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Salaried Employees vs. Independent Sales Reps: Which Is Better?

There is no question that technology has fueled a global gig economy that enables freelancers and small business contractors to engage with enterprises of all sizes. While some businesses benefit from as-needed services from independent contractors and sales representatives, there are some downsides for both companies and contractors. Many businesses gravitate to traditional employer-employee relationships.… Read more Salaried Employees vs. Independent Sales Reps: Which Is Better?

There is no question that technology has fueled a global gig economy that enables freelancers and small business contractors to engage with enterprises of all sizes. While some businesses benefit from as-needed services from independent contractors and sales representatives, there are some downsides for both companies and contractors. Many businesses gravitate to traditional employer-employee relationships.

Full-time Employee vs. Independent Contractor

While salaried employees and independent contractors perform similar tasks for businesses, several distinct differences define their relationship to and interactions with the employer.

Please mind the ✅ – Benefits and ❌ – Risks connected with both* :

Salaried Employees Independent Contractors
Working Relationship
✅ Long-term formal employment: Long-term engagement with defined job roles. An employee is hired to perform a specific ongoing role in a company and is given a job description that clearly defines the scope and nature of their work. Temporary per-project employment: Short-term engagement. While some contractors work for the same company for years on end, their position in the company is fundamentally temporary. The employer is not legally bound to engage the contractor for a defined period of time beyond that agreed upon contractually. Tasks are often fragmented and short-term.
Taxes and contributions
✅ Employers are responsible for withholding a defined percentage of employee wages for federal and state taxes and for Medicare, Social Security, Worker’s Compensation, medical insurance, and other withholdings. They must issue IRS form W-2 to employees by the end of January of the previous year. ❌ Independent contractors are responsible for their own taxes, medical insurance, and other contributions. They must submit IRS form 1099-MISC with their tax returns detailing their year’s earnings and pay self-employment taxes directly to the government.
Control vs. Autonomy
✅ Employer control. An employer retains a high level of control over their salaried employees. They set tasks, monitor time, and oversee work completion. Time-tracking software may be used to ensure productivity. The employer defines decision-making and time management. Personal autonomy. Contractors typically have less oversight than salaried employees and have more control over their time. While the employer may request specific tasks or projects to be completed, they have less control over how the contractor accomplishes the required work. Retain greater autonomy for time management and decision-making.
Intellectual Property Ownership
✅ Employer retains full IP rights for employee innovations: Employees who develop innovative solutions or work on creative projects cede ownership of their intellectual products to the employer. ❌ Contractor retains IP rights for innovations unless otherwise stipulated: Contractors rarely participate in a company’s production or creative endeavors. If a contractor is inspired while working for a company, they retain ownership of any innovations or creative works that arise as a result.
Commitment
✅ Employee engagement. Employers expect salaried employees to commit fully to the business without conflicts of interest or divided loyalties. Employees may be prohibited from moonlighting with other companies. ❌ Limited commitment. While many contractors develop long-term relationships with the companies they serve, they are free to engage with other companies. They are not obligated to remain loyal to a single entity. A contractor is not a strategic member of a company’s team and makes minimal contributions to its long-term growth.
✅ Team mentality. Employees are expected to share and model the company’s values and commit to its mission. Key professionals become emissaries for the company in the public domain.
Compensation
✅ Long-term compensation. In exchange for their loyalty and commitment to the company, employees are compensated with salaries, insurance benefits, retirement packages, opportunities for professional development, and other perks that make it beneficial to remain with the company long-term. ❌ Short-term compensation. Contractors are typically paid per project and do not enjoy the perks and benefits of full-time salaried employees. They are responsible for their own taxes, insurance, retirement funds, and professional growth.

An employee or a salaried worker pays Federal Insurance Contributions Act (FICA) taxes just like their employer in equal parts.

The contractor, also called a commission-based worker is responsible for paying self-employment (SECA) taxes.

Check the below infographics for greater visibility:

Freelancer vs Employee businessman character infographic to compare different.


Risks of Hiring Contractors Over Employees

For many businesses expanding overseas, it may seem sensible to start with local independents in the interest of saving money on taxes, benefits and the cost of establishing a legal entity. However, working with foreign independent contractors has multiple inherent risks.

Compliance Risk

Working in foreign nations can present pitfalls that you didn’t see coming. When you employ foreign workers, you must be certain that you fully comply with national and local laws and regulations regarding taxes and employment guidelines. Failure to meet compliance requirements can put you in a legal bind that can be costly and time-consuming.

Financial Risk

Employing foreign independent contractors gives you minimal control over their behavior or activities and how they represent your brand. They may even work for your competitors and promote whichever products bring the highest commission, losing you money in the long run.

Business Risk

Contractors are temporary employees with limited loyalty to any single entity except their own. Your competition can easily poach high performers, and low performers can harm your brand’s image. High turnover can result in loss of leads and customers and have a destabilizing effect on workforce morale.


Full-time Employee vs. Independent Contractor

✅ – Benefits and ❌ – Risks* :

Salaried employees Independent contractors
Risks
✅ Minimal compliance and business risks. No misclassification risks ❌ May pose high-penalty risks due to misclassification

While using an independent commission-based sales force may be less expensive in the short run, a dedicated sales team that works exclusively for your brand will save you money in the long run. Moreover, the complexities and challenges are magnified if you take on contractors for projects in multiple countries.


Get the Best of Both Worlds with a Global Employer of Record

A Global Employer of Record (EOR) can provide the ideal solution to your overseas staffing problems. A Global Employer of Record (EOR) is a third party that acts on your company’s behalf to onboard and payroll your chosen foreign talent without establishing a foreign entity for your business.

Partnering with a Global Employer of Record (EOR) can benefit your business in multiple ways:

  • Increase the loyalty of your foreign salesforce without having to set up your own legal entity abroad. Delegate employee management to a Global Employer of Record (EOR) to handle the entire scope of employee hiring, retention, replacement, and compensation.
  • Build strong brand equity via a globally distributed workforce that represents your company proudly and builds customer relationships across the globe. Retain ownership of your client base after salespeople leave your company.
  • Protect your company’s security, IP rights, and client database from unscrupulous contractors without loyalty to your brand.
  • Build a hybrid salesforce that is 100% dedicated to your products and brand. Combining the expertise of independent agents or contractors with the loyalty of salaried employees creates a win-win situation that gives you the best of both worlds while mitigating your compliance, financial and business risks.

A Global Employer of Record (EOR) is less expensive than in-country incorporation, allowing you to exit unlucrative markets easily. You can start with a small team or even one person in multiple countries and go global now without waiting for your business to grow.


Global Employment Solutions at Your Fingertips 

Working with a Global Employer of Record (EOR) partner can benefit businesses as they expand into new markets. A Global EOR partner is an entity that takes on the legal responsibility of employing workers in a foreign country on behalf of the business. The Global EOR partner is responsible for all employment-related matters, including payroll, taxes, benefits, and compliance with local labor laws and regulations.

Here are some of the benefits of working with a Global EOR partner:

Benefit Description
Compliance with local laws Global EOR partners ensure compliance with local laws and regulations, reducing the risk of legal disputes and fines
Access to top global talent Global EOR partners have local knowledge and expertise, making it easier for businesses to find and hire the right talent
Faster time to market Global EOR partners can handle all employment-related matters, reducing the time and resources needed to expand into new markets
Lower costs Global EOR partners can help businesses save money by reducing the need for businesses to hire additional staff or set up local entities
Reduced risk Global EOR partners ensure compliance with local laws and regulations, reducing the risk of legal disputes and fines

Compliance with Local Laws and Regulations across 190 Jurisdictions

One of the most significant benefits of working with a Global EOR partner is that they ensure compliance with local laws and regulations. This is especially important in countries with complex and ever-changing labor laws. Global EOR partners have the expertise and resources to navigate the legal landscape, ensuring businesses comply with all local laws and regulations.

Access to Top Global Talent

Working with a Global EOR partner provides businesses access to top global talent. Global EOR partners have local knowledge and expertise, making it easier for businesses to find and hire the right talent. They have established networks of local candidates, which can be especially valuable in markets with tight talent pools.

By working with a Global EOR partner, businesses can expand their talent pool and find the best candidates for their positions. This can help businesses achieve global expansion goals and compete more effectively in the global marketplace.

Faster Time to Market

Working with a Global EOR partner can also help businesses reduce the time and resources needed to expand into new markets. Global EOR partners can handle all employment-related matters, such as payroll, benefits, and compliance, allowing businesses to focus on their core operations.

This can result in faster time to market, as businesses can quickly establish a presence in new markets without having to set up local entities or hire additional staff. This can be particularly beneficial for businesses that must enter new markets quickly to take advantage of market opportunities or stay ahead of competitors.

Lower Costs

Expanding into new markets can be costly, especially if businesses need to hire additional staff or set up local entities. Working with a Global EOR partner can help businesses save money by reducing the need for additional staff or local entities.

Global EOR partners handle all employment-related matters, including payroll, benefits, and compliance, which can significantly reduce the cost of expanding into new markets. This can be particularly valuable for businesses that are expanding into multiple markets simultaneously, as it can help them save time and resources.

Reduced Risk

Expanding into new markets can be risky, particularly if businesses are unfamiliar with local laws and regulations. Working with a Global EOR partner can help businesses reduce the risk of legal disputes and fines by ensuring compliance with local laws and regulations.

Global EOR partners have the expertise and resources to navigate the legal landscape, ensuring businesses comply with all local laws and regulations. This can help businesses avoid costly legal disputes and fines, which can significantly impact their bottom line.

In summary, working with a Global EOR partner can benefit businesses as they expand into new markets. By ensuring compliance with local laws and regulations, providing access to top global talent, reducing time to market, lowering costs, and reducing risk, Global EOR partners can help businesses achieve their global expansion goals and compete more effectively in the global marketplace.

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Acumen International Is a Silver Sponsor of SIA Executive Forum 2022

London, UK — Acumen International, a global Employer of Record (EOR) and Professional Employer Organization (PEO) solutions provider, is pleased to announce that it will be a Silver-level Sponsor for the SIA (Staffing Industry Analysts) Executive Forum Europe in London.  As digitization increasingly transforms how businesses operate, it’s more important than ever for staffing organizations… Read more Acumen International Is a Silver Sponsor of SIA Executive Forum 2022

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London, UK — Acumen International, a global Employer of Record (EOR) and Professional Employer Organization (PEO) solutions provider, is pleased to announce that it will be a Silver-level Sponsor for the SIA (Staffing Industry Analysts) Executive Forum Europe in London. 

As digitization increasingly transforms how businesses operate, it’s more important than ever for staffing organizations to stay ahead of emerging trends. This Executive Forum brings together top CEOs, owners, and senior executives of the leading staffing companies worldwide to discuss the most pressing staffing industry and technology issues.

Discussions will focus on how different sectors respond to the digitization and explore opportunities and threats that may impact staffing and recruitment. This is an excellent opportunity to discuss critical technology topics and explore emerging staffing industry threats and opportunities. With insights and perspectives from various countries, this is an essential event for anyone in staffing wanting to stay at the forefront of this rapidly changing landscape.

At Acumen International, we believe that sharing our expertise with colleagues in the staffing industry is vital to promoting leadership in global employment and compliance. We are excited to participate in this year’s annual event — a highly respected gathering of like-minded staffing professionals. We provide technology and global employment solutions at scale, but we have always understood the importance of maintaining the personal touch. That’s why events like this Forum, where we can meet in person and forge genuine connections, are so important. This is an excellent opportunity to network with the top executives in the staffing industry and learn from each other,” said Nick Ganzha, the Founder and CEO of Acumen International.
Nick Ganzha, founder and CEO of Acumen International

About Acumen International

Acumen International is a Global Employer of Record that offers a unique Employ to Expand hybrid talent management solution designed to give businesses the tools and services they need to hire, onboard, payroll, and reward employees worldwide — all with a single partner across 190 countries. 

With an innovative and flexible Tiered Pricing Model, Acumen International can help its clients hire a local and foreign workforce with minimal cost, risk, and time while ensuring 100% employment and tax compliance. 

Global Payroll Calculator by Acumen International is a payroll tax and compliance intelligence tool that supports multinational employers and HR professionals in accurate forecasting total global employment costs and liabilities.

For more information, visit: https://expressglobalemployment.com/

About Staffing Industry Analysts (SIA)

Founded in 1989, Staffing Industry Analysts (SIA) is the global advisor on staffing and workforce solutions. Our proprietary research covers all categories of employed and non-employed work, including temporary staffing, independent contracting, and other types of contingent labor. SIA’s independent and objective analysis provides insights into the services and suppliers operating in the workforce solutions ecosystem, including staffing firms, managed service providers, recruitment process outsourcers, payrolling/compliance firms, and talent acquisition technology specialists such as vendor management systems, online staffing platforms, crowdsourcing, and online work services. We also provide training and accreditation with our unique Certified Contingent Workforce Professional (CCWP) program.

As a division of the international business media company Crain Communications Inc., SIA is headquartered in Mountain View, California, with offices in London, England.

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Acumen International Wins Global Payroll Association’s Payroll Innovation Award 2022

Dublin – September 22, 2022 – Acumen International, a leading global PEO and EOR service provider, announced it received the Payroll Innovation Award 2022 from the Global Payroll Association (GPA) for its Global Payroll Calculator. The Global Payroll Awards 2022 by GPA The Global Payroll Association Awards 2022 is an annual event that recognizes businesses,… Read more Acumen International Wins Global Payroll Association’s Payroll Innovation Award 2022

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Dublin – September 22, 2022 – Acumen International, a leading global PEO and EOR service provider, announced it received the Payroll Innovation Award 2022 from the Global Payroll Association (GPA) for its Global Payroll Calculator.

The Global Payroll Awards 2022 by GPA

The Global Payroll Association Awards 2022 is an annual event that recognizes businesses, teams, and individuals who have made significant contributions to the growth and advancement of the global HR and payroll industry. GPA Award nominees are carefully scrutinized, and the best candidates are shortlisted to contend for awards.

We are delighted to announce that Global Payroll Calculator by Acumen International has been honoured as one of the payroll industry’s leaders, winning the prestigious Payroll Innovation Award 2022.

This award is a testament to our dedication to delivering innovative, tailored solutions and outstanding service for the global PEO, EOR, and payroll industries. With this distinction, Acumen International will remain at the forefront of the global employment landscape.

Acumen International Unveils Global Payroll Calculator

The Acumen team has invested long hours, considerable resources, and intellectual capital to examine global payroll challenges and solutions. We looked at options for entity setup, third-party employment, cost calculations, multi-jurisdiction hiring, and compliance issues to reimagine and streamline how global businesses hire and compensate their global workforce.

Acumen’s team of experts brainstormed ways to leverage technology, to reduce the manual, labor-intensive processes required to calculate global employment costs. As a result, Global Payroll Calculator provides automated and technology-enabled global payroll calculations to support HR professionals in achieving the organization’s strategic goals. The tool can replace dozens of providers and spreadsheets.

GPC — Global Payroll Innovation Turning Acumen into Industry Leaders  

Acumen International’s Global Payroll Calculator (GPC) earned us a spot on the GPA Awards 2022 shortlist for the Payroll Innovation Award 2022. As an innovative SaaS tool and an integral part of Acumen’s Express Global Employment platform, Acumen’s GPC revolutionizes how businesses leverage global payroll information by streamlining global payroll calculations for countries around the globe. 

Acumen’s Global Payroll Calculator Gives You an Edge — No Matter Where You Are

The Global Payroll Calculator by Acumen is a SaaS solution for instant and accurate cost of employment estimates that offers:

  • total employment costs estimation (detailed employer & employee taxes and contributions);
  • locals and expats’ cost of hire estimates in all international currencies;
  • coverage of 190 countries and cross-country comparison;
  • time & cost savings due to instant automated estimates and unified data in one place vs. multiple providers.

The Global Payroll Calculator is continuously updated to reflect changes in global taxation. GPC helps businesses acquire global talent faster while complying with all applicable laws and tax regulations. GPC empowers international businesses to confidently make well-informed decisions on global hiring and business expansion in just a few clicks. 

Melanie Pizzey, CEO and Founder of the Global Payroll Association had this to say about Acumen International:

Year after year, Acumen International has outdone itself in contributing to the growth and success of our industry. The GPA awards were created to recognize businesses like Acumen that set a high bar for performance and leadership. We are pleased and honored to have Acumen International as GPA Awards 2022 winners.

Natali Oprya, Managing Director of Acumen International, commented as follows:

Acumen is thrilled to be GPA Awards 2022 winners. The support and recognition of our industry peers inspire us to continue our work toward finding innovative tools and solutions that meet the changing demands of the global HR and payroll industry. We give our heartfelt thanks and gratitude to the Global Payroll Association for this amazing opportunity.

About Acumen International 

Headquartered in the UK, Acumen International is a leading provider of EOR (Employer of Record) and PEO (Professional Employment Organisation) solutions with a global reach in 190 countries. 

Acumen International offers innovative SaaS solutions to multinational companies expanding in today’s volatile global market. The company helps clients solve their most complex challenges, streamline global employment, reduce costs, and mitigate compliance risks, providing the peace of mind needed to focus on achieving their strategic objectives.

About GPA Awards 

Every year, the GPA recognizes and awards outstanding individuals, teams, and business entities for excellence in the global HR and payroll industry. To be eligible, nominees must demonstrate excellence in their respective categories. 

A distinguished panel of judges representing the payroll industry and public sector evaluates nominations to determine those organizations that truly stand out from the competition. This year’s Global Payroll Association Awards winners exemplify outstanding innovation, leadership, and commitment to excellence in the payroll industry.

News

Acumen International Attending the GPA Symposium 2022 in Dublin, Ireland

Dublin – September 22, 2022 – The Acumen International team is excited to participate in the Global Payroll Association’s HR & Payroll Leaders Symposium in Dublin, Ireland. It is an excellent opportunity to meet other global employment professionals, payroll industry leaders, and global payroll experts to discuss the challenges and future of the global payroll… Read more Acumen International Attending the GPA Symposium 2022 in Dublin, Ireland

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Dublin – September 22, 2022 – The Acumen International team is excited to participate in the Global Payroll Association’s HR & Payroll Leaders Symposium in Dublin, Ireland. It is an excellent opportunity to meet other global employment professionals, payroll industry leaders, and global payroll experts to discuss the challenges and future of the global payroll industry and to share insights.

Global Payroll Challenges 2022 and Solutions

Events in recent years have upended every aspect of global employment and business expansion, inspiring us to seek innovative solutions to meet the needs of our global clients. Topics at the HR & Payroll Leaders Symposium will cover:

  • How to change the face of Global Payroll through the use of data.
  • Top trends and issues of the Global Payroll evolution.
  • How to close skills and knowledge gaps to build the payroll industry’s future.

Our team is thrilled to meet Symposium speakers and communicate with experts. We are even more proud to present to our industry colleagues and global payroll professionals our innovative Global Payroll Calculator (GPC) – the powerful tool for accurate international payroll budgeting in 190 countries.

Changing Face of Global Payroll: News in First Person

The Global Payroll Association Symposium is a must-attend event for professionals aiming to stay ahead of the curve in the global payroll industry, an opportunity to hear from top speakers about the latest trends and developments in the field and get an insider’s and expert’s view of where the industry is headed.

Melanie Pizzey, the CEO of the Global Payroll Association, made a kick-off speech thanking all the Symposium participants for joining the GPA today to discuss the changing face of global payroll, what revolutionizes the industry, what’s next to come – and where we are all in it.

Melanie gave the stage to the Symposium’s key speakers.

I’ve never met payroll deps who are over-staffed. – says Mary Holland, Chief Customer Officer, Payslip. – They always ask for more people. In payroll, we always keep seeing to it that all is happening the way it should. Like at the hospital – when all the processes and people’s lives are under your control – same here, all payroll specialists work much more than their allocated hours would sustain control. So payroll is a profession, and the future’s in that.

Tiffany Appleby, ISVP, Alliances and Marketing, Immedis, concentrated on top ways to drive workplace happiness.

She talked about change management, technology adoption and the transition of payroll specialists into pay masters, as well as recognizing their important role for companies.

Tiffany mentioned:

Payroll experts have the data and so they can become the kings and queens of the payroll kingdom. And they can use the knowledge and the data they have to make recommendations to their clients about how they can grow by projecting their employee costs

Mary Holland (Chief Customer Officer, Payslip), P Simon Parsons (Director UK Compliance Strategies, SD Worx),Tiffany Appleby (SVP, Alliances and Marketing, Immedis),  Lisa Orton (Director, Vialto Partners) and Lee McIntyre- Hamilton, (Global Mobility and International Employment Tax, Keystone Law) discuss the challenges in the Global Payroll Industry.

In addition to attending the Symposium’s sessions, the Acumen team is looking forward to the GPA’s annual awards ceremony, where our team has been nominated for two prestigious awards:

  • Payroll Innovation Award 2022
  • Employer of Record Organization of the Year 2022

Check out our Linkedin posts to get real-time updates on the Symposium and the GPA Awards 2022 ceremony.

News

Acumen International Shortlisted for GPA Global Payroll Awards 2022

Acumen International was shortlisted for two prestigious categories of the Global Payroll Association Awards 2022:  Employer of Record Organization of the Year 2022 Payroll Innovation Award 2022 The Global Payroll Association (GPA), the leading professional organization for businesses that manage global payroll and international HR, annually recognizes some of the best global payroll and HR… Read more Acumen International Shortlisted for GPA Global Payroll Awards 2022

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Acumen International was shortlisted for two prestigious categories of the Global Payroll Association Awards 2022

  1. Employer of Record Organization of the Year 2022
  2. Payroll Innovation Award 2022

The Global Payroll Association (GPA), the leading professional organization for businesses that manage global payroll and international HR, annually recognizes some of the best global payroll and HR service providers worldwide at their GPA Summit. This year’s GPA will host the Summit in Dublin, Ireland, on September 22nd, 2022. The Summit provides an opportunity to discuss global employment and payroll industry trends, challenges, and perspectives.

Each year, the GPA recognizes and awards the most prominent individuals, teams, and business entities for excellence in the global HR and payroll space, in 13 distinct categories. To be eligible for the GPA Awards 2022, each company must show excellence across all aspects of its business through various criteria. These include superior performance in the global employment arena, deep global payroll management and compliance expertise, knowledge of local legislation, and a solid commitment to meeting clients’ needs for payroll technology.

It is not the first time that Acumen has earned the recognition of our industry peers for outstanding performance on the HR international, global employment, and payroll stages. The GPA previously recognized Acumen International as a Global PEO of the Year in 2020, but the company has not been content to rest on its laurels. The GPA Award 2022 nominations mark Acumen’s commitment to staying ahead of industry trends and providing comprehensive and innovative solutions for the global employment industry.

To be in the running for both awards is a huge achievement. However, this year the competition is stiffer than ever, with Acumen International up against global giants like Google and Experian. In particular, Acumen’s Global Payroll Calculator (GPC) has caught the attention of industry colleagues as an innovative solution for businesses operating on a global scale.

Global Payroll Innovation Award 2022

Acumen International’s Global Payroll Calculator was selected as a nominee for Payroll Innovation Award 2022 because it represents a fundamental shift in how global payroll information is processed.  Through its intuitive interface, combined with advanced data-wrangling capabilities, GPC streamlines and simplifies global payroll calculations from every corner of the globe.

Global payroll administration can be complex and ever-changing, with various rules and regulations that employers must follow to ensure compliance. Determining employment cost and tax liability across multiple jurisdictions requires significant time and effort to calculate and data-wrangle. Different legal entities and filing groups add to the complexity. 

Such key variables can include everything from tax apportionment and modifications to employee benefits and compensation provisioning to tax adjustments and paid time off that affect tax filing. Managing all of these elements simultaneously can be a challenge, but it is necessary to maintain a compliant payroll and make sure that everything is accounted for correctly.

Global Payroll Calculator

The GPC considers local taxes, payroll, benefits, hiring practices, compliance requirements, and other labor-related issues, empowering businesses to make well-informed and confident global hiring decisions and accelerate operations. 

The Global Payroll Calculator (GPC) by Acumen International, an integral part of the Express Global Employment Platform, is a powerful and easy-to-use SaaS solution that helps international employers instantly and accurately estimate the total employment costs for a local and foreign workforce in 190 countries. 

Global Employment Innovations 2022

As the world continues to globalize, businesses must change how they operate to stay ahead of the competition. The C-suite leaders are expected to take a more strategic approach to global expansion and employment. 

Acumen International’s team invested significant time, resources, and intellectual capacity into reimagining each step of the global employment journey, including entity setup options, third-party employment models, total employment cost calculations, multi-jurisdiction hiring, and compliant processes. 

Acumen’s experts focused heavily on inserting technology tools to supplement human effort, replacing manual input with automation, and allowing global employment professionals to spend their time on high-value areas.

As a result, Acumen International has developed the Express Global Employment (EGE) Platform — a more efficient, cost-effective, and compliant global employment solution for its clients and network partners. 

The regulatory employment law landscape is continuously changing and becoming more complex, making it difficult for multinational companies to ensure compliance. The EGE Platform aims to help C-level executives and international employment professionals navigate the complexities of the global expansion journey, make informed decisions, and avoid risks such as tax, non-compliance, employee misclassification, and permanent establishment risks across multiple jurisdictions. 

The Express Global Employment Platform is intended to provide expert advice, guidelines, and summaries of the employment laws and compliance regulations for hiring and dismissing employees, managing independent contractors, and immigration rules in 190 countries. The Global Employment Platform eliminates the need for pesky details while ensuring accuracy and employment compliance! 

Express Global Employment Platform allows streamlining of global payroll processing, benefits, and tax administration, making it easy to manage employee and contractor information in one place.

Nick Ganzha, CEO and Founder of Acumen International, says: 

It is an honor to be shortlisted for the third time for the GPA Awards 2022. No company can be successful without a great team behind it. At Acumen International, we believe that our people are our most valuable asset. We work hard to support, empower and motivate them so they can keep growing. This commitment sets us apart and drives us to achieve more. Acumen International is on a fast track to success.

Our Express Global Employment Platform is a massive leap forward, putting us at the forefront of the global employment industry. We have a robust roadmap for 2022-2023 full of innovations to enhance our current solutions portfolio while working toward new product launches through the end of the year. As a leading Global Employer of Record Service Provider, we continuously extend our product offering to meet the evolving clients’ needs. Our Global Employment Platform is a suite of innovative tools helping companies take their business international. This offering is part of our global strategy: we are now a partner that can offer more than just traditional Employer of Record Services.

About Acumen International 

Headquartered in the UK, Acumen International is a leading provider of EOR (Employer of Record) and PEO (Professional Employment Organisation) solutions with a global reach in 190 countries. 

Acumen International offers innovative SaaS solutions to multinational companies expanding in today’s volatile global market. The company helps clients solve their most complex challenges, streamline global employment, reduce costs, and mitigate compliance risks, providing the peace of mind needed to focus on achieving their strategic objectives.

About Global Payroll Association (GPA)

The Global Payroll Association (GPA) is the leading professional organization for businesses that manage global payroll and international HR. The GPA is an organization that promotes the advancement of human resource management through educational resources, industry news, and networking opportunities. GPA is dedicated to helping its members find productivity, effectiveness, and professionalism. It has more than 6,000 members in over 80 countries.

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Global Employment Challenges and Solutions

Global employment today is a puzzle. Some pieces are missing, some are swapped around, and some are even upside down or inside out. Whether you are a multinational corporation, an international non-profit, or just a business that operates in more than one country, you have probably had the experience of running into some of the… Read more Global Employment Challenges and Solutions

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Global employment today is a puzzle. Some pieces are missing, some are swapped around, and some are even upside down or inside out. Whether you are a multinational corporation, an international non-profit, or just a business that operates in more than one country, you have probably had the experience of running into some of the same challenges with global employment.

When hiring a staff to work overseas, some challenges come far beyond the nuts and bolts of finding and vetting candidates. Companies often overlook these challenges when they think only of locally-hired employees, which can have extreme consequences for businesses that employ a workforce internationally.

The employment laws, compliance regulations, legal requirements, and tax implications can be complicated. The laws vary widely by country, making it challenging to structure payroll and employee benefit plans around international operations.

Why is this? Because if you are not careful, you might find yourself unwittingly breaking one employment law regulation or another in your new country. This could lead to fines, other legal issues, and harmful public exposure for your brand. It is not just about being bad for your business, though; it is also about being bad for the people who work in your company.

A global Employer of Record helps solve the global employment puzzle. That’s why companies turn to a global EOR that has experience operating in many countries and can provide expert advice on compliance issues.

1. Local Incorporation Cost and Risk

Different businesses have different strategies for entering and exiting countries. However, ad-hoc strategies are more likely to lead to miscommunication and problems. Businesses must have a fully implemented strategy before entering or exiting countries. By doing more planning and preparation, the process will be more straightforward.

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. 

There are six key things to consider when choosing an employment method for your company’s global expansion:

  1. Budget and time frame
  2. Tax implications
  3. Compliance
  4. Employment liability
  5. IP protection
  6. Asset acquisition.

3 Most Common ways of Local Entity Establishment

  1. Overseas Permanent Establishment (a representative office, a branch, a subsidiary, and other foreign legal entity types )
  2. Selecting independent contractors to handle tasks remotely.
  3. Work with a global EOR (Employer of Record) and GEO (Global Professional Employer Organisation) Partner. 

You’re expanding your business into new territories with many new challenges. You’re revising your business models to better suit overseas markets, setting up foreign entities to make local hires, and dealing with the tax implications.

Incorporation and payroll registration at the local level are essential. However, the associated costs and time investment required for skilled accounting and legal support can be prohibitive. A Global Employer of Record is the solution that helps you skip the costly and time-consuming tasks of local incorporation and registration. A global EOR ensures compliance without sacrificing flexibility or control of your foreign workforce.

Engaging the services of a global EOR (employer of Record) lets you offload compliance-related concerns and skip the hassle of incorporation.

Skip the paperwork, and skip the hassle. Stop worrying about complex tax rules and legal issues your business faces. Let us help you enter foreign markets with just one payment and a single contract.

Get Express Quote

2. Employment Taxes

The world is becoming increasingly connected, with people and businesses moving across borders to take advantage of opportunities. However, employment and tax legislation have not kept up with this trend, making it difficult for companies to stay compliant.

Employment taxes can be a significant burden for businesses, especially those that hire internationally.

There are many different types of taxes that businesses have to pay, but employment taxes are one of the most important and ever-evolving. These taxes can vary significantly from country to country and can be a large portion of a monthly salary. Not only are the rates different in each country and state, but the tax filing methods can be highly complicated. So it can be challenging to figure out how much you need to withhold from your employees and how much you owe in taxes.

The problem with international employment taxes is they are often much more complicated than domestic ones and can vary even within one country. For example, there are different laws in the US depending on where you live and if you work for the federal government or a private company. In other countries, the applicable taxes may depend on which industry you work for.

3. In-country Employee Registration

Managing payroll in different countries can be a complex and challenging task. Employees may need to be registered and taxed differently in each country, and other laws must be followed. This can make it very hard to keep track of everything and ensure everything is done correctly. However, it is critical to ensure that employees are appropriately registered with the local authorities before they start work. Failing to do so can result in penalties for both the employee and the employer.

4. Payroll Calculations: Country-specific Requirements

In many countries, payroll calculations vary significantly. For example, employees in some countries may receive a 13th and 14th-month salary halfway through the year or at Christmas as standard. Thus, it’s essential to be aware of the payroll practices in your country of employment.

Understanding how payroll calculations work in your new country is important to avoid surprises. Some countries have different rules when it comes to employment contracts. In some cases, you may be responsible for paying your employees for the entire employment contract duration even if they are not performing as expected or you want to end their employment early. This can be a financial shock to foreign employers who are not used to this practice.

For this reason, it is vital to ensure that you review and understand the terms of the employee’s contract before hiring them so you know what to expect.

 However, by addressing some key challenges and partnering with a Global PEO, organizations can ensure compliant, accurate, and timely payments.

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5. End of Financial Year Reporting

The financial year for many countries ends in March, and companies with a presence in more than one country need to produce financial reports for each country and send them to the relevant government bodies. With the end of the financial year approaching, accountants are busy preparing reports, some of which can be complex and difficult to navigate as they may be on foreign websites with little or no English language support. You must get these reports lodged on time, as it could result in late payment penalties.

Many of these reports need to be completed in the local language, so it is recommended that you use an accountant specializing in the country you are based in to ensure compliance before lodgement deadlines.

If your company plans to do business in multiple countries, clearly understanding each jurisdiction’s employment and tax laws is essential. Compliance with these laws can be complex and time-consuming, so many businesses outsource payroll management and other HR functions to a global Professional Employer Organisation (PEO). A reputable Global PEO will have experts on staff who are familiar with the specific requirements in each country where you plan to operate.

6. Local Employment Contracts Compliance

As an employer, you need to have local employment contracts that comply with the law of the jurisdiction where your employees work. These contracts should be provided in both English and the local language. Do not simply copy and paste your existing contract template from your home country – this could result in non-compliance and serious legal consequences.

When recruiting employees for your business, it is critical to ensure their employment contract is appropriate for the country where they will be working. A UK employment contract may not be valid in the United States because they are both English-speaking countries. 

The language of the employment contract is a crucial detail to keep in mind during the recruitment process, as non-compliance to target country employment laws or any mistakes with the paperwork could cost you money, time, and potentially your business.

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7. Compliant Employment Contract Termination

The employment termination process can be just as necessary as the hiring process. This part of employment should not be taken lightly as it can have many implications and consequences, both for the employer and the employee. Therefore, it is essential to consider all aspects of the situation before deciding.

The start of termination process begins when the employee signs the employment contract. If the termination guidelines are clear and precise from the outset, then terminating an employee will be much smoother.

When setting out the terms of employment, you must be clear about the notice period (making sure it’s compliant with the country-specific regulations) and what is expected in terms of returning company equipment, knowledge transfer, and a credit card or cash float balance. Non-compete clauses protecting your intellectual property are also important considerations. Doing so will help avoid misunderstandings and potential legal problems down the road.

If an employer does not have clear procedures for the termination of their employment contract, they may face litigation. Employees who feel mistreated may become disgruntled and legally contest the termination. This can be costly and challenging, especially if the dispute is in another country with a different time zone and language.

Employ to Expand: How to Put Together a Hard Puzzle with Acumen International Employer of Record

Many things can go wrong when you try to find employment overseas. Acumen International can help you navigate these challenges. Still, it is essential to know the potential obstacles you may face because if candidates are unhappy at any stage, the whole arrangement can fail.

As a Global Employer of Record, Acumen International enables organizations to quickly and compliantly hire employees in any country. We take care of all the employment-related details so our clients can focus on their business goals.

When deciding to move abroad for work, your selected candidates consider several factors. The visa and work permit process complexities, currency fluctuations, lifestyle choices, and family considerations can all impact their final decision.

As a global PEO and EOR, we understand that you must put your employees first when expanding your business globally. Considering this move’s impact on their lives, it is crucial to think outside the box and ensure they are comfortable and supported at every step.

It has become critical for organizations to understand applicable laws and regulations concerning issues such as minimum wages and benefits, employment standards, immigration, and labor relations in each location. A Global PEO and EOR can play an essential role in helping organizations navigate this complex global employment landscape by offering reliable and country-specific solutions and expert advice on compliance-related matters.

Global Employer of Record Services by Acumen International

  • Global payroll management;
  • Compliance with local tax rules (file & deposit) of the country where the EOR company is located;
  • Handling compliant employment contracts: 
  • Background, education, and other checks; 
  • Compliant onboarding and termination processes, as well as employee compensation;
  • Arranging visas and work permits for employees;
  • Ensuring the working process is organized under local labor laws;
  • Processing workers’ insurance and other benefits (day-offs, bonuses, and more);
  • Global employment process maps, employment guides, and other documentation.

A Comprehensive Global Employment Solution & a Single Point of Contact

Managing the employment side of your business can be a full-time job in and of itself. There are many options to consider when it comes to finding help, from payroll companies and tax and immigration advisors to employee benefits brokers to human resource consultants.

One alternative to working with numerous vendors is partnering with a Global Employer of Record. A Global EOR can manage all aspects of your business HR resources, from benefits and payroll to unemployment management and safety training. This can free up your time to focus on running your business.

A global Employer of Record can provide a full suite of services to help you replace the following multiple vendors.

Global Payroll Calculator: Instant and Accurate Global Employment Cost Estimation

When hiring employees and contractors across the globe, you may not choose the most cost-effective and business-friendly country.

  • Do you know which country is the most cost-effective place to hire employees? 
  • What are the costs of entity establishment and legal representation?
  • What are the payroll costs and management fees?
  • What are your ongoing annual tax compliance costs?
  • Are you fully aware of banking implications?
  • Did you know that labor laws and hidden costs could make your company less efficient when choosing a country to run your business? 
  • Did you know that there could be a more cost-effective country to hire employees in and save up to 50%?

If you are a business with a global footprint, you probably need help to keep up with the intricacies and uncertainties of managing a globally distributed hybrid workforce. This is because countries have different labor laws, compliance, and tax regulations. You need guidance on tax and compliance. You must understand how foreign employment taxes impact your company and its global employees. Most organizations with a worldwide footprint struggle to calculate employment tax because they fear uncertainty and may need access to up-to-date intelligence.

What if, instead of limiting your company’s international expansion by cutting through the jungle of local regulatory compliance, tax, labor, and immigration requirements, you could have all the information of 190 countries at your fingertips?

Global Payroll Calculator: Tax and Compliance Intelligence at Your Fingertips

That’s where we come in. Acumen International is an innovative global employment solutions provider that has created solutions that help businesses like yours navigate the complexities of calculating employment taxes while optimizing their hire cost and avoiding the costs and risks associated with not doing so.

Acumen International offers the Global Payroll Calculator to help businesses understand the tax rates and compliance requirements for hiring a local and foreign workforce. Acumen’s expert team tracks developments in 190 countries around the globe. It provides up-to-date data on local regulations related to tax, payroll regulations, benefits, hiring practices, compliance requirements, and other labor-related factors that impact an employer’s bottom line. This valuable information makes the Global Payroll Calculator an invaluable tool for businesses looking to expand internationally.

Global Payroll Calculator: A Wealth of Capabilities for Payroll 2023 Budgeting

We have automated routine processes so that you can speed up data collection, gain valuable insights into the global talent market, make informed decisions about talent acquisition, get the complete picture of the latest tax benchmarks, labor market trends, compliance trends—and much more!

With us, you will be able to plan global mobility programs; explore pay practices in the global marketplace; gain guidance on what to pay your top talent while maintaining a diverse workforce; simplify & streamline payroll planning, and attract and retain talent in a competitive marketplace.

Global Payroll Calculator helps companies reduce labor costs by providing up-to-date information on hiring, compensation, and tax requirements. It is also an ideal tool for quickly locating employees in any country.

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Global EOR (Employer of Record) Services: Save Up to 75% of New Market Expansion Cost

Acumen International Employ to Expand Program is the perfect opportunity for you if you are trying to reach new markets, expand your workforce, and grow your business.

Want to reach emerging markets? Hire a high-performing team focused on productivity and profitability. We make hiring, onboarding, and payrolling your hybrid workforce easy. You get the support you need to manage, reward, and your global workforce with one accountable Global Employer of Record partner across 190 countries. 

Our Tiered Pricing Model provides flexible options for international growth with lightweight investment.

Our Global Payroll Calculator automates employer and employee tax calculations worldwide.

The indisputable advantages of partnering with Acumen Global Employer of Record are demonstrated below:

Average Cost & TimeOur Solution *
Time to Market10+ weeks72 hours
Legal Advisors Fees$ 10 000 +………….
Official Employment & Benefits$ 20 000 +………….
Incorporation & Liquidation Costs$ 11 000 +………….
Bank Account Setup$ 2 000 +………….
Maintenance costs, in-house staff to manage the foreign entity, payroll, taxes, and benefits administration.$ 25 000+………….
The approximate total cost of new market entry**$ 74 000 +$ 15 000

* Per one Employee
** Costs vary from country to country

Acumen Global Employer of Record can help you solve the complex puzzle of global employment. As a Global EOR partner, we help businesses meet all their HR needs while handling compliance issues in the international arena. By offering comprehensive global employment solutions and reality checks about the compliance aspects of employing staff across the globe, we can be an essential resource for your in-house HR and Management teams.

Contact us to discuss your quick and compliant global employment journey.

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Hiring International Sales and IT Teams in Foreign Countries

Hiring a Global Sales Team vs. Hiring Independent Sales Reps and Self-Employed Agents in Foreign Countries Hiring a Global Sales or IT Team in Foreign Countries: What You Need to Know Need Some Tips on Compliantly Firing a Foreign Sales Rep? Top Benefits of Full-Time Employee vs. Independent Sales Rep Global PEO and EOR Solution… Read more Hiring International Sales and IT Teams in Foreign Countries

Expanding operations into foreign markets is an excellent way to generate revenue by tapping into different monetary resources. In such a case, hiring local salespeople to represent your company in its target market is the best idea.

Successful global expansion is rooted in the efforts of a talented, remote sales force that help you break into the local market, communicate more efficiently with your clients, and consequentially generate maximum revenue.


Hiring a Global Sales Team vs. Hiring Independent Sales Reps and Self-Employed Agents in Foreign Countries

The Difference between International Salesforce Types

Foreign Independent Sales Reps Direct In-House Sales Forces
Cheapest and free of legal hassles. High risk of employee misclassification with costly penalties for that. Expensive and only companies with large budgets can afford it. Setting up the company’s legal entity in a foreign country is required.
Reduced team spirit, less engagement with the product, independence of sales reps that will be less likely to work as a team and be productive in the long-term. High team spirit, product engagement, and high productivity by retaining the best team members long-term.

Hiring a Global Sales or IT Team in Foreign Countries: What You Need to Know

Depending on the needs of your business, you may want to hire an IT team to streamline your software development project or a bunch of salespeople to represent your company in the foreign market, which requires you to keep the following considerations in mind.

How a PEO Can Help Mitigate HR Compliance Risks and Exposures when Hiring International Teams

Activities for your global sales force or IT teams can differ based on your overall strategy, the product your company offers, the specific geography you’re trying to target, and how much involvement you want from your international sales staff. Many employment solutions can only help with a single issue, such as paying salaries to your global sales or IT teams. However, these solutions often do not assist you with the scope of activities specific to these teams. This can be a problem if you need help managing all aspects of your team’s activities.

These include paid travel, car allowances, and mobile phone provisions. In some cases, families may even be relocated to another country if an employee is sent abroad for business development.

Once you have engaged remote salespeople or IT teams and software developers in a legally correct manner to mitigate compliance risks and exposures, it is just as important to decide how you will stop cooperation with them. Whether due to changes in your company or theirs, it is essential to have a plan to end the relationship to protect yourself from any legal issues that could arise.

Need Some Tips on Compliantly Firing a Foreign Sales Rep?

As an employer company, it is often necessary to ‘divorce’ yourself from a salesperson or IT developer whose services are no longer needed. However, it is also essential to protect yourself from any unexpected resignations from your IT team or other staff members. Unexpected resignations can often lead to substantial financial losses for many companies.

As your business grows, you’ll need to evaluate which type of salesforce or IT team members will be the best fit at different stages. Self-employed foreign reps or IT developers can be a good option during the startup phase. However, if you’re looking to serve strategic partners, you’ll likely need fully committed international sales or IT professionals.

There are several reasons why an employer may not be able to fire an employee legally. These include immigration status, retaliation, or refusal of lie detector testing. It is essential to be aware of these before taking any action.

If you have an employee leaving your company, pay them all outstanding wages for work done. This includes any final payments, no matter how poor the quality of the work may have been. If the employee is required to sign any nondisclosure agreements, make sure they do so before leaving.


Top Benefits of Full-Time Employee vs. Independent Sales Rep

Global PEO and EOR Solution for Hiring International Sales and IT Teams


A neutral body that takes over the whole scope of foreign-sales-teams activities on your behalf, regardless of the number of salespeople and countries where you want to hire them, can be the best way to go. Companies of this kind are primarily known as Global Professional Employer Organizations (PEOs). Companies of this type are very broad in character and scope.

Global PEO company is your single partner with international experience and standardized employment reporting procedures.

Acumen International is a Global Professional Employer Organization and Global Employer of Record. Its global network is set up in different countries with established jurisdictions in all matters about HR, taxes, accounting, payrolls, compliance, labor, and employment. It provides an excellent solution that is equally compliant across 190 countries.

At Acumen International, we take on all the legal, financial, and contractual responsibilities for employers and foreign workers. This way, employers only have to sign a single service agreement, and employees only have to sign an employment agreement. We make the whole process simpler and more accessible for everyone involved.

Third-party Global Employment Solutions: Be as Agile as Possible with a Global PEO and EOR Partner

Before thinking about hiring employees, you’ll need to set up your business entity and jump through all the associated hoops. This can include paying taxes, setting up a compliant payroll system, and sometimes applying for a social security number from the tax authorities. These additional steps can take anywhere from a few weeks to several months.

As your business expands globally, it is important to be agile to make the best decisions for your company. Markets and consumer demand are constantly changing, so it is vital to be as flexible as possible. The more agile you are, the easier it will be to make the right choices for your business.

Outsourcing can be an excellent way for organizations to save money and increase efficiency. By carefully selecting which global employment functions to outsource and working with a trusted partner, businesses can reap the benefits of outsourcing without putting themselves at risk. Outsourced standard functions include payroll, benefits, and absence management, but the decision of which functions to outsource should be made case-by-case. With careful planning and execution, outsourcing can help your organization run more smoothly and save money in the long run.

When expanding your business into new countries, there are many benefits to using a global PEO (Professional Employment Organization) or EOR (Employer of Record). A Global PEO and EOR Partners can handle all the immigration, hiring, payroll, tax, and HR compliance for you, freeing up your time to focus on other aspects of running your business. And if you ever need to leave the country, you can do so without being tied down by any long-term commitments.

Benefits of Building an International Sales Team  or IT Team with a Global PEO Partner

Quickly and Easily Enter International Markets with PEO: No Entity Setup Needed

Starting a business is costly, whether you use a PEO or set up your legal entity. However, working with a PEO can save you money compared to the latter option. With a PEO, you benefit from their years of experience and knowledge of best practices, which can help reduce costs. In contrast, setting up your legal entity takes up valuable resources and staff time, not to mention the added cost of complying with various regulations. Therefore, working with a PEO is the way to go if you’re looking to cut costs and streamline your operations.

There are many benefits to using a global EOR (Employer of Record) or PEO, including cost savings in entity setup fees. By partnering with an experienced and reputable company, you can leverage existing legal entities in other countries, which can help you save money and time.

When considering the benefits of using a global employer of record, companies can expect to save money when entering or exiting international markets and hire top talent quickly. Additionally, this method allows companies to draft and maintain compliant employment contracts, manage all payroll and tax withholdings, and ensure a quick entry or exit from international markets.

Quick Time to Market and Ability to Hire Top Talent Faster

Global expansion is a complex and time-consuming process with many potential pitfalls. A professional employer organization (PEO) can help you navigate the process and establish a presence in your chosen country quickly and efficiently. By tapping into the global talent pool, you can expand your reach into new markets with a sales force or IT developers that speak the local language and understands the nuances of doing business in that country.

A PEO can help you establish a presence in your chosen country quickly and effectively. Setting up a legal entity can be lengthy, sometimes taking up to 12 months. This can lead to delays and setbacks in your global expansion plans.

This is where a professional employer organization (PEO) can be extremely helpful. Compared to the time and effort required to set up a legal entity, using a PEO is much quicker and easier. This can be crucial when maintaining momentum during your expansion and avoiding the loss of potential candidates, clients, or other opportunities.

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Full HR Compliance and Streamlined Employment Processes

No question starting up a legal entity takes significant time and effort. Not to mention, there are always added costs associated with compliance and other red tape issues. However, using a PEO can help alleviate many of these concerns.

A PEO can help ensure HR compliance during your business expansion. On the other hand, setting up a legal entity exposes you to compliance risks that could impede your ability to reach your target market. Countries have different employment laws, which can change suddenly and without warning. This leaves your team scrambling to catch up and adapt business practices, a process that can lead to non-compliance. A PEO, however, has extensive knowledge of employment regulations around the world and can advise on a variety of employment legislation, including:

  • Compliant employment contracts
  • PTO (sick pay, holiday pays, etc.)
  • Parental leaves
  • Holiday entitlement
  • Hiring and firing practices (termination, notice period, etc.)
  • Overtime regulations
  • Payroll, compensation benefits, and tax reporting
  • Visa applications and work permit securing.

Global PEO Can Protect You from Sales Rep Employment Risks

An employment agreement usually includes a 2-week notice period, which can help companies avoid sudden resignations of employees that might lead to decreases in sales and, subsequently, profit loss.

Many companies have expanded internationally and have found that using a global PEO solution is very beneficial. This is because it allows them to get employees who are fully committed to the company and similar to the sales teams they already have in-house. In addition, it allows them to keep these employees for an extended period, which protects the company from any employment risks. Acumen International is a legal employer and therefore takes on all employment risks. This can save the company a lot of money that would otherwise be spent on setting up expensive business entities overseas.

Global PEO Is a Cost-Effective Global Employment Solution

Compared with traditional direct sales force hiring on own entities, employment using the Global PEO solution is much cheaper, flexible, and risk-free for the employer.

An international workforce that you employ using our Global PEO solution is a kind of hybrid of independent and direct salesforce. Here are the advantages of Sales Rep employees:

  • Hired compliantly
  • Dedicated and fully engaged with company product
  • As the parent company’s employees, they are obliged to fulfill global strategy and advocate the brand, not simply make sales and earn a commission like in case with independent sales reps
  • Lower expansion cost
  • Flexibility, lean approach: companies can enter more markets, test the markets before they decide to get established there, and quickly withdraw from unattractive countries.

A substantial benefit of long-term staff is that it gives your company the ability to build strong brand equity and make the company and your product recognizable in the foreign market. With short-term sales reps, you risk losing everything if the person decides to leave. In the long run, strong brand equity allows you to reduce overhead costs so that you invest less in the promotion of your products in the foreign market over time while enjoying the same sales volumes and revenues.

Global Payroll Made Easy and Affordable

One of the most challenging aspects of business management is keeping up with payroll. Maintaining an accurate and up-to-date payroll is vital for any business, large or small. But for businesses with sales or IT employees in multiple countries, keeping track of different payroll laws and regulations can be daunting. This can be even more difficult when you have employees in different countries, each with its unique payroll laws.

When managing payroll for international employees, businesses must be mindful of each country’s different tax, payroll, and employment laws. This can be daunting and time-consuming, with stiff penalties for non-compliance. Acumen International payroll services can help you navigate international payroll and employment laws and take care of all the details, so you can focus on running your business.

Global Employment Cost Assessment

In today’s business world, it’s more important than ever to be mindful of costs when expanding your company internationally. Hiring talent in different countries can be expensive, so you must know each country’s compliance, tax, labor, and immigration requirements. One way to save money when hiring employees or independent contractors is to choose the most cost-effective and business-friendly country. This can help you reduce expenses by up to 50%.
Different countries have different labor laws and benefits, so it’s essential to do your research before making a decision. So why not take advantage of our Global Payroll Calculator — the advanced country-by-country employment cost comparison tool? With just a few clicks, you can compare the payroll costs, benefits, employer and employee taxes, and mandatory benefits for 190 countries. The Global Payroll Calculator can make it much easier to find cost-effective locations for your next global expansion move.

The tool considers local taxes, payroll regulations, benefits, compliance requirements, and other labor-related factors that can impact an employer’s budget. By tracking developments in 190 countries worldwide, the research team behind the calculator strives to keep the data up-to-date so businesses can make informed decisions about expanding their operations internationally.

Get Ready To Conquer The World: How A PEO Can Help You Dominate Any Industry

There are many benefits to using a PEO, including saving on compliance risks and time-consuming set-up processes associated with setting up a new legal entity. PEOs are also cost-effective and quick, making them a great option for businesses looking to start the market quickly and efficiently.

If you’re looking to hire and expand on a global scale, you need a partner that can manage payroll, HR, work visas, and employee benefits compliantly and smoothly. Acumen International is that partner. We have the expertise and experience to navigate the complex international employment laws and visa requirements so you can focus on exploring new business markets. Let us help you realize your global expansion goals.

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Global Expansion: Evaluating Employment Cost and Risk

The Key Challenges of International Expansion Global expansion is a key growth component of many technology companies’ long-term strategies — and for a good reason. Increased market share and revenue led to adopt the strategy. However, the challenge of scaling a business goes beyond a simple hop across the pond. When companies expand internationally, they… Read more Global Expansion: Evaluating Employment Cost and Risk

The Key Challenges of International Expansion

Global expansion is a key growth component of many technology companies’ long-term strategies — and for a good reason. Increased market share and revenue led to adopt the strategy. However, the challenge of scaling a business goes beyond a simple hop across the pond. When companies expand internationally, they face unique challenges: how to access the best talent pools, understand their obligations under multiple local labour laws and accounting standards, reduce their exposure to foreign employment and compliance risks, and control costs. 

Globally-minded companies face many challenges when hiring and managing their employees. Global expansion can also require various complex and risky decisions, such as hiring one remote employee in a foreign country or opening up a fully-staffed subsidiary or branch office.

With the proper knowledge and tools, you can expand internationally without experiencing unnecessary stress and strain on your bottom line.

A Strategic Approach to Enable Global Expansion

Companies with a worldwide footprint often have challenges navigating multiple, disconnected global employment management aspects, such as payroll and benefits, immigration and relocation, and legal and compliance, primarily when growth is driven by their global expansion ambitions or mergers and acquisitions. 

As a business owner looking to expand your company’s reach internationally, you know how important it is to have reliable data when making decisions about hiring remote teams. Searching for complete and accurate information can be time-consuming, and you can’t wait days or weeks for answers. Whether your company has already decided to open up new international markets or is simply considering the possibility, you need to be able to base your decisions on accurate and up-to-date information.

The last thing you want is to make choices based on insufficient data. Unfortunately, some resources provide misleading or insufficient information on the taxes and local wages businesses must pay if hired internationally. This can make it difficult to understand the costs involved accurately. That’s why finding a resource that provides reliable, up-to-date information on taxes and wages in different countries is so important.

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Making the Decision to Expand Internationally

Business owners and C-level executives — we’re thinking of you! When hiring employees and contractors across the globe, you may not be choosing the most cost-effective country. 

  • Do you know which country is the most cost-effective place to hire employees? 
  • What are the cost of entity establishment and legal representation?
  • What are the payroll costs and management fees?
  • What are your ongoing annual tax compliance costs?
  • Are you fully aware of banking implications?
  • Did you know that labour laws and hidden costs could make your company less efficient when choosing a country to run your business? 
  • Did you know that there could be a more cost-effective country to hire employees in and save up to 50%? This is because different countries have different labour laws and benefits.

What if, instead of limiting your company’s international expansion by cutting through the jungle of local regulatory compliance, tax, labour, and immigration requirements, you could have all the information of 190 countries at your fingertips?

The Right Global Employment Solution Will Drive Value for Your Business

Acumen International has solved most of the above challenges by Introducing the Express Global Employment Platform which provides companies with the tools to expand abroad while minimizing their risk exposure. 

We developed a scalable and fully automated solution that works seamlessly across the organization. Our global employment cost and compliance risk assessment technology can drive value for your business today and tomorrow.  

The Express Global Employment Platform is designed to help our clients instantly make complex global hiring and compliance decisions, streamlining and simplifying their international expansion journey.

It also helps companies reduce risk, increase engagement, and remove traditional hiring and compliance friction points such as lengthy paper processes or in-country domestic approvals.

The Platform comprises a Global Payroll Calculator and a set of built-in Navigators. These let you instantly understand global employment, tax, and compliance costs and support your data-driven expansion decisions. 

Express Global Employment Platform for Quality Global Expansion Decisions

Express Global Employment Platform is our flagship, unified solution for managing international employment, talent mobility, payroll, benefits, and compliance. Fully automated and fully compliant, Express Global Employment platform powered by our in-house worldwide employment experts and global partner network across 190 countries.

Express Global Employment Platform is intended for organizations of all sizes, from small businesses to global enterprise organizations, helping them grow faster, mitigate risks, lower employment and hiring costs, and scale.

Express Global Employment Platform provides business owners and leaders with the resources to globalize quickly and easily, suggesting the least complicated way to get started in countries where they want to grow.

Express Global Employment Platform allows easy access to compliance data for employment laws in every country. The platform tracks hiring compliance regulations and taxes, employee compensation methods and benefits, security regulations, and other information that will help businesses expand internationally across 190 countries.

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Who Can Use the Express Global Employment Platform?

The platform is designed to provide a comprehensive overview of the global workforce for the following teams:

Founders

Founders: Founders can use EGE to better understand the global hiring process through EGE’s insights on international market expansion opportunities. They can also use EGE as a source of information on international regulatory requirements to help them make strategic decisions about their company’s growth plans.

Operations Team

Operations teams are responsible for making sure that your business can still operate smoothly, even when you’re expanding into new markets or hiring new employees from different countries around the globe. This means that operations teams need tools to manage payroll across borders without access to every country’s disseminated labour law resources. 

HR Management Team

The Express Global Employment Platform is for you if you have a multinational organization. It simplifies the legal and operational aspects of global expansion. It’s a one-stop shop for managing your entire international operations from one convenient location.

Legal and Compliance Team

Legal and Compliance teams have access to an online hiring compliance toolkit that guides them through each step of the employment process in every country they operate in. It allows them to manage their HR compliance efficiently through one central location, regardless of the number of employees or locations. The platform facilitates easy navigation, making finding any HR compliance information you need in seconds easy.

Finance Team

Finance  Teams can use our integrated financial, tax, and payroll tools to control employee expenses and manage employee payments in multiple jurisdictions.

HR Service Providers

  • HR Outsourcing
  • Recruiting
  • RPO/RBO
  • Contingency Employment 
  • PEO (Professional Employer Organisation)
  • EOR (Employer of Record)
  • GEO (Global Employer of Record)
  • Payroll provider
  • HCM
  • Accountant
  • Legal

Streamline Your Global Journey with Advanced Global Employment Tools 

Express Global Employment Platform tackles the most significant international expansion challenges offering a vast array of built-in tools that can help you control costs associated with your global growth and enhance its efficiency. 

The tools can be used together or individually — this allows our clients and network partners to tailor the solution to their needs and eliminate unproductive friction thanks to a single All-in-One EGE Platform.

Global Payroll Calculator

If you’re considering expanding your business by hiring employees in another country or two, you’ll need to know the employment costs. Acumen International has created a Global Payroll Calculator to help you compare the taxes, fees, benefits, and other factors that come into play when making hiring decisions. This tool ensures you’re getting the best bang for your buck regarding new hires.

The Global Payroll Calculator estimates the cost of employing staff in different countries, helps businesses evaluate the employer payroll and tax burden, and understand the compliance requirements for conducting business in a new country. 

Global Payroll Calculator is the ideal international employment cost prediction tool to help you estimate the costs of employing staff in other countries, including employer and employee taxes. It allows you to stay on budget and avoid surprises when expanding Internationally.

Our research team tracks developments in 190 countries around the globe. It gathers up-to-date data on local regulations related to tax, payroll regulations, benefits, hiring practices, compliance requirements, and other labour-related factors that impact an employer’s bottom line.  

The Global Payroll Calculator leverages unique up-to-date data collected by Acumen’s expert in-house team research of over 1500 official government sources and validated with local lawyers, compliance experts, and accountants. 

Global Payroll Calculator helps companies minimize labour costs while providing up-to-date information on hiring, compensation, and tax requirements across 190 countries. It is also ideal for rapid global employment.

An advanced version of the Global Payroll Calculator is integrated with Acumen’s industry-leading Express Global Employment Platform. Global Payroll Calculator provides accurate estimates of an organization’s international intake, accounting for relevant factors Such as salary levels, taxation rules, hiring requirements, and other legal standards across multiple jurisdictions. 

Benefits Global Payroll Calculator Brings to the Table

Global Payroll Calculator enables you to explore and test new markets, make informed decisions about where to base your business, plan foreign employment budgets, help minimize payroll tax and employee wage costs, and decide where to establish your business most cost-effectively. 

You can get instant estimates of the total employment cost for a local worker or ex-pat in any of your target countries, broken down by all in-country employee and employer taxes.

With Global Payroll Calculator, you have the power to estimate the labour costs of your organization in a matter of minutes  — without leaving your desk. Compare the time it takes to produce an employment cost estimation with manual methods or the number of hours spent on finding a local service provider — and you’ll see that this is a tool you couldn’t do without.

Our unique global employment cost estimate tool helps businesses better anticipate the costs of expansion internationally. It also helps reduce the risk of investing in new markets and ultimately enhances your company’s international growth strategy. 

There are a lot of tools for managing labour data, but most are either incomplete or complex. You need something simple and easy to use to get a complete picture of labour costs and taxes that can make strategic decisions about hiring across 190 countries. Global Payroll Calculator gives you a tool to make all your estimates and forecasts with only a few clicks.

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Global Hiring Navigator 

Expanding your business overseas is a great idea. However, using staff in different countries can be hard to predict the risks and anticipate the costs of expanding operations. Navigating the legal complexities of global employment can be difficult, especially for businesses going abroad for the first time. 

The employment law landscape is constantly changing and becoming more complex, making it difficult for multinationals to keep up with compliance. 

The Global Hiring Navigator sets out the employment law rules on hiring and dismissal in 190 countries. It is designed to help organizations navigate the complexities of the ever-changing employment law landscape and make informed decisions about hiring and managing employees worldwide.

It contains a summary overview of domestic employment laws without a specific industry focus, helping you find answers to some less obvious or in-depth questions, including the following.

  • When you hire someone (onboarding), do you need to set up a legal entity?
  • What is the process of permanent establishment?
  • Is a written employment contract mandatory? Does it need to be in a country’s official language?
  • Is it allowed to include probationary periods in the employment contracts?
  • Is it possible to do hiring checks (reference, education, medical, criminal background checks)? Is consent of the individual required?
  • Do executives fall under the same employment laws as regular employees? Or are they fall outside the scope of specific labour laws?
  • Termination of employees (offboarding)
  • What is the notice period or payment?
  • How is the payment of a severance regulated?
  • What procedural requirements may apply (dismissal, approval, etc.) How to anticipate the dismissal cost?
  • What is the notice period, and how to pay out a severance indemnity?
  • How do  I pay maternity/paternity leave?
  • What is the vacation accrual or the ability to monetize vacation?

Choosing Your Best Global Hiring Method

You’re about to open your next big step towards global domination in an overseas market. After determining the talent level you need, your next step is to decide which international employment method is best for you.

Whether you’re getting ready to open a location or hire employees, the method you expand into an overseas market is unique and can play a huge role in capturing the market comprehensively. 

  1. Foreign Independent Contractors 
  2. Non-Resident Employer (NRE) 
  3. Foreign Entity Establishment 
  4. Global EoR (Employer of Record)
  5. International PEO (Professional Employer Organisation)

There’s no one-size-fits-all approach. Each method supports growth in different ways — from helping you manage your payroll taxes to finding reliable HR partners for your business.

There are a few key things to consider when choosing an employment method for your company’s global expansion:

  • Budget and time frame
  • Tax implications
  • Compliance
  • Employment liability
  • IP protection
  • Asset acquisition.

Global Hiring Navigator will tell you everything you need to know about expanding into foreign markets – from complicated, multi-jurisdiction registration to the pros and cons of any particular hiring method.

Foreign Employment Cost and Risk Control to Gain a Competitive Edge

Finding the correct employment costs data can be confusing and time-consuming, especially if your business is considering expanding internationally. 

Employee compensation,  payroll taxes, and benefits vary dramatically from country to country. Costs will vary depending on the country you wish to operate in. For example, in Argentina, companies are mandated to pay workers at least two holidays yearly, while UK-based staff are entitled to unlimited paid holidays.

Why pay 100% more for labour when dealing with a foreign entity? Expand into new markets without increased risk, learn legal frameworks that apply to you, and get the support you need. Express Global Employment Platform is a one-stop resource for every aspect of global hiring management and compliance. 

There is no need to get a degree in international employment law — the Express Global Employment Platform helps reveal the truth behind common misconceptions about hiring international employees. Use our Global Hiring Navigator to effortlessly navigate the maze of labour, compliance, and compensation regulations associated with employing staff overseas. You can gain a competitive edge by accurately budgeting for the tax, social security, health care, and retirement payments with foreign employees.

Curated Labor Law and Cost Control Compass

The Global Hiring Navigator is a complete and accurate solution for businesses seeking to alleviate the complexities associated with global hiring and compliance, including immigration and relocation costs, payroll tax, and employee wage rate changes.

Acumen’s research team tracks developments in 190+ countries around the globe. It gathers up-to-date data on local regulations related to tax, hiring practices, compliance requirements, and different legal standards across multiple jurisdictions that impact an employer’s bottom line.

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Global Employment Compliance Navigator

If your business is going to expand internationally, it must ensure that it complies with all applicable employment laws.

With the complexity of employment laws and their different interpretations and local specificities in multiple countries, expanding internationally can be risky if you’re unaware of these risks. 

With compliance risks from every corner of the multi-location employment ecosystem, hiring compliance can no longer be just a “Send It to Legal” for review in the final stages of the international expansion journey.

The burden of navigating complex tax, regulatory, and compliance environments. Getting it wrong is costly.  

Express Global Employment Platform offers a suite of products to manage and automate compliance processes across your borderless global workforce. It provides an easy way to access compliance data for employment laws across 190  countries, enabling you to identify your crucial employment risk areas. 

With Global Compliance Navigator, you’ll get ahead of the game regarding international hiring compliance. It empowers you to identify and mitigate risks related to regulatory compliance, such as employer misclassification risks:  We cut through complexity, saving you time, effort, and money. 

Express Global Employment Platform helps you keep track of the regulatory landscape and move ahead without worry since all global employment policies and procedures are up to date in 190 countries worldwide.

On top of that, the Express Global Employment Platform empowers you to automate employee and contractor processes, compliance, and tax and benefits administration globally.

Global Mobility Navigator

Global expansion is both an opportunity and a test for companies. On the one hand, it’s a chance for companies to explore new markets and grow their business. On the other hand, failure to do adequate market research or recognize cultural differences can lead to problems. You’ll need the right mix of resources — including finance, HR, legal, compliance, and operations — in your back pocket before embarking on any global expansion plan.

We know that companies and entrepreneurs — those who need the help of foreign talent — can face complex challenges in international employment, immigration, visa process and extensions, work permits, employment options, and other issues related to global mobility. We specialize in global mobility programs that help companies with their employees’ relocation,  financial, and compensation aspects. We work with businesses to ensure a successful transition for all parties involved.

We want to change this by providing the Global Mobility Navigator  —  the solution that makes global employment easier, cheaper, and more efficient.

Mobility Navigator is designed to make the immigration application process a breeze. It gives you the tools to instantly navigate a migration law’s complexity, including high-quality services like legal assistance, visa applications, and work permit sponsorship.

With Mobility Navigator, you can explore your immigration options, information on visa laws and work permit options and regulations, support during employment overseas, and more across 190 countries. 

Mobility Navigator streamlines the immigration process for businesses and their international employees. With its intuitive dashboard, Mobility Navigator gives companies complete control over all immigration matters, enabling them to focus on what they do best: running a successful business.

We take the stress out of your journey and ensure you avoid pitfalls and problems for a happy and productive global journey. Relieve the anxiety and planning issues when you relocate or expand internationally. Mobility Navigator is the immigration and workforce relocation partner you need to keep your business afloat!

Acumen International Complete Global EOR and PEO Solution

As your organization looks to expand globally, many potential benefits will be gained. However, many companies face various challenges before these benefits can be realized. By being aware of these potential hurdles, your company can be better prepared to overcome them and reap the rewards of global expansion.

Acumen International is a leading provider of global EOR and PEO services, offering secure and efficient solutions for businesses that manage international payroll, HR & benefits administration across 190 countries. Our full-service management solutions are tailored to each client’s needs and can include everything from legal talent employment to benefits management and compliance to payroll and taxation.

  1. Processing Immigration requirements
  2. Visa applications & extensions
  3. Work permit sponsorships 
  4. Streamline onboarding, benefits, payroll, PTO
  5. Local labour law compliance
  6. Audit-proof compliance requirements
  7. Employee benefits management
  8. Handling employment contracts, terminations, and compensation
  9. Processing medical insurances 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 worker and ex-pat workforce management
  16. Compliant employment or termination within 72 hours.

Further Reading

  1. The Ultimate Guide to EOR, PEO, and GEO
  2. Benefits of Working with a Global Employer of Record (EOR)
Blog

How To Provide International Employees with Benefits

The value exchange between employer and employee is one of the fundamental bedrocks of business. Employers provide financial compensation to employees in exchange for their time, effort, and services. However, in some cases, employees require additional compensation. This is where benefits come in, a set of perks and compensation that can be the difference between… Read more How To Provide International Employees with Benefits

The value exchange between employer and employee is one of the fundamental bedrocks of business. Employers provide financial compensation to employees in exchange for their time, effort, and services. However, in some cases, employees require additional compensation. This is where benefits come in, a set of perks and compensation that can be the difference between drawing in top talent and being forced to assemble a piecemeal team. In the international sphere, things can get even more complicated. Here’s what you need to understand about benefits internationally.

If an employee works overseas, their employer is still required to provide them with mandatory and voluntary benefits. However, the employer can suspend any benefits that are not legally required.

Mandatory Benefits for Employees

Mandatory benefits are the base benefits that must be provided to employees by law. They may include the following.

  • Health Insurance
  • Life Insurance
  • Long-Term Disability Insurance

Voluntary Benefits

Voluntary benefits are additional benefits that can be provided as an incentive for employees to stay with your company but are not currently required by law. Some examples of voluntary benefits that companies offer include

  • Dental Insurance 
  • Vision Insurance
  • Accidental Death and Dismemberment Insurance 
  • Company cars and car allowances

Healthcare and Risk Benefits

Employee benefits are a vital part of any business, large or small. By providing benefits, businesses can ensure that their employees are happy and productive. There are many different types of benefits, but some of the most common include:

  • Employee education plans
  • Eye care vouchers
  • Death in service/life assurance
  • Occupational sick pay
  • Employee assistance plans
  • Free flu vaccinations
  • Financial support for employees who must self-isolate
  • Programs to encourage physical fitness.

Company Cars and Car Allowances

Different organizations have different approaches to company cars. Some provide them because the employee’s job requires it (e.g., a sales representative). In contrast, others see it as a way to recognize the individual’s status within the organization (e.g., a director).

Employers have a few different options when it comes to paying for employee transportation. Some companies prefer to give a cash allowance to help employees purchase cars or reimburse them via mileage allowances for using their vehicles.

Why Provide Employees With Benefits and Perks?

What exactly makes benefits and perks so crucial for your employees? You can boil this down to three main points.

Employee Confidence and Protection

Part of that value exchange we mentioned earlier is a sense of safety and comfort between both groups. Employers don’t want to constantly look over their shoulders to ensure their teams are working, but employees also need that added confidence. Along with this comes the guarantee of protection the government provides the workforce. Mandatory benefit standards help establish that trust.

Employee Retention and Reduced Turnover

All employers across all niches note the struggle in retaining and attracting talent. It’s become more of a standard now that professionals “job-hop” faster than in the past. One way to avoid this is by providing a comprehensive benefits package. Some people will leave a job with a higher salary for a job with a better benefits package, based on the needs of them and their families. With turnover meaning a loss of money on the employee and training a replacement, you want to ensure you have everything you need.

Outperforming Competition

Even if you don’t have benefits at the front of your mind, your competitors might. We mentioned before how benefits can motivate people to change their careers. A strong set of benefits can give you a leg up to attract top talent for your company.

Basic Employee Benefits Requirements

When providing benefits to your employees, you must keep to the standard of benefits required by law. Failing to do so can lead to financial penalties to varying degrees. For example, failure to comply with local labor regulations in Alberta, Canada, extends from $500 to $6000. The amount depends on the number of cases and repeat offenses. However, this doesn’t include civil suits and the higher amounts you may have to pay.

One of the most prominent historical examples of this was the case against Microsoft in 2000. Having failed to provide benefits for temporary employees properly, Microsoft eventually agreed to pay almost $100 million after an eight-year class-action lawsuit.

So, with this in mind, what are the benefits you need to provide? This will ultimately depend on local regulations (key for international business), but there are a few general benefits you can expect to provide. Here are some of the most common ones:

Medical & Health Insurance

Ideally, you want packages for single people and families to provide top cover.

Life Insurance

This is a major draw if you want to retain family/senior employees. Companies like Prudential or Northwestern mutual are popular.

Disability Insurance

This is particularly important for jobs with a physical component or element of risk (oil workers, construction).

Retirement Plans

IRAs, 401ks, etc.

Holidays, Vacations, Sick Leaves

This helps lower burnout and allows time for employees to spend with family.

Unemployment Insurance

This helps insulate your employees’ confidence if you are in a shaky market.

Other Benefits

Benefits packages vary widely from organization to organization. Some benefits are given to all employees, while others are based on job title, location, or length of service.

Employers often offer a variety of employee benefits to attract and retain top talent. Some expected benefits include unlimited paid time off, conference attendance stipends, holiday parties, concierge services, relaxation apps, and free or discounted meals for staff cafeterias, and nap rooms. By offering these benefits, employers hope to create a positive work environment that employees will enjoy and want to stay with long-term.

This may vary based on niche. For example, a tuition reimbursement program may make sense if you know you will get many young applicants pursuing graduate degrees. Relational compensation may be a good fit if you expand your search nationwide.

As the gig economy grows, policies protecting these workers are more important than ever. This includes those who work for gigs or agencies, as they may be subject to different laws and regulations depending on where they live. Within a country, there may also be remote workers who have different leave and exemption statistics. It is crucial to investigate the appropriate policies for each situation to ensure that all workers are treated fairly.

It’s good to compare your global employment practices with those of other employers in your country or region. This kind of comparison, called employee benefits benchmarking, can help you understand how well you’re implementing global HR best practices and how your organization’s voluntary benefits program stacks up against other employers in the same industry.

Compensating Benefits to International Employees

International companies must pay more attention to benefits due to the high risk of talent withdrawal. Benefits can be one of the most robust options to avoid a rotating door of potential talent. But how exactly do you put this into practice?

Following the global standards in employee benefits, there are four ways to compensate overseas workers:

  1. Get local taxpayer ID by registering an in-country corporate presence and putting the employee on a local payroll. This works, but it also takes a lot of time.
  2. Keep the person on the home-country payroll. This is only applicable for short-term projects. The employee also requires a visa and pays income tax aside from payroll in a host country.
  3. Compensating employees as independent contractors. This can be quite a risk, causing a contractor/employee misclassification);
  4. Through a third-party provider or local business partner.

Working with a global PEO solution is the best option to minimize many of these issues internationally.

Employee Benefits Trends in 2023

So, keeping this in mind, what are employees interested in regarding benefits off the beaten path? Here’s a rapid-fire look at some of the new trending benefits:

Financial Literacy Programs

As the cost of living increases, people want to get more out of their paychecks.

Remote (Work from Anywhere) Policies

Commute frustration and desire for flexibility are driving interest here.

Office Pet Policies

Pets are playing more and more of a role in the lives of millennial workers. Consider bending this to your benefit.

Wellness Programs

Modern work life has many people stressed. Office yoga or meditation sessions can help a lot.

Partnerships with Local Businesses

Consider working with a popular business near your office to provide employee discounts.

Acumen International is your ideal partner and resource if you are looking for a PEO to try and act on some of these employee benefits trends internationally. We operate globally, with a presence in more than 190 countries. We will handle paying benefits and withholding payroll tax, fully complying with local laws and regulations.

How Global PEO (Professional Employer Organization) Can Help You Administrate Employee Benefits

As an employer, you are responsible for evaluating and understanding the various social security measures available to your employees. By partnering with a global employment solution provider, you can ensure that your employees have access to all the benefits they need, including travel insurance, medical cover, income protection, and more.

Global PEOs are global professional employer organizations. That means they offer comprehensive HR solutions for small businesses across the country. Employers can outsource all their HR needs to an expert who specializes in managing this aspect of their business by paying a single fee per employee. Some services provided by PEOs include

Outsourcing some global employment and HR functions to a PERO means that the business owner is not bogged down with processing payroll, benefits, or securing visas ad work permits. Instead, they have more time to concentrate on other company matters, including big-picture issues. 

Benefits Of Working With a Global PEO (Professional Employer Organization)

  1. Global PEOs can provide a broad range of employee benefits that companies that don’t use them may not be able to offer. With the help of a global PEO, you can prevent employee turnover and ensure that your employees are well taken care of while employed with you. Stable employees will be less likely to change companies or leave their jobs altogether.
  2. Global PEO clients can often offer their employees a more comprehensive benefits package than those who don’t. Such benefits may include healthcare, dental, and vision coverage, or retirement plans PEOs also offer retirement plans and other financial benefits.
  3. Global PEOs can provide their clients with competitive advantages in the marketplace by pooling resources and sharing global employment risks.
  4. In addition to managing legal requirements, a Global PEO can help you minimize your tax liability and simplify payroll administration processes. Using a PEO as your single contact for managing payroll and benefits coverage makes things easier because it reduces internal costs—you can focus on doing what you do best. At the same time, the global PEO gets every employee’s need taken care of.
  5. Suppose you’re like many businesses and have trouble keeping track of each country’s requirement for mandatory employee benefits, unemployment claims, workers’ compensation, and other issues. In that case, you may find that using a global PEO saves you time and money. A global PEO will handle all your business-related social security and insurance needs and ensure that your employees get the coverage they need where they live. Because the Global PEO will be able to handle all of the details with one organization, it also helps cut down on internal costs—your company only has to pay one price for each policy rather than dealing with multiple companies across multiple jurisdictions.
Blog

Global HR Compliance Is Key for Successful Global Expansion

When you’re looking to expand your business internationally, there are a lot of factors to consider. One of the most important considerations is how you will comply with complex local laws and regulations. Having a solid global HR compliance strategy in place is essential for expanding without running into problems. In this brief, we’ll examine… Read more Global HR Compliance Is Key for Successful Global Expansion

When you’re looking to expand your business internationally, there are a lot of factors to consider. One of the most important considerations is how you will comply with complex local laws and regulations. Having a solid global HR compliance strategy in place is essential for expanding without running into problems. In this brief, we’ll examine how a PEO (Professional Employer Organization) and EOR (Employer of Record) can help you navigate these tricky territories.

Every international project relating to global expansion requires certain information before, during, and after it is started. This helps companies already operating or planning to expand globally make sure that all their operations are carried out that will not expose them to unnecessary risks, hence boosting their confidence and certainty level.

Companies must determine how to manage their global workforce as they expand globally. One of the biggest challenges for a business is managing the various legal and regulatory compliance issues that arise when expanding internationally.

This is where the concept of EOR (Employer of Record) comes into play. Using EOR, you can now hire these talented people, bring them on board your team, and get the experience you need without having to set up new offices or deal with the challenges of setting up local operations. The challenge is how to ensure compliance when hiring internationally.

One way to do this is using a Global PEO (Professional Employer Organization). Global PEOs are companies that specialize in providing HR services as an outsourced solution for smaller businesses. Global PEO’s can provide you with several services, including but not limited to: recruitment, payroll, benefits management, and HR compliance management.

Surprisingly, many companies planning to operate in foreign markets do not know that one person is now enough to represent their business overseas, hence making them – both large multinationals and small companies or individuals face a considerable lack of information and support on global employment, international and local taxation and immigration, especially if it is about projects that require that their workforce is sent on international assignments.

Having spotted this growing need for up-to-date information about the complaint global workforce employment process, Acumen International has responded to it with our Global HR Compliance services.

Global PEO Can Provide Professional Guidance and Navigate HR Compliance Complexities

We provide professional guidance for corporate clients, agencies, individual contractors, and freelancers on local employment laws, implied compliance risks, and ex-pats immigration nuances to work out the most cost-effective yet compliant and risk-free solution for you. Our objective is to assist you with Global HR compliance issues and offer you the best payment and taxation options. With this, we save you the time and effort that come with understanding the complicated regulations and tax calculations that are often written in the local languages and subject to frequent changes. We also provide information about the best scenarios for ex-pat immigration and employment.

With our expertise in our Global HR Compliance solutions, we will become the single provider that will solve your global business challenges and save you the seemingly unavoidable costs of HR compliance. Our English-speaking professionals work 24/7 to ensure that we assist you by working out tailored labor solutions (whenever you have the need) that are managed legally and in full compliance with the local employment laws, regardless of your time zone.

Use our solutions to efficiently satisfy your need for skilled professionals in whatever industry you work around the globe and, in turn, improve your chances of sustainable success.

A Professional Employer Organization (PEO) is a specialized staffing firm that provides human capital management services, including administration, payroll, tax compliance, workers’ compensation, employee benefits, and HR consulting services for its clients. These ancillary services allow organizations to constrain their investment in human capital management to a fixed fee per employee per year.

Benefits of Using Global PEO & Employer of Record Services

Global PEOs shoulder the burden of many “non-core” HR and administrative activities – from payroll to benefits administration – enabling PEO clients to focus more on their organization’s core competency. Further, PEOs that are more sophisticated provide expertise to help their clients with strategic HR decisions.

  1. Global employment management centralization. Maximized control. Minimized risk 
  2. A Global PEO facilitates quick talent deployment and provides access to various employee benefits solutions to attract and retain your global talent
  3. Eliminating and mitigating certain employment-related risks, including non-compliance and employee misclassification, through the shared responsibility and co-employment arrangement
  4. Scalable technology and infrastructure provided via the global PEO relationship
  5. Reduced and stable global employment management-related cost
  6. A global PEO can facilitate risk-free, quick, and easy market entry by acting as your local legal entity, helping you to avoid the cost and time associated with incorporating into 190 countries
  7. A global PEO allows you to make your global expansion 100% compliant and secure by keeping track and adhering to all local laws and regulations
  8. A global PEO helps you remain agile and scales up or down in your selected foreign markets according to your business needs.
  9. A global PEO facilitates global employment consistency and HR compliance.
Blog

How to Avoid Risks of Terminating Overseas Employees

Expanding your business globally is a huge undertaking with infinite moving parts. Hiring, onboarding, and compensating a global workforce is a complex process, and terminating employees can be even more challenging. Every country has its own laws governing procedures for firing or laying off employees locally, and failure to comply can result in harsh penalties… Read more How to Avoid Risks of Terminating Overseas Employees

Expanding your business globally is a huge undertaking with infinite moving parts. Hiring, onboarding, and compensating a global workforce is a complex process, and terminating employees can be even more challenging. Every country has its own laws governing procedures for firing or laying off employees locally, and failure to comply can result in harsh penalties for your company.

To further complicate things, the global pandemic has impacted the way companies conduct business, both at home and abroad. Regulations have been imposed on both employers and workers that restrict and redefine employer-employee relations. In many cases, new laws introduced by global governments favor employees over employers, to protect them from unfair termination and overly restrictive policy changes.

As a Global Employer of Record service provider, Acumen International assumes responsibility for all stages of engaging international employees on your company’s behalf, from onboarding to dismissal. Our solution is designed to help you avoid legal troubles associated with employee termination around the world, saving you time and money, and preserving your company’s global image.

Following are some facts about employee termination in some of the world’s leading economies.

Employment Termination in the United Kingdom

The UK’s Coronavirus Job Retention Scheme (CJRS) was announced in March 2020 as a furlough program designed to subsidize the wages of 9.6 million UK employees, amounting to nearly a third of the UK’s workforce. The subsidies covered 80 percent of workers’ monthly wages and employment costs, capped at 2,500 Euros per month per worker. As furloughed employees, workers were guaranteed to retain their jobs at the end of the furlough period.

Initially intended to last from March-October 2020, the Scheme has since undergone multiple modifications and extensions, with government contributions being reduced to 70% in July 2021 and dropping to 60% in August, with employers contributing 10% and 20% respectively. The Scheme finally reached its terminus on September 30, 2021, preserving its after-effect.

Since then, the UK government has released a COVID-19 plan for the fall and winter that includes a work-from-home policy, along with mandates for wearing face coverings and proof of compliance with vaccine mandates.

Employment Termination in Canada

In March 2020, Canada’s federal government passed the Employment Standards Amendment Act to provide job-protected leave for employees impacted by COVID-19. The law is meant to prevent employers from terminating their employees for reasons related to COVID-19, such as employee quarantine or caregiving for a family member with the virus.

In general, a Canadian employer cannot force an employee to get a vaccine unless a law states otherwise. For example, first responders and law enforcement are required to be vaccinated. An employer may terminate an employee if they refuse to get vaccinated without a valid reason protected under the Human Rights Code.

Employment Termination in China

Despite being the country hit first and hardest by the pandemic, China implemented an effective strategy to stabilize its economy as much as possible. Before the pandemic, China already had strict termination laws in place. These laws became even more stringent, requiring employers to seek permission from legal authorities to submit a termination letter to an employee. In addition, employers in China are required to give 30 days notice of termination or alternatively, to provide one month’s salary prior to letting the employee go.

Employment Termination in Australia

In Australia, workplace laws are established to ensure that employees are lawfully and fairly terminated. They outline what compensation employees are entitled to upon termination, and provide guidelines for termination due to redundancy. Laws for terminating employment are regulated by the Fair Work Ombudsman and the Fair Work Commission.

Unfair Dismissal

  • a worker is dismissed
  • the dismissal was harsh, unjust, or unreasonable
  • the dismissal was not due to redundancy
  • a small business dismissed the employee without adhering to the Small Business Fair Dismissal Code.

Every year, approximately 15,000 unfair dismissal cases are filed in Australia. Any terminated employee can file a case against you, provided they:

  • are covered by an award or employment agreement
  • earn less than $158,500 per year
  • apply within 21 days of the dismissal

Once filed, it is up to the Fair Work Commission to determine whether the employee’s termination was justified and lawful.

Australian employees impacted by the coronavirus have additional protections under a special workplace health and safety law to provide for sickness, quarantine, and lockdowns.

The law addresses the following:

  • Extended periods of sick leave
  • Protections in the workplace
  • Protection from workplace discrimination
  • Unfair dismissal

The onus of proof of fair and lawful termination falls on the shoulders of the employer, and an accusation can result in costly legal and court fees, even if the case is ruled in the employer’s favor.

Tips on Terminating Overseas Employees

Terminating a foreign employee doesn’t have to be a nightmare. You can take several steps to ensure everything goes smoothly — and legally — when you end the employment relationship. If you’re an employer with employees working abroad, here are some practical tips on avoiding the risks of terminating these workers.

  1. Understand the laws in your employee’s country.
  2. Use an experienced international employment law attorney to help you navigate these laws and any other challenges that might arise during the termination process.
  3. Retain an employment law expert who can help you navigate the unique challenges of termination in a foreign jurisdiction.
  4. Understand how the termination will affect your company’s reputation, ability to recruit top talent, and ability to do business in that country going forward (for instance, if you must rehire your former employee).

How Acumen’s Global PEO Solution Can Help Avoid Termination Risks

International laws regulating employer-employee relations vary significantly from country to country, and even more so with additional pandemic-imposed restrictions in place. An unpredictable pandemic can bring about rapid changes affecting businesses and workers.

Hiring and terminating employees in multiple countries can be challenging, even in a relatively stable business landscape. In more turbulent times, the difficulties are magnified as labor laws evolve to keep pace with current events.

In today’s world, events caused by the pandemic can disrupt your business operations to the extent that you need to lay off or dismiss a large portion of your workforce, exposing your company to accusations of wrongful termination. Employee termination can result in fines and penalties amounting to thousands of dollars if found unlawful or unfair.

Acumen’s Global Employer of Record solution can help to protect your company from compliance violations when downsizing your global workforce. As the legal employer for your overseas personnel, Acumen can help smooth the process of terminating your workforce – locals and ex-pats – without the risk of penalties.

As your global PEO partner, Acumen can onboard, compensate, and terminate your employees on your behalf, ensuring that your company is fully compliant with local labor laws. As part of our service, we provide our clients with expert advice and assistance when it becomes necessary to terminate an employee.

As global employment experts, our team stays abreast of changing laws and mandates in 190 countries worldwide to ensure that our clients always remain legally compliant with local labor laws and regulations.

Benefits of Acumen’s Global Employer of Record Solution

  • All-stage processing and handling of your global HR needs.
  • Accurate information about employee records and severance package requirements.
  • Up-to-date information about regulatory changes in countries where you do business.
  • Assistance with termination procedures and appropriate documentation.
  • Reduced risk of fines and penalties when downsizing your workforce.
  • Around-the-clock assistance, regardless of time zone.

For cost-effective assistance in weathering the global pandemic and other challenges that force you to downsize your global workforce, contact Acumen’s team of global employment experts today. We are available around the clock to help you navigate today’s ever-changing international business regulations and remain compliant in the countries where you do business.

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Labor Laws and Regulations Shifts in the Face of COVID-19

It’s hard to fathom the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on the global labor market. Entire industries worldwide have ground to a halt due to health concerns, and the globalization that powered the business world has now become an Achilles heel. In essence, many industries across the world depend on human mobility and migration. This… Read more Labor Laws and Regulations Shifts in the Face of COVID-19

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It’s hard to fathom the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on the global labor market. Entire industries worldwide have ground to a halt due to health concerns, and the globalization that powered the business world has now become an Achilles heel. In essence, many industries across the world depend on human mobility and migration. This includes migrant workers in the farm industry, tech support professionals in Asia, entrepreneurs traveling across the globe.

We are already seeing the impact of this change in action, with unheard-of amounts of unemployed people across the world. However, we are in the midst of an unprecedented amount of labor, tax, migration, and payroll changes. Failing to react could leave your company in a position of non-compliance. What should these companies do next?

COVID-19 Updates And The International Labor Market

The major thing that needs to be mentioned here is that while all countries are making some type of change to their laws to account for the pandemic, they are not all the same. Different countries are dealing with different levels of outbreaks and economic concerns, and this is reflected in the shifts.

So, with all this said, here’s a profile of 10 countries making major adjustments to their taxation, labor, migration, and payroll legislation in response to the ongoing pandemic.

  • United Kingdom: Companies lower than 250 employees can be reimbursed for sick leaves. Notably, employers selecting workers as “redundant” need to be able to prove they are making their decisions not based on discrimination.
  • Mexico: Mexico and the United States have come together to restrict non-essential land travel across the border to stop virus transmission. This means that travelers may be denied at the border if they cannot supply proper proof. Mexico has also enforced laws requiring companies to pay full salary/benefits to employees during the shutdown.
  • USA: COVID-19 U.S. statistics point to the country being one of the most impacted in the world by the pandemic. Perhaps one of the biggest recent developments is the halting of most types of immigration. This is specifically designed to keep foreign workers from taking American jobs, so you need to keep that in mind. Also, many state governments are implementing plans for major tax reform to help with recovery in the coming months.
  • Canada: Canada recently passed a law subsidizing up to 75% of employee wages to avoid mass layoffs, but qualification is contingent on the business structure and percentage of income lost since March of 2020.
  • Chile: Work contracts are being amended to allow employees to access their unemployment insurance quicker in the event of financial uncertainty.
  • Brazil: Brazil has suspended payment of its Severance Pay Fund for April and May. One notable change is that teleworking is now allowed regardless of any existing labor agreements or changes in employee contracts.
  • Germany: Germany is at the forefront in terms of changing business policy for public health. If a business is closed due to a formal ban, all employees are still entitled to up to six weeks of compensation.
  • Ukraine: In March, work from home was stipulated for the first time by Ukrainian law. Work permits are also suspended for certain activities.
  • Russia: A flat travel ban has been instituted on all foreigners entering Russia, with some exceptions. Any employees returning from abroad need support from their employers with quarantine for 14 days. New visa applications for foreigners are also temporarily suspended. Employers are also required to pay at least 2/3 of their employee’s salaries even if they are forced to shut down.
  • Cote d’Ivoire: All regular passenger flights have been suspended for an indefinite period. Changes to the existing employment law are minimal as of this date, though there has been talk of suspending import duties for materials being used to help with fight the pandemic.

Empowering Your Global Expansion

With COVID-19 causing companies to adjust their labor laws compliance, payroll schemes, and migration rules at a rapid rate, does this mean that companies have to put their international expansion plans on hold? Not at all, if you use the right support. A global PEO provider is more important than ever during this time to ensure that you keep your plans moving internationally, without any compliance issues. Global PEO services like Acumen International take a lot of the struggle out of international expansion by serving as the technical employer of your foreign teams. What are some of the key benefits we offer?

  • By using a global PEO service, you can do business in a new country without incorporation. The pandemic has halted a lot of incorporation efforts, so this is likely the only way to start a business quickly.
  • We make sure that you have total legal compliance in over 190 countries for the workers you already chose. As you can see, employment law is changing even faster than usual. Our services keep you protected from legal fallout.
  • We also help with payroll and benefits programs for your employees. When the dust settles, a lot of people are going to be reentering the workforce. You need an appealing salary/benefits package to draw in top talent.

As more and more COVID-19 updates come in, expect immigration rules to see more change. However, our services can help with hiring and paying foreign sales reps, as well as other professionals you want to bring in.

Things You Can Do Next

As a result, while COVID-19 is causing changes for those trying to enter new foreign markets, that doesn’t mean you are paralyzed as far as options. It’s still very possible to:

  • Employ overseas sales forces in key markets
  • Begin your operations and get presence in the host countries
  • Expand without incorporation
  • Begin with a small team of remote workers in a new country and add any headcount later

The key, though, is having a service/partner that can help you stay flexible and compliant as this situation evolves. Global PEO solutions and a global employer of record are the exact methods you need. Be sure to keep following the Acumen International blog for more COVID-19 updates as well

Reach out to us today for more information.

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Acumen International celebrates the 21st  Anniversary!

Dearest clients, partners and global team members, thank you all for those 21 years of success and growth together. This wouldn’t be possible without You! So the celebration’s not just ours, it’s also yours )  We are grateful to CEO Nick Ganzha for creating Acumen, and for continuous support and abundance of opportunities for us all!  21 years ago, we… Read more Acumen International celebrates the 21st  Anniversary!

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Dearest clients, partners and global team members, thank you all for those 21 years of success and growth together. This wouldn’t be possible without You! So the celebration’s not just ours, it’s also yours ) 

We are grateful to CEO Nick Ganzha for creating Acumen, and for continuous support and abundance of opportunities for us all! 

21 years ago, we started as a few but now we are a global team of professionals full of talents, creative solutions and energy. Let’s together reach success Acumen’s surely destined for!

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Acumen International’s response to the Russian military invasion and war against Ukraine!

OFFICIAL RELEASE: Dear partners and clients, we officially inform you that we cease all operations in Russia and Belarus due to the devastating war Russia started against Ukraine this year on February 24th. Here are the steps we are taking now. We are terminating all projects with the clients’ employees in Russia and Belarus. All… Read more Acumen International’s response to the Russian military invasion and war against Ukraine!

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OFFICIAL RELEASE:

Dear partners and clients, we officially inform you that we cease all operations in Russia and Belarus due to the devastating war Russia started against Ukraine this year on February 24th.

Here are the steps we are taking now.

We are terminating all projects with the clients’ employees in Russia and Belarus. All is done in accordance with local legislation to ensure employees’ rights are protected. We do not want to support Russia and Belarus’ governments with not one penny being paid to those countries.

At the same time, we are helping Ukrainian and international companies to retain their talent who flew to Europe to enable them to continue their operations as usual, no matter where the workers had to settle down. We are helping both our clients and their employees with relocation and compliant PEO employment all over Europe.

We are arranging fast compliant local payroll in the European countries where the Ukrainian nationals have flown after leaving Ukraine.

If you have workers in Ukraine that have fled to or are planning to leave to European countries or any other country in the world, and you want to keep and engage them in a fast and compliant manner, please contact us for help with a fast solution to employ your displaced employees.

All these actions fully reflect our company’s policy and values of our care and support for the Ukrainian people, our clients, and European neighbors and partners.

Acumen International company is doing our best to support our Ukrainian employees and their families and help all those affected by the conflict with donations and what’s within our powers!

Check our website for additional info

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How to Choose the Best Global PEO in 2022 and Beyond

Nick Ganzha | CEO | Acumen International  An interview with Iryna Oprya, Acumen International’s Media Department Head If you are ready to scale your business by taking it abroad, you need an experienced global partner to help you navigate the global business landscape. This is especially true after the events of 2020 that impacted businesses around… Read more How to Choose the Best Global PEO in 2022 and Beyond

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Nick Ganzha | CEO | Acumen International 

An interview with Iryna Oprya, Acumen International’s Media Department Head

If you are ready to scale your business by taking it abroad, you need an experienced global partner to help you navigate the global business landscape. This is especially true after the events of 2020 that impacted businesses around the globe and brought new regulatory guidelines that must be followed.

Acumen International is a leading Global PEO company that provides its Express Global Employment service to help businesses expand and hire global talent in 190 countries. The challenges of 2020 impacted our company in the same ways they affected companies worldwide, but they helped us innovate and grow our services, to be ranked among the best.

Acumen’s interview with CEO and Founder Nick Ganzha in February 2021 covers the many key factors to consider when choosing the best Global PEO for your international business needs. In this interview, Nick reflects on how 2020 impacted the global HR and global employment industries, discusses the complexities and controversies faced by business leaders who plan to expand globally, and forecasts his expectations for global business in 2021.

Nick’s thoughtful answers clearly demonstrate why a Global PEO model is the perfect solution for businesses of any size who want to go global.

Iryna Oprya (IO), Media Department Head, Acumen International:

Nick, thank you so much for doing this interview with us! Before digging in, do you think most organizations today are aware of the Global PEO concept and the opportunities it offers? Please elaborate.

Nick Ganzha (NG), Founder and CEO, Acumen International:

Many companies think of PEO as a US-based concept intended mostly for small businesses. They don’t realize that a global PEO is a global employment solution for businesses of any size, for talent acquisition and retention, and a global expansion solution. Today, businesses of any size can easily expand into any market in the world, to sell their products and hire the best global talent, whatever their resources or stage of development. What was once the prerogative of blue-chip companies with unlimited resources has now become an opportunity for small and medium-sized companies with limited resources to tap into global markets.

Over the past decade we have seen a rising trend toward remote work, which actually shaped our global employment industry. The events of 2020 made remote work ubiquitous across all industries around the globe. Where working remotely once meant working from home in your city of employment, it now encompasses working with companies on the other side of the planet. On a global scale, remote employment is clearly the trend of the future. And who knows? Maybe in the coming decade, remote work will take place on another planet.

IO: What will this growing trend bring with it? What are the key factors that global businesses will need to consider when choosing the best Global PEO?

NG: To me, the one and only major factor to consider is that a Global PEO service is the perfect vehicle to help companies shift from a traditional work model to a remote one if they want to survive and thrive in the business landscape of the future.

IO: How exactly can Acumen International help businesses make this transition?

NG: We do it with our Express Global Employment solution, delivered in 190 countries. EGE is Acumen’s outstanding new service that was recently branded as a separate turnkey solution, designed to meet our clients’ urgent global hiring needs. With EGE, we can employ your selected global workforce on your behalf in any country in the world. Better yet, we can do it within 72 hours or less if we’re talking about employing the country’s local citizens with our 100% compliant solution.

Whether you are an enterprise looking to employ global talent or an agency hiring a global workforce for your clients, our Express Global Employment service provides a one-stop-shop solution to meet all your needs. Acumen is here to help you with expedited and compliant global employee onboarding, worldwide.

IO: Nick, you mentioned remote work as one of the most important global HR trends of 2020. What other trends and changes did 2020 bring about?

NG: First of all, I would say that the COVID-19 pandemic wins the 2020 Trend of the Year award. In addition to health threats and depressing statistics, it has affected every industry and every sphere of modern business life. The global HR and global employment industries were no exceptions. Our greatest challenge was the many international employees who were stranded in various countries due to COVID-19. This posed unprecedented challenges for companies employing a global workforce, in particular the challenge of keeping their global talent compliantly employed in the countries where they were stranded.

Another trend stemming from the pandemic is a plethora of newly posed legal challenges regarding the classification of workers by employers, both domestically and globally. The events of 2020 introduced many business owners to the high cost of worker misclassification cases, and ways to evade them.

IO: What challenges did these global HR trends pose before Acumen International? How did your team cope?

NG: For a complete answer to this question, you need to know a bit about my personal story and approach to doing business. We are constantly listening closely to our marketplace and innovating the portfolio of Acumen International’s services and products to meet the demands of our international clients, to serve them in the most professional and productive ways possible.

IO: Did you follow this same principle in 2020? What changes did last year demand from you personally, Nick?

NG: The events of last year challenged us to react to the many disruptions and innovations that upended the global HR industry. Acumen tries to always keep our finger on the pulse of global business trends, and to quickly respond to changes in the international business landscape.

In response to our global clients demands and to stay ahead of our competition, we are about to roll out several innovative SaaS products this year. These tools would give clients insights on how to employ global workforce compliantly and payroll cost estimates in 190 countries: 

  • Global HR Assistant (GHRA) – this global knowledge base continually updates the in-country information of 190 countries. It provides our client companies with valuable information, to help them make informed decisions about global employment and in-country compliance.
  • Global Payroll Calculator (GPC) – this online-only SaaS tool helps clients instantly estimate their total payroll costs and taxes in 190 countries.

Another thing that sets Acumen apart from our competitors is our unique blended business model that encompasses physically present legal entities and leverages in-country partners in countries where we don’t have established entities. This model allows our clients to tap into the deep expertise of in-country market leaders and reduce costs at the same time. We developed our business model specifically to spare companies from the high costs of overseas entity formation.

Our unique model sets Acumen apart as the premier global business partner, providing our clients with the benefits of our extensive local expertise. Our local partners bring us closer to our global clients and keep them in the know about changing in-country policies and conditions.

IO: Is building close relationships with clients a key prerequisite for a world-class Global PEO?

NG: Absolutely! Our intention is to be accessible to every client, to be a company they know and trust. Having a trusted global partner plays a crucial role in the growth and success of companies of all types and sizes. For me, trust is a valuable currency in international business.

Acumen enables companies to work without infrastructure. We provide a light global footprint for them, and we use a similar approach for our own business. What differentiates us from other international PEO companies is that they try to build their own infrastructure, while we work with local partners.

Whether our clients are seeking local support for their international clients, want to acquire global talent, or simply want to expand globally, Acumen becomes their trusted partner. Our international PEO helps companies enter new markets and hire foreign talent, quickly and risk-free.

We pride ourselves on the fact that Fortune 500 companies trust us to serve their global hiring needs.

IO: One final question – what makes Acumen the world’s best Global PEO company?

NG: We aspire to be the best by meeting our clients’ specific needs. We not only build relationships with our clients, but we do everything we can to help them accelerate their success through global expansion. You can learn more about the benefits of our global employment solutions here.

In 2020, Acumen was recognized as an industry leader among other Global PEO providers by the independent US analyst firm NelsonHall in Massachusetts. The firm closely analyzed Acumen’s offerings and capabilities and compared them to other global PEO providers, and listed us at the top.

Also in 2020, Acumen International was granted the Global Payroll Association’s Professional Employment Organization (PEO) of the Year Award. This top recognition of GPA proves Acumen’s consistent excellence in the international PEO arena.

Acumen’s Global PEO service enables multinational firms to expand globally and engage global talent in 190 countries, with unlimited access to our value-added tools.

IO: Thank you for your answers, Nick. To wind things up, can you tell our readers a little bit about Acumen’s plans for 2021 and beyond? You mentioned your two new self-service tools; what else is on the horizon?

NG: Along with our innovative tools that we are designing to meet our clients’ growing global needs, Acumen has branded our Express Global Employment (EGE) service. This service lives up to its name as a high-speed solution that can help companies to legally onboard the selected candidates anywhere in the world in as little as only 72 hours.

And I am happy to announce the launch of our redesigned website presenting our new brand and identity. In the future, we intend to consistently innovate to meet the ever-changing needs of our global clients.

Acumen International has become more than a global PEO over the past decade. We will continue to respond to newly emerging global HR trends, and to be a trend-setter for the global employment industry in the future.

Taking your company abroad is a bold move, and Acumen makes it easier than ever with our well-thought-out solutions for global business expansion.

Visit our website and enjoy its ultimate user-friendly experience to explore the full range of global employment solutions offered by Acumen International.

Explore our website today, or consult our expert team if you have a hiring need anywhere in the world. See why Acumen is the best global partner to help your company succeed abroad in 2021 and beyond.

Blog

Global Payroll Calculator: Estimate Labor Cost of Ukrainian Displaced Workforce Relocation

With the recent geopolitical tensions in Ukraine due to Russia’s military invasion of the country, it is estimated that around 1 million people have left Ukraine to seek refuge in neighbouring countries. The European Union Home Affairs Commissioner Ylva Johansson said this figure could reach 7 million. Given the intensity of this situation, the Interior… Read more Global Payroll Calculator: Estimate Labor Cost of Ukrainian Displaced Workforce Relocation

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With the recent geopolitical tensions in Ukraine due to Russia’s military invasion of the country, it is estimated that around 1 million people have left Ukraine to seek refuge in neighbouring countries. The European Union Home Affairs Commissioner Ylva Johansson said this figure could reach 7 million. Given the intensity of this situation, the Interior ministers of the European Union have devised a scheme to provide temporary protection to all the refugees who fled from Ukraine. Under this scheme, refugees from Ukraine will get fastrack access to temporary residence permits, employment, and social welfare benefits.

The biggest challenge for global and domestic businesses that used to engage a workforce in Ukraine is redeploying and payrolling their now-displaced professionals in new countries.

If you are considering relocating your personnel from Ukraine, we invite you to consider using our Global Payroll Calculator to compare payroll and employment costs in multiple countries to make more informed business decisions. We elaborated and launched our GPC to provide you with immediate automated payroll and tax estimations for your global workforce in 190 countries around the world (currently available in 179 countries, others to be added soon). This unique online SaaS tool lets you get an immediate calculation of the total cost of employing global talent – both local and expatriate – worldwide. It provides proper guidance on the steps to undertake.

Benefits of Using the Global Payroll Calculator

To meet our global clients’ demands and stay on top of innovation, Acumen International is striving to incorporate new business technologies to give our clients the best experience. Having fulfilled myriad challenging projects for clients’ global expansion planning, budget allocation, and global talent engagement worldwide, we developed our GPC to offer multinational companies a way to streamline processes. This easy-to-use online tool was created by leveraging our global HR expertise and 20 years of market experience in serving companies of different sizes.

Our global network team works hard to ensure that the calculations are precise, valid, and accurate, based on timely legislative updates, tax rates, and norms in all countries of coverage.

GPC is designed for global and regional service companies that want to serve international customers, automate their operational processes, and grow globally. Use our Global Payroll Calculator today to get immediate estimates of the total cost of employing global talent in the countries of your choice and engage your local and expatriate professionals via Acumen’s global employment solutions.

Contact Acumen International today to know how we can meet your business demands, help you make better and more informed decisions, streamline budgeting and make your business operations more cost-efficient. Write to us at info@expressglobalemployment.com and follow us online to know more!

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Portugal – Another Sweet Spot For Ukraine Expats

With their homeland in a state of upheaval and ravaged by war, many Ukrainians are fleeing with their families and their children to seek sanctuary in the EU. While many will find asylum in neighboring countries like Poland and Romania, others are expected to continue on to the European Union states, many of which have… Read more Portugal – Another Sweet Spot For Ukraine Expats

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With their homeland in a state of upheaval and ravaged by war, many Ukrainians are fleeing with their families and their children to seek sanctuary in the EU. While many will find asylum in neighboring countries like Poland and Romania, others are expected to continue on to the European Union states, many of which have been flooded in recent years by refugees from the Middle East.

One nation that is somewhat off the beaten path is Portugal, a smaller nation nestled to the west of Spain on the Atlantic coast. While Portugal is a greater trek for Ukrainian refugees than other EU nations, Portugal’s high quality of life may offer opportunities that cannot be found in larger, more populous EU nations.

In response to Ukraine’s Russian conflict, the Portuguese government is offering Ukraine refugees humanitarian visas upon arrival at the airport, along with taxpayer and social security numbers. This generous act allows Ukraine expatriates to enter and remain in Portugal without a Schengen visa, and to pursue employment there.

For global and domestic employers of Ukrainian workforce, Acumen International offers the perfect
expat hiring solution via PEO in Portugal enabling you to legally onboard and compensate your Ukrainian employees there.

Contact Acumen today to learn how we can facilitate and streamline the redeployment of your company’s workers from Ukraine to our solid expat hiring solution in Portugal.

If your business is still considering the countries where to relocate your dispersed Ukrainian professionals, we invite you to use our innovative Global Payroll Calculator, to get quick and easy automated payroll and tax estimations for your global workforce, in various countries around the world. With us, estimate your employer burden in the countries of your interest in just minutes, compare different countries to make faster and better informed business decisions, and get more cost-efficient business operations.

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Acumen International to Support Businesses Engaging Ukrainian Workforce

With Ukraine attacked by its Russian aggressor, millions of Ukrainian citizens and their families fled to neighboring countries for support and sanctuary. The EU has agreed to offer temporary protection and assistance to millions of Ukrainians expected to arrive at its borders in an unprecedented move. On Wednesday, March 3, 2022, the European Commission (EC)… Read more Acumen International to Support Businesses Engaging Ukrainian Workforce

With Ukraine attacked by its Russian aggressor, millions of Ukrainian citizens and their families fled to neighboring countries for support and sanctuary. The EU has agreed to offer temporary protection and assistance to millions of Ukrainians expected to arrive at its borders in an unprecedented move.

On Wednesday, March 3, 2022, the European Commission (EC) plans to waive regular asylum seekers’ standard application procedures. The program will provide Ukrainian refugees with temporary residence permits and access to employment, education, health care, and social benefits. The EC’s Temporary Protection Directive is valid for one year, with the option for an extension if necessary.

Ukrainian refugees are already pouring over the borders of neighboring EU nations, including Poland, Romania, Hungary, Slovakia, and Moldova. The number of refugees has already exceeded one million, with the EC anticipating three to six million more. While some Ukrainian refugees are likely to remain in bordering countries, many are expected to move to other EU nations.

If your international or Ukrainian company’s workforce has been displaced by the Russian invasion, Acumen International’s global employment solutions can help. Our Express Global Employment and Global EOR solutions support international employers by legal and fully compliant onboarding and payrolling your global workforce in the EU and other 190 countries we cover on your behalf in a matter of days.

Acumen’s regular and interim global employment solutions help you avoid workflow disruptions and project delays while making it possible to legally engage your skilled and trusted Ukrainian professionals in Europe and beyond.

Contact Acumen International today to learn how we can facilitate a smooth transition for your Ukrainian team to the EU.

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Acumen International to Sponsor and Participate in SIA Annual Executive Forum 2022

We at Acumen International are pleased to announce our sponsorship and participation in the Staffing Industry Analysts’ annual Executive Forum, to be held February 28-March 3 in Austin, Texas. The event provides a forum for global HR leaders and service providers to collaborate, network and share ideas that will shape the future of work and… Read more Acumen International to Sponsor and Participate in SIA Annual Executive Forum 2022

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We at Acumen International are pleased to announce our sponsorship and participation in the Staffing Industry Analysts’ annual Executive Forum, to be held February 28-March 3 in Austin, Texas. The event provides a forum for global HR leaders and service providers to collaborate, network and share ideas that will shape the future of work and HR international.

As a Silver sponsor for the event, our team will once again present the Forum’s global audience Acumen’s groundbreaking solutions enabling international companies to operate in 190 foreign countries, without the need to establish formal business entities abroad and reducing global employment risks. 

We will also be especially proud to share our new Global Payroll Calculator (GPC), an innovative online self-service tool that enables international businesses and HR service agencies to plan, budget and make informed decisions for global expansion. Acumen’s GPC saves businesses time, money and efforts by eliminating the guesswork involved in calculating costs for hiring a global workforce in 190 countries.

The Acumen team looks forward to making yet another foray onto the global stage, showcasing our commitment to excellence in advancing the global HR industry and exceeding our international clients’ expectations.

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Australia’s State of Victoria to Regulate Hiring of On-Demand Workers

On-demand platforms like Uber and Deliveroo exploded in popularity over the past decade, due largely to their innovative business models that made it easy for gig workers to pick up some extra cash, without rigid work schedules and excessive oversight. For many workers, however, what began as a convenient side-hustle quickly turned into full-time work,… Read more Australia’s State of Victoria to Regulate Hiring of On-Demand Workers

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On-demand platforms like Uber and Deliveroo exploded in popularity over the past decade, due largely to their innovative business models that made it easy for gig workers to pick up some extra cash, without rigid work schedules and excessive oversight.

For many workers, however, what began as a convenient side-hustle quickly turned into full-time work, but without the safety nets provided by traditional employer-employee relationships.

In 2021, Victoria drafted a consultation paper entitled “Fair Conduct and Accountability Standards for the Victorian On-Demand Workforce,” outlining recommendations for regulation. The Standards follow a growing global trend toward establishing the rights of gig workers and protecting them from exploitation by on-demand platforms.

Regulations are expected to be implemented in 2022 that would: needs, such as:

  • Require on-demand platforms to clearly outline what workers can expect in terms of pay and job performance.
  • Require platforms to provide clear information about penalties applied for poor performance or performance failures.
  • Review platform algorithms to ensure that they are non-discriminatory.

It is worth noting that Victoria was the first state in Australia to criminalize wage theft, establishing laws that make it a crime for employers to deliberately and dishonestly underpay employees or withhold employee settlements. The legislation imposes fines up to $1 million for businesses and 10 years of jail time for offenders.

For global employers, the trend in Australia and other countries toward higher regulation of gig work and protection of the gig workers’ rights should be a warning sign of compliance issues they may face and a prerequisite to forming employment relationships with their staff already today.

Now is the time for international employers to rethink the employment status of their global workforce in order to evade the blurred line between contractors vs employees, correctly define their workers’ status and avoid potential risks and penalties.

With a growing trend of competing for global talent, Acumen International Employer of Record encourages companies planning their global expansion to make every effort to attract, employ and retain the best global talent, making them permanent assets to their teams.

Consider conferring your existing gig workers and contracted remote personnel a broader range of entitlements and benefits. Ask us today why convert your current independents into employees and win an additional competitive advantage by offering an employee status to your newly selected global hires.

Whether you’re engaging a global workforce for your company or for your global clients, you should be wise to stay a step ahead and start your personnel reclassification process before that’s forcibly imposed from country to country.

Acumen provides international businesses with advanced global employment solutions (PEO, GEO, EOR) for engaging and retaining a highly qualified global workforce in 190 countries, with minimal compliance and legal risks.

Contact us today to learn more about how Acumen can help you grow in today’s global economy.

Blog

Employee Leasing on Global Markets

Employee leasing – how to become a super seller on global markets The decision about how to enter an overseas market can have a significant influence on the results the company achieves. When a company has made a decision to enter a foreign market, there are a variety of market entry modes that have to… Read more Employee Leasing on Global Markets

Employee leasing on global markets

Employee leasing – how to become a super seller on global markets

The decision about how to enter an overseas market can have a significant influence on the results the company achieves. When a company has made a decision to enter a foreign market, there are a variety of market entry modes that have to be considered carefully.

There are four main mechanisms of new markets entry:

  • Licensing or Franchising
  • Joint Venture
  • Direct Investment
  • Direct Exporting

Franchising or Licensing

Franchising gives businesses an opportunity to grow very fast however requiring plenty of resources. This mode is rather costly as it requires a lot of training, frequent travel abroad, preparation of materials often in different languages etc. The entrepreneur who chooses this way of market entry is supposed to be a self-starter and have a high level of self-organization.

Licensing is less risky, but it allows for a lesser amount of control. According to a licensing agreement, the company grants the rights to use its product or service to another firm. This market entry strategy works best if the party that buys a license has a relatively large market share in the target market or markets.

Joint Ventures

Joint ventures are a particular form of partnership that results in setting up a third independently managed company. A third company is created when two companies agree to work together in a particular geographic or product market. There are five main goals joint ventures aim to achieve: market entry, risk and/or reward sharing, technology sharing and joint product development, and compliance with government regulations. Such partnership’s advantages are account base increase, access to the best knowledge leading to company intellectual capital enhancement, awareness of the local business environment, and knowledge of local languages. This strategy allows an opportunity to combine valuable assets and the two companies’ best features and increase operational efficiency.

The trick here is finding the right partner. I will discuss choosing the right people to represent your business in more detail below.

Direct Investment

Direct Investment involves direct ownership of facilities in the target country or countries. This can be achieved by either acquiring an existing entity or establishing a new enterprise. This strategy is certainly the most costly and riskiest of all, as it involves the transfer of resources, including capital, technology, and personnel. However, some companies can’t but choose this strategy and undertake these costs due to government regulations, transportation costs, and the possibility of accessing technology or specific skills.

Direct exporting

Direct exporting means marketing and selling directly the products produced in one market into the chosen foreign markets. Exporting is one of the most traditional methods of entering new markets. It does not require any investment in foreign production facilities as goods are supposed to be distributed from the country of production to the target country. Exporting is generally based on coordination between four main players:

  • Exporter
  • Importer
  • Transport provider
  • Local government

Many companies hire agents and/or distributors to represent their products in the chosen markets. As they become the face of your company, agents and distributors have to be chosen carefully, the same way you would hire your key staff.

We have elaborated our unique employee leasing solution to meet this need for qualified sales personnel responsible for global sales. Its main goal is to assist export companies with new market entry and make exporting to a number of chosen markets fast and easy.

How our employee leasing solution works

  • You select Sales Representatives from the pool of the best local sales personnel in any country you wish to enter or expand your sales to
  • They become your own sales personnel under your full control and supervision and are employed locally by us on your behalf
  • We act as a Professional Employer for your remote personnel and provide full local business support such as cars, offices, and business expenses.
  • You get a fully compliant, single-point-of-contact employment solution for your remote personnel anywhere in the world
  • They represent only your product category and attract buyers to your product or service, thus serving as your remote hands in each desired country. You set sales targets and control your salesforce to meet them. They allocate all their time to selling your products and developing your business contrary unlike independent sales reps, who generally represent the whole range and balance between what the buyers would most want to buy.

With our solution, you enjoy all the pluses of working with independent sales agents – unique expertise your in-house personnel may not have, access to their account base, etc. – yet managing and controlling them as if they were your company employees. You also get a unique opportunity to start sales in any number of chosen countries.
Our company acts as an Employer of Record for your agents, freeing you from having to open your own legal entity/ ies in each chosen country and letting you reap the benefits of exporting to our region with minimum costs and no employment risks.

Our employee leasing solution is for

  • Small and medium businesses striving for international success
  • Ambitious SME owners with a burning desire to conquer the world with limited resources
  • Companies which utilised their local market potential and are willing to boost their income by going global

International Payroll | Employment Outsourcing

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Acumen International to Participate in NelsonHall’s Global Employer of Record (EoR) Services Assessment

Acumen International is honored to be recognized by NelsonHall as a global PEO and EOR service provider and will be profiled in this year’s Global Employer of Record Services market study. Our briefing with the analyst firm representatives is taking place in early February 2022. Knowing that our work to transform the international PEO market… Read more Acumen International to Participate in NelsonHall’s Global Employer of Record (EoR) Services Assessment

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Acumen International is honored to be recognized by NelsonHall as a global PEO and EOR service provider and will be profiled in this year’s Global Employer of Record Services market study. Our briefing with the analyst firm representatives is taking place in early February 2022. Knowing that our work to transform the international PEO market continues to capture the recognition of our industry colleagues inspires us to work even harder.

NelsonHall is a highly respected research and advisory firm. Each year, NelsonHall’s analysts publish a Global Employer of Record Services report that provides a comprehensive global market analysis. NelsonHall’s 2020 report acknowledged Acumen International as a major player among Global PEO providers.

In 2021, Acumen has upped its game by creating our innovative Global Payroll Calculator (GPC), to help international businesses streamline the calculation of payroll expenses.

Our Global Payroll Calculator transforms the way the process of calculating the cost of hiring global talent is done now. Our tool enables our clients to instantly estimate the costs in 190 countries around the globe, including estimates for taxes, contributions, and payroll, for both local citizens and expatriate personnel.

In a matter of minutes, the GPC equips global businesses with essential information needed to:

  • Make informed decisions about global hiring.
  • Budget for planned global expansion.
  • Calculate and compare employment costs in 190 countries.
  • Estimate costs for both local employees and ex-pat personnel.
  • Get a detailed breakdown of mandatory in-country taxes and contributions.
  • Get accurate automated quotes in seconds, versus waiting days and weeks to receive quotes from local service providers.
  • Receive quotes for comparison of 190 countries, in a standardized user-friendly format, in a single click.

In addition to our Global Payroll Calculator, we have upgraded and enhanced our Global HR Assistant (GHRA). The GHRA is Acumen’s another innovative product that we’re elaborating to provide our clients with in-country guides and key information on HR-related legislative procedures in 190 countries.

The information provided by GHRA helps companies to reduce risks and remain compliant with local laws and regulations when hiring and terminating workers abroad.

Acumen’s team of in-country experts continually monitors local labor laws and HR regulations, keeping our global knowledge base current and up-to-date, so our clients never need to worry about compliance violations.

As the international business landscape continues to rapidly evolve, Acumen International is keeping pace with the global HR changes. We strive to remain on the cutting edge of the global employment industry, providing our clients with the highest level of professional global PEO services.

NelsonHall’s recognition of our efforts puts another feather in our cap as Acumen International moves boldly to shape the Global PEO industry of the future.

Looking forward to the February briefing!