The strategic role of EOR in your expansion in Africa

Happy women in blue blazer.. Compliance when going global - Africa HR Solutions

Most blog posts and articles now start with acknowledging the unprecedented times that we live in and the need to understand how the COVID-19 pandemic has changed our work and how we think about work. However, after 2 years of living with the pandemic, it may be time for HR professionals, executives and even tax and compliance experts to move on from trying to understand the changes and begin to look forward, leveraging our learnings to the advantage of our employees, teams and organisations.

One such adjustment has been a shift in the way we see work. For many organisations, work is no longer in a static location. Organisations are increasingly becoming ‘borderless’ as the definition of remote work is rapidly expanding to encompass international locations and the requisite worker population. This transition has several benefits to the functioning of employees, teams and subsequently organisations:

Table of Contents

benefits of remote

Obstacles of a global workforce

There is always a significant pause to consider the ‘but’ at this point- and here it is. Whilst remote work benefits organisations, teams, and employees, it also introduces increased complexity to the management of the employment relationship- particularly when it comes to payroll and the associated tax and legal compliance required. Add in the additional layer of managing an international workforce (particularly one in the African continent) and it can become frankly terrifying.

Successfully implementing, managing, and paying a global remote workforce requires a deep understanding of the unique tax and compliance implications within each different country. Thus, one of the most significant risks in employing a global workforce is the negative impact on the employee, global team and multinational organisation should there be insufficient compliance and governance around payroll.

If you are considering remote work/global workforces as part of your future workforce strategy, here are a few broad questions to take into account:

Considerations

Negative implications of poor compliance

Based on these considerations, let’s take it a step further in considering what negative outcomes of non-compliance or poor governance may be.

Negative implications of poor compliance

Feeling overwhelmed? Don’t be!

You may feel pretty overwhelmed at this point, however – rather than halt the positive change you are contemplating, we encourage you to consider the possibilities for support mechanisms and partnerships to help you navigate these ‘unprecedented times’, in a compliant manner.  

One such solution is partnering with an Employer of Record (EOR) company, which allows you to achieve global reach, whilst simplifying and centralising your operational payroll processes. There are two broad benefits to an EOR that we’d like to discuss:

First deep dive point: An EOR can take a lot of the risk and stress off of your plate, letting you and your team focus on the value-adds that you can bring to your individual employees.

Rather than ‘sweating the small stuff’, put your energy into growing your people or optimising your teams, which will ultimately benefit your organisation’s functioning.

Organisational functioning can be broken down into different areas that require Executives and HR, Tax or Legal professionals’ attention and support. The image below lists the following areas as points of focus: admin and compliance, employee support, business and functional unit support and establishment of policies and strategies. An EOR can add value at each of these levels, by freeing you up to do more of the fun, value-add stuff.

Pyramid on best practices

Second deep dive point: An EOR is a central point of contact.

Partnering with an EOR allows you to manage and pay a global workforce from a centralised rather than a decentralised approach. A decentralised approach looks extremely complicated because it is! Not only is it complex, but there is far more room for error, a lack of control and costly compliance mishaps. By managing the finer details and nuances, an EOR can minimise the risk you take on when expanding your business.

That’s it folks

Global expansion of your organisation is a monumental step forward in your strategy. Given the significance of this step, you may want to ensure to minimise all risks or chances of disruption to your strategy.  Hopefully, we have made the business case for the value that a partner, such as an EOR, can add to your organisation’s success in expanding seamlessly into various unique markets and geographies. Together, we can partner in building a complaint workforce strategy and payroll practice as your organisation, your teams and your employees continue to flourish.

Reference: Deloitte (2018). Best Practice Approach to Global Employment Companies.  

How Can We Help You?

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.