developing employee skills, knowledge, and long-term career development plans, helping companies remain competitive while retaining a highly skilled workforce.
- Performance Management: Effective performance management helps align individual objectives with the company's goals, driving business growth. A well-chosen global HR service can help you design and implement a new performance management system that is specific to your operational needs.
- Benefits Administration: This service involves creating and managing competitive benefit employee packages, including health insurance, retirement plans, and other modern options, helping to attract and retain talent.
- Technology and HR Software Implementation: Implementing the right HR technology is crucial for automating tasks and providing insightful data to support decision-making. Certain HR services specialize in this type of service, helping HR teams determine the best technology for their needs, then working with them to create and execute the entire implementation process.
Selecting a global HR services partner that offers these comprehensive services can significantly reduce the complexity and workload of managing HR tasks across multiple jurisdictions. By leveraging a well-rounded HR service company, you'll gain specialized expertise in managing your global workforce, helping your organization stay efficient and competitive.
Benefits of Global HR Services
Global HR services help organizations handle the complexities of managing an international workforce. By outsourcing HR tasks to experts who specialize in navigating the intricacies of global employment laws, cultural differences, and administrative challenges, businesses can focus on their core operations while ensuring their employees are well-managed and satisfied.
If you need more convincing, here are several benefits of using a global HR service:
- Access to Global Talent Pool: By outsourcing your recruitment efforts to a global HR company, you'll expand your access to talent from around the world, improving the overall quality and diversity of your new hires since you're drawing from a larger talent pool.
- Improved Cultural Competency: Local HR experts and consultants can help teams navigate cultural differences within the workforce to create a more harmonious and productive work environment for all.
- Enhanced Focus on Core Business Strategies: By outsourcing HR tasks, companies can free up their internal HR resources and devote more attention to other strategic initiatives such as innovation, customer satisfaction, and market expansion.
- Improved Compliance and Risk Management: This dual approach protects organizations from legal challenges and unforeseen operational risks across different countries, ensuring both compliance and smooth business operations worldwide. By leveraging the expertise of global HR professionals, businesses can navigate the complex landscape of international labor laws while mitigating risks, thus avoiding costly penalties and fostering a stable environment for growth.
- Improved Employee Satisfaction: By offering comprehensive benefits and support tailored to diverse employee needs, working with a global HR service can improve employee engagement, retention, and your workplace culture.
As you can see, by partnering with an HR service provider, you can improve your cultural competence, employee satisfaction, legal compliance, and risk management, and gain access to a wider global talent pool. The result is a resilient and adaptable organization poised for success in the global market.
Costs & Pricing for Global HR Services
Global HR services offer a variety of pricing models to accommodate the diverse needs of businesses operating on an international level. They generally operate within two payment models: a subscription-based model or a project-based pricing (or a combination of both).
Subscription models will involve a monthly or annual fee, which is determined by the number of employees or the level of service needed. In contrast, project-based pricing is tailored to specific initiatives, such as setting up operations in a new country or implementing a global HR technology system.
Key factors that can influence the pricing of global HR services include:
- Scale of Operations: The scale of your operations includes both the size and geographical spread of your business. Naturally, larger operations with employees in multiple countries often incur higher costs due to the increased complexity and compliance requirements.
- Service Scope: The range and scope of the services you need will directly impact the price. For example, a comprehensive service package that covers payroll, compliance, recruitment, and benefits administration will be more expensive than selecting individual services.
- Customization Level: More tailored services, including integration with existing systems or specialized compliance support, usually come at a premium.
- Regulatory Environment: Operating in countries with stringent labor and tax laws can increase the service cost due to the additional expertise and effort required to ensure compliance.
- Employee Count: Services often scale their pricing based on the total number of employees, with per-person discounts applied as employee numbers increase.
- Contract Length: Longer commitments can sometimes result in lower overall rates due to the secured long-term partnership.
Some global HR services may offer a free consultation to understand your needs and propose a tailored package, or offer a limited trial of their platform. These free options are designed to give you a taste of the service but are typically restricted in scope and duration, providing just a snapshot of their full capabilities.
When considering global HR services, it's important to weigh the complexity of your needs against the cost of addressing them.
Frequently Asked Questions
Here are some relevant FAQs on global HR services.
What’s the difference between a global HR service, an employer of record (EOR), and a professional employer organization (PEO)?
A global HR service provides a full range of HR solutions for managing a worldwide workforce, including recruitment, payroll, compliance, and employee benefits. A global HR service provider may offer both EOR and PEO are services that.
An EOR (employer of record) is a legal organization that handles HR, payroll, taxes, and compliance for a company’s foreign personnel.
A PEO (professional employer organization) is a company that provides human resource outsourcing services, acting as the employer for a client’s employees and handling payroll, benefits, and human resource administration.
While both EOR and PEO handle employer responsibilities, your organization must already have established a legal entity abroad to use a PEO company, whereas an EOR is used to legally employ staff or contractors in countries where you don’t have a legal entity established.
Check out our shortlists of the best professional employer organizations and best employer of record companies.
Confused about which one to choose? Check out our expert opinion on EOR vs PEO.
What are the most common global HR services?
Global HR services typically handle an organization’s outsourced HR operations like:
- Global hiring (including the entire applicant tracking and recruitment process)
- Employee onboarding
- Payroll processing (through a centralized payroll platform or local entities)
- Global compliance adherence (with local regulatory legislations)
- Employee benefits administration
- Performance management and training
- Employee engagement and cultural support for diversity
- Global mobility functions (like immigration, visa processing, relocation assistance, etc.)
Check out how global HR services can support international teams for more information.
Is recruitment process outsourcing (RPO) considered a type of global HR service?
Yes, RPO is considered an integral part of global HR services. While expanding overseas, organizations may need help recruiting talent from various locations. Using an RPO can help, thanks to their knowledge of local employment markets, cultural variations, and compliance requirements for various talent markets. Outsourcing the recruitment process to a local HR consultancy partner helps businesses access top global talent and scale their operations worldwide at much lower costs.
Check out these companies if you want to outsource your recruitment processes.
What are the pros and cons of using a global HR service provider?
Here are the pros of using a global HR service provider:
- Expertise in the complexities of international HR policies and global compliance laws
- Reduced workload and cost savings
- Access to global talent and advanced HR tools for scalability and risk management
Here are the cons of using a global HR services provider:
- Concerns surrounding data privacy and quality assurance
- Communication challenges and cultural differences
- Limitations in initial implementation, transition, and customization of solutions to fit unique business needs
Other Software Reviews for Global Operations
Before you close this tab, take a look at these other relevant articles to learn more about global HR services and software:
- Best Workforce Management Software
- Best HR Analytics Software for Actionable Workforce Data
- Best Workforce Planning Software for Executive Teams
- Best Strategic Planning Software for Planning Ahead
- Best ERP Software (+ Free ERO Options)
- Best Asset Management Software for Modern Teams
Other HR Services
If you're looking for other HR service providers to supplement your in-house resources, here are some links to our top recommendations:
Final Thoughts
Choosing the best global HR service provider for your business can be daunting. However, it can reduce your workload and save you a lot of time and money when hiring, onboarding, managing, and paying top talent from across the globe. If you're looking to further optimize your HR processes on a global scale, consider integrating advanced HR software solutions into your strategy.
I hope my guide helps you choose the right HR partner that elevates the efficiency and productivity of your business operations and helps you scale it to greater heights!
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