If you are interested in streamlining your organisation’s expansion into new markets, choosing the right Professional Employer Organisation (PEO) is vital. You will get the opportunity to not only keep your business alive, but also grow it quickly, reduce turnover of employees and significantly reduce costs. If you are looking for the best of the best international PEO then you’ve found it!
However, how do you know which one to pick, given that there are so many international Professional Employer Organisations out there?
You will need to answer the five important questions listed below, before hiring the global PEO partner of your preference.
1. What Are Their Clients Saying?
When they are trying to get you to buy their services and products, businesses normally tell you whatever you want to hear. And it’s true they are allowed to take pride in what they do!
However, to have a clear idea of what you are agreeing to, you will want to have truthful and fair feedback when you hiring a PEO to work with. To be sure that they provide top tier services, remember to ask for any evidence, like case studies and client testimonials among others, that supports their claims.
2. What’s Their Level Of Transparency?
Once you have identified a business you want to engage with, you should definitely be able to access all their important details. All global PEOs are not the same; so take the time to look at their website and find out if they have published clear details of what they offer.
Sharing the same language is also important. You should probably look elsewhere, if the language they use on their website is confusing and complicated to you. Imagine how confused you will be when you start delving into the fine print, if you can’t even understand what is on their website! Instead of making your life difficult with complicated and needless jargon, the right PEO should talk in simple terms and be clear with you; as working with a PEO should be hassle free.
3. Have They Been In Business For 3 Or More Years?
The memories of tax authorities go way back. In addition to proper financial management, the PEO you end up picking should be able to demonstrate their compliance to profession performance practices throughout their existence.
You also want to be confident that your overseas staff will be paid at the right time, without delay, once you hand over the responsibility of your payroll. As such, you need to assess your PEO’s payroll system. You can rest assured that this important function is in good hands once you confirm that they are using one system controlled from a central point.
4. Do They Have Comprehensive Knowledge Of The Nation They Are Helping You With?
While it might sound obvious, it is important that your chosen PEO have in depth understanding of laws and customs of the country they are supporting you in.
Feel free to ask anything about the country in under consideration. You should be directed to someone who has all the answers you seek, if your initial contact is unable to address your concerns.
5. Will You Have To Go Through A Partner Or Do You Get Direct Support From Them?
This is one of the must ask questions. You are likely to discover no less than 5 organisations providing services in 190, 185 or 130 countries, in your search for a global PEO. However, these are just general numbers used for marketing purposes.
These companies normally leave out the fact that even they will be mainly serving you through existing partnerships – with local firms – even though they are technically able to support you in 190 countries.
There is no problem with using reputable partners at the local level; and most PEOs will actually work this way in some countries. However, this should not be their primary mode of operation. You are simply acquiring the services of a vendor management service, if you are using a global PEO that solely relies on partners.
With that in mind, you should make sure that in most of the countries it serves, your preferred PEO should have its own recognised entities. To ensure that the onboarding of your employees is done as soon as possible, the management of these local subsidiaries should be handled by an in-house team that guarantees the highest degree of control.
Contact TopSource Worldwide today to find out more about our professional international employment solutions, if you are interested in a global expansion partner.
