Compliance in Africa: why most EORs can't ensure compliance (and why we can)

Compliance in Africa

To the outside eye, compliance may not appear to be an extremely complex task.

After all, it mostly consists of adherence to the law, does it not? So as long as you are aware of the latest changes in the law, compliance may seem like child’s play.

Of course, this is not the case.

Compliance is multi-faceted, ever-evolving, and time-sensitive. It requires deep local understanding, the ability to match the at-times jarring pace of changing regulations, skills to interpret these changes, and then actively adhering to the local law, which means timely and accurate calculations and remittances.

Compliance is not simple or easy, which is why many EORs get it wrong, and why we, on the other hand, can ensure it.

The Compliance Challenge in Africa

Diverse Legal Landscapes

Africa is home to 54 different countries, each with its own history, culture, language mix, legal system, employment laws, tax regulations, and business practices. Faced with such diversity and richness, EORs trying to implement a one-size-fits-all strategy, or a “general African strategy” often fail in their endeavours. The nuances in labour laws, tax obligations, and statutory benefits across all of Africa’s countries is so pronounced that compliance requires a deep understanding of each country’s legal framework, customs, frame of mind, and professional expectations, among other things.

Rapid Regulatory Changes

Laws often change in a bid to adapt to changing times. As such, many African countries are constantly in the process of updating and refining their laws and regulations with the aim to improve governance, make business easier, and to attract more foreign investment as well. These changes can happen often and crop up abruptly, making it difficult for EORs that are not locally rooted to stay abreast of the latest requirements.

Local Expertise and Presence

Ensuring compliance isn’t just about understanding the laws; it’s about having a profound understanding of the local culture, of the attitude of local professionals and the values surrounding work in any given African country. Local expertise and a physical presence are essential for navigating the complexities of the regulatory landscape. To ensure compliance, EORs must also understand how to handle often tricky government relations, and how to swiftly remedy any changes or issues that arise.

Why Most EORs Can't Ensure Compliance

Limited Local Knowledge

Many EOR providers operating in Africa are actually global EORs. Africa, for them, is only a small part of what they do and unfortunately, this means that EORs with such generalist profiles lack the in-depth local knowledge necessary to ensure full compliance in Africa.

Without an appropriately nuanced understanding of the local laws and customs, these types of EORs risk non-compliance, which can lead to fines, legal issues, and reputational damage for their clients.

Insufficient Infrastructure

Maintaining compliance at all times requires solid resources and infrastructure. This includes legal, HR, and payroll systems that are either tailored to or which can easily adapt to each country’s specific requirements.

Unfortunately, many EORs lack these essential resources and infrastructure. Even an outdated payroll system can make a great difference, making it difficult to manage these complexities effectively, resulting in errors and omissions that will ultimately cost you.

Inadequate Monitoring and Adaptation

Africa’s regulatory landscape is not set in stone. It is always moving and changing, which is why African countries as a whole demand constant monitoring as well as the ability to adapt quickly.

Many EORs have neither the mechanisms in place to track regulatory changes as they are introduced, nor the agility to implement the necessary adjustments promptly.

Why We Can Ensure Compliance

Deep Local Expertise

At Africa HR Solutions, our commitment to compliance in Africa begins with our commitment to Africa and to the deep local expertise that has come from it. We are an African EOR serving Africa, and so, are deeply rooted in all the 46+ African countries we operate in. This helps us ensure that we understand and stay up to date with local laws and regulations.

Our on-the-ground presence also allows us to provide tailored solutions that meet the unique needs of each African country.

Robust Compliance Resources & Infrastructure

At Africa HR Solutions, we have invested in building a robust compliance infrastructure that integrates the best of legal, HR, and payroll systems. On one hand, our payroll platform is designed to handle the many intricacies of African employment laws, tax regulations, and statutory benefits. On the other, our team of legal and HR professionals are here to help you get the peace of mind you need, knowing that all your HR functions are being taken care of compliantly and reliably

Regulatory Monitoring

At Africa HR Solutions, we approach regulatory monitoring in a proactive way, instead of simply reacting to changes where and when we do find out about them. This allows us to keep pace with regulatory shifts and implement necessary changes before they can impact our clients or our 100% compliance end goal. Our flexibility is what enables us to ensure compliance for our clients, regardless of how frequently the regulatory landscape changes.

Choose Africa HR Solutions for full compliance across Africa

Ensuring compliance in Africa is a never-ending challenge that many EORs are ill-equipped to handle.

The diverse legal landscapes, rapid regulatory changes, and need for local expertise require a specialised approach – things that we at Africa HR Solutions can proudly offer. We differentiate ourselves through our deep local knowledge, robust compliance infrastructure, proactive monitoring, and comprehensive support.

Compliance isn’t an abstract idea for us; we know exactly what we are doing. As such, we can help you on your journey to business growth and success in Africa.

Are you ready to expand your operations into Africa with a trusted partner? Contact us today to learn how we can help you navigate the complexities of compliance and unlock the full potential of this vibrant continent.

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  • Last updated: June 24, 2024

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GRANT GERAGHTY - Africa HR Team

GRANT GERAGHTY

HEAD OF CLIENT RELATIONSHIP

Grant Geraghty is the longest-serving member of the Africa HR team. This resident subject matter expert and client champion is responsible for gaining a deep understanding of our clients’ unique HR needs in Africa and providing tailored solutions that align with their business objectives. Grant collabourates closely with our clients to ensure that their requirements are properly implemented, providing ongoing support and guidance throughout the process.

Grant brings a wealth of experience to his role, having served as Africa HR’s longest-serving employee. He holds a Bachelor of Commerce degree, with a major in Economics and Business Finance, from the University of Natal in South Africa. Additionally, he has completed a certification program in Payroll and Tax Administration from the University of Cape Town, further enhancing his expertise in HR operations and compliance.

His commitment to delivering exceptional service and his extensive knowledge of HR in Africa make him an invaluable member of the Africa HR team.

KEVINA TAKOORDYAL Africa HR Team

KEVINA TAKOORDYAL

HEAD OF OPERATIONS

Kevina Takoordyal has a BA Hons Business Management from the University of Glamorgan, UK, with MBA in leadership and Innovation, MBA General, PMP Certified, and Agile Scrum Master. She currently works as the Head of Operations at Africa HR Solutions Ltd with more than 20 years of proven leadership capabilities in Operations, Business Development, People Management, Process Optimization, and Project Management in the Financial Services, BPO, Banking Industry, and Heath Care Industry. In Senior leadership roles with an international footprint across Europe working and extensive Pan- African experience from a compliance, finance, and operations angle, Kevina comes across with a panoply of cross-functional skills. Kevina also serves on a few Boards, Non-Independent Executive at MioD and for NGOs on a voluntary basis, a coach and mentor to aspiring female leaders across Africa and Mauritius.

Kevina is a firm believer in Servant Leadership with a strong focus and commitment to uplifting others, with the ability to deliver through a highly engaged – diverse team, and works towards consistently synergistic value creation. While being a focused and adaptive thinker and Kevina is actively participating in panel discussions on Innovation, CX, Digital transformation.

Kevina serves as Project Assessor for the National Youth upskilling program. She has been recognized as Global Talent in a few companies, Ceridian, and International SOS Ltd whereby she has been awarded a few scholarships and had the opportunity to be mentored by Senior Vice President in the US. Award Winner in various fields and at a national level and recognized including Super Achiever Leader Award in Africa in 2016, Awarded Africa Women Leader 2018.

VILOSHNA PACKIRY POULLE​

VILOSHNA PACKIRY POULLE

Head of Finance & Business Support

Viloshna is an experienced finance professional with 18 years of expertise in strategic financial planning, financial analysis, cash flow management, systems and controls implementation, financial reporting, and continuous process improvements. She currently serves as Head of Finance & Business Support, where she has successfully automated and leveraged the financial reporting system capabilities to ensure efficient company operations.

Viloshna’s background includes senior roles in a multinational pharmaceutical company and a large listed Mauritian conglomerate. Her meticulous attention to detail and strategic thinking have streamlined financial processes, making her a valuable addition to any finance team. Viloshna is a qualified finance professional with an FCCA qualification and an MBA, bringing valuable expertise to any Organisation.

In her current role, Viloshna leads the company’s Treasury and Payments function, including the fulfillment of the company’s cross-border payments into Africa. With her strong educational background and extensive experience, Viloshna consistently demonstrates her ability to optimize financial operations, minimize risks, and improve profitability. Her expertise in financial reporting and process improvements make her a valuable asset to any Organisation.

MARK DU PREEZ​

MARK DU PREEZ

Head of Legal & Compliance

A qualified lawyer who joined Africa HR Solutions in July 2020, Mark Du Preez has experience working in private practice for a reputable law firm in South Africa. He also played commercially focused roles at a leading private bank, wealth management company, and outsourcing firm in South Africa and Mauritius.

Mark has played a pivotal role in Africa HR Solution’s risk mitigation strategy, which positively impacted P&L performance over the years.

He currently leads the Partnerships function of the company including relationships and oversight with in-country partners (ICPs) across Africa.

Alex Daruty - Africa HR Team

ALEX DARUTY

Head of Commercial

Alex has more than 15 years of experience in the global, strategic development of both enterprise and consumer brands in categories including technology, transport, enterprise software, entertainment, and travel.

With experience in roles on both agency and corporate side, he has worked across international brands and has led the development and execution of multi-discipline campaigns across EMEA, NORAM and Asia Pacific.

His focus is on driving meaningful business impact through brand differentiation and building high-functioning, digitally oriented, and analytically driven capabilities. He is motivated by working with, and developing dynamic people, teams, and Organisations.

He leads, manages, develops and mentors the Key Account Management department, including line management responsibility for the team of Key Account Managers and Key Account Administrator who represent the Company as the primary communication link between all relevant stakeholders, including clients, third party in-country partners and internal functions.

Originally from Mauritius, he holds bachelor’s degrees in International Business, Finance and Management from the University of Nevada, Reno.