As the corporate landscape changes, companies are searching for new ways to increase their talent base and gain a competitive edge in the global market. Remote working is a powerful tool that can be leveraged across borders to attract top-tier professionals who are otherwise difficult to access.

In this blog by IPM’s Operations Director, Scott Niven, he will discuss the key criteria your company needs to meet whilst unlocking corporate flexibility resulting in the attraction of a wider talent pool.

The future of work is still unclear and is currently a hugely debated topic within our circles, as confirmed by this article simply put What is the Future of Global Mobility? Many companies still feel as if they are in a dilemma as to which working practices are most effective in driving results. One thing that is clear though is that those who are inflexible, indecisive or who do not seek the correct advice and guidance, soon find themselves with a diminishing workforce and disgruntled teams.

With its unprecedented advantages, including cost savings, eligibility for international talent pools, and improved productivity, remote working is becoming increasingly popular as an attractive employment option. However, understanding how to successfully implement remote working while staying compliant with applicable laws and regulations requires business leaders to navigate a complicated landscape of policies and procedures that vary from country to country.

Since the easing of formal lockdowns across the globe, companies are increasingly approving requests from employees to work remotely for a short period of time. This demand is often due to employees having permanently relocated and wanting to visit family in their country of origin. To manage this, many employers are developing processes for how to approve such requests, which usually involve a formal vacation. The maximum amount of time for working remotely is typically 60-90 days.

This has led to more and more companies considering employing or deploying staff to areas of the globe that once upon a time seemed unfeasible on longer-term or permanent contracts. However, it is becoming increasingly apparent also that organisations are unaware of the depths to which they need to go to ensure they are legally compliant. With new laws being implemented within countries all the time, it is paramount for companies to know they have covered all bases. I recently wrote a paper in which I delve into the following cornerstones of Global Mobility Compliance. It also covers aspects highlighted in this supportive article, The Most Effective Ways to Manage Global Mobility Compliance. The paper includes insight into the following:

• Does the assignee have the right to work in the location they’re in?
• Will the assignee have permanent residence within the country they are working from?
• Which employee registration will apply?
• Which tax and social security regulations will apply?
• What reward and benefits structure will apply?
• How can the employer arrange payroll?
• Who is the Global Employer of Record?
• Are adequate insurance arrangements in place?
• Is the cyber security arm of the business hardy enough to support overseas assignees?
• Have the impacts of relocating assignees been considered and are the provisions in place to protect employee well-being?

The paper breaks down each of the above critical key areas when considering a Global Mobility Program within your business. I use the example of a US-based tech company looking to hire a software engineer based in India but without the support of an arm of their business based in the region.

The paper outlines all of the points a  company will need to consider in order to protect both themselves and the assignee.