International payroll made easy

Globalisation is undoubtedly here to stay

Even with the lingering impact of Covid-19, customers who are looking to expand expect it to be done quickly, efficiently, and within budget.

With each international jurisdiction having its own laws, and all businesses having their own unique requirements, how do you start to understand the best way to set up your international payroll?  How can you pay your team on time and in compliance with local legislation?

Choose your international payroll provider wisely

We have all heard of “know your client (KYC)”. However, in the global workplace “knowing your supplier” is equally important. When it comes to compliance, knowing who you are dealing with is critical. There are a lot of providers offering different services within the international payroll space so we’d like to tell you a little more about us and how we work. 

International payroll services made simple

The landscape of service options is undoubtedly varied, and this can be confusing for a company expanding internationally for the first time. For a buyer in this situation, it is important to “keep it simple”, so we’ll outline a few for you along with how we measure against them.

Software Solutions (SaaS) – good for large headcounts

Software solutions are often more cost-effective for businesses with higher volumes as payslip prices are lower and productivity can be driven by the client.  For smaller headcounts the cost is usually prohibitive.  

Keep in mind, too, that no single HRIS system is available today with total localisation/country coverage.  Also, expect annual price increases because most software is rented rather than purchased even when they say it is owned.  There also other costs to the business to factor in, including the employment of in-house resource to maintain systems, integrate with other platforms you use and with an in-depth international understanding of legislation.

Working direct with in-country suppliers – an option if you’re only operating in one other country

This may result in cheaper while still compliant payrolls but most of these suppliers are experts only in their country so expanding into more than one country will mean managing different suppliers per country of growth.  Their technology is often older and clunker and you will still be expected to supply an administrator to use the software.  In some countries, you may also need to manage a SaaS with a helpdesk

It is also preferable to speak the local language for effective query management both with the supplier and employees.

With us, we manage all the linguistic complications for you.  Tell us what your issues are and we will get back to you with solutions and answers in plain English.  We also manage a wider team of experts all around the globe (in 100+ countries) so no matter where your plans are taking you, you’ll only ever need to speak to us about your expansion needs and we’ll take care of the rest.

Outsourced services – enjoy a wider network of experts under one roof

It’s a quick, easy and, most importantly, reliable and safe.  While you cannot outsource your risk of compliance, you can select a supplier that has a proven track record of delivery in the jurisdiction(s) you wish to expand into.

But we would just say that this doesn’t come without complications.  There is so much variety on the market that some outsourced service services can be difficult to scope.

We can’t speak about everyone but we can tell you about what we do.

UnaTerra – a trusted partner in your expansion

We recognise you only know what you know, which is why we supply the people, application and knowledge, enabling you to get on with what you do best – focusing on your business and its growth.  We partner with you, sharing our detailed country knowledge and experience of helping hundreds of brands and businesses (including Tesla, Airbnb).

In a world where compliance in some countries is bureaucratic and easily misinterpreted, we will help navigate and support you by protecting your brand in early entry into a new market.  Whatever the challenges, we’ve seen and handled them many times over.

We’d love to hear about the opportunity to help you and your business.