Employer of record providers come in many different forms, and each has their own unique way of handling employer of record (EOR) services. These differences may seem trivial in some respects, but depending on your business model and intended country of operations, they could have quite a significant impact practically.
If you haven’t worked with an employer of record provider before, figuring out exactly what to ask when you get on a call with their sales team can seem intimidating. To help you along the way, here are some of the key areas you need to think about when comparing EOR providers and a set of 45 questions that will help you plan what to ask each one.
Some EOR providers cover everything you would ever need in hiring someone abroad, whereas others have much more limited scopes of service that cover only the essentials (leaving you to figure out everything else). Exactly what you will need will depend on the role that you’re hiring for, the country of operations, any existing operations you have in that country, and a multitude of other factors.
Generally speaking, though, you should ensure that the employer of record providers you are considering have the ability to employ and payroll an individual 100% compliantly in your chosen country of operations. This sounds like the bare minimum for any EOR provider – and you’d be correct in thinking that – but many payroll only providers look very much like EOR providers until you dig into the details of their service offerings.
Here are some questions to ask to understand the full scope of an EOR provider’s services:
Once you fully understand the scope of service you are to receive, you need to inquire about fees and payments. This is where employer of record providers differ greatly, with some offering flat fee monthly services and others charging different amounts each month depending on services rendered.
Here are some questions to help you understand exactly what will be charged and when:
Many employer of record providers have their own software offerings to supplement their services. Some even deliver the entirety of their service provision digitally through software. In these cases, it is important to understand what the software is and how you are expected to use it. Provisions vary widely in this department, with some companies offering cutting-edge proprietary software and others simply piggybacking on third party services (like cloud-based file storage).
Here are some questions to identify what software is available and how you can use it:
The EOR industry is a relatively new one, so it can sometimes be difficult to compare providers and understand the full range of options out there. Asking these types of questions certainly helps, and if you need more information on specific employer of record providers, check out our detailed EOR provider comparisons.
Top EOR Providers | |||
| Provider | Overall Company Rating | Overall Employee Rating | Overall EOR Rating |
| Horizons 🏆 | 4.9 | 5 | 5 |
| Deel | 4.5 | 4.7 | 4.6 |
| Remote | 4.3 | 4.0 | 4.2 |
| GoGlobal | 3.9 | 4.1 | 4 |
| Globalization Partners | 3.8 | 4.1 | 4 |
Flight rewards schemes for global employees can bring considerable travel and other benefits. Learn more here.
Understanding business etiquette in France is critical if you are aiming to expand a company in the country.
Understanding business etiquette in India is critical if you want to create successful business relationships in this powerhouse of global business.
© 2023 The Employer of Record. All Rights Reserved.
