Safeguard Global Review And Employer of Record (EOR)

With globalization opening doors across borders, companies worldwide are looking to harness global talent. However, hiring and managing an international workforce comes with major hurdles like payroll, taxes, compliance, HR and more in unfamiliar territories. This is where Safeguard Global comes in – an industry leader that acts as your Employer of Record (EOR) to seamlessly handle global hiring and workforce management.

Whether you’re looking to expand abroad or optimize your existing global teams, Safeguard Global has your back. Operating since 2011 with headquarters in Philadelphia, London and Singapore, this global workforce platform led by CEO Michael Smith takes care of everything related to payroll, benefits, compliance, contractor payments and more across over 150 countries. With blue-chip funding and corporate backing to the tune of a $700M+ valuation, Safeguard Global has emerge

What Is Safeguard Global?

Safeguard Global is a leading global workforce management platform that provides Employer of Record (EOR) and Professional Employer Organization (PEO) services. Essentially, it enables companies to hire and manage employees as well as contractors in over 150 countries worldwide without having to set up their own legal entities abroad.

Founded in 2011 and headquartered in Philadelphia, London, and Singapore, Safeguard Global acts as the Employer on Record for companies looking to build international teams. This means Safeguard Global becomes the official employer for tax, labor law and compliance purposes in each country, while the client company retains day-to-day supervision and management of the employees.

Safeguard Global handles all the complex legal, tax and HR requirements of hiring globally, including:

• Global payroll processing and payments in local currencies
• Employment contracts tailored to local labor laws
• Compliance with country regulations on taxes, benefits, terminations etc.
• Sourcing, recruitment and onboarding of global talent
• Management of employee expenses, time off, performance reviews etc.

With a combined workforce of over 40,000 employees across 176 countries, Safeguard Global provides an integrated platform to compliantly build and manage a global team. This makes it easier for companies to quickly enter new markets without setting up their own international operations.

What Does Safeguard Global Do?

Safeguard Global provides comprehensive global employment and workforce management solutions that enable companies to hire, pay and manage employees as well as contractors abroad compliantly and efficiently. Here are the key services offered by Safeguard Global:

Global Payroll
Safeguard Global handles end-to-end global payroll processing in over 150 countries. This includes paying employees/contractors in local currencies, calculating taxes/deductions, filing payroll taxes, and ensuring full compliance with each country’s labor laws.

Employer of Record (EOR) Services
As an Employer of Record, Safeguard Global becomes the official employer of a company’s workforce in countries where they have no legal presence. This allows clients to quickly build international teams without setting up their own subsidiary.

Contractor Management
In addition to full-time employees, Safeguard Global provides contractor management solutions to payroll, onboard and compliantly engage independent contractors across the globe.

Global HR Services
From recruitment and onboarding to benefits administration and HR compliance, Safeguard Global offers full-stack global HR support tailored to each country’s regulations.

Immigration/Visa Services
For employees requiring work authorization, Safeguard helps obtain and manage appropriate visas and immigration documentation.

In-Country Compliance
With local experts across 176 countries, Safeguard Global ensures adherence to all employment, tax and legal requirements in each market its clients operate in.

In essence, Safeguard Global serves as a comprehensive global workforce solution, taking over the legal, administrative and compliance responsibilities to make international employment simple and seamless for its clients.

Safeguard Global Payroll

Safeguard Global offers robust global payroll services that enable companies to pay their employees and contractors compliantly across over 150 countries worldwide. Here are some key features of Safeguard Global’s payroll solution:

Multi-Country Payroll
Safeguard Global provides unified payroll processing across multiple countries and currencies through a single platform. This allows companies to seamlessly manage their global payroll operations from one centralized system.

Compliance Expertise
With in-country experts and robust compliance engines, Safeguard ensures adherence to all local payroll laws, tax regulations, statutory contributions, and labor rules in each country. This minimizes risks of penalties or fines.

Currency Conversions
Employees can be paid in their local currency, with Safeguard handling the conversion from the client’s payment currency using real-time exchange rates. This eliminates currency fluctuation risks.

Automated Calculations
All payroll calculations like gross-to-net, deductions, contributions are fully automated based on each employee’s compensation structure and location-specific regulations.

Tax Filing & Reporting
Safeguard files and deposits payroll taxes with relevant authorities in a timely manner. It also generates pay slips, tax forms and other required documentation.

Payroll Analytics
Real-time analytics dashboards provide insights into payroll costs, tax liabilities, time and attendance data across countries to enable better workforce planning.

Integration Capabilities
The payroll system can integrate with popular HRIS, accounting and ERP platforms for seamless data transfer and consolidated reporting.

Employee Self-Service
Employees can access pay stubs, update personal information and submit requests like time off through a self-service portal.

With end-to-end global payroll capabilities combined with robust compliance management, Safeguard Global ensures accurate and timely payments for companies with an international workforce. Its scalable cloud-based platform can meet the needs of businesses of all sizes operating across multiple geographies.

How Safeguard Global Different From Others

Safeguard Global stands out from other global employment and payroll providers in several key ways:

Unmatched Global Reach
With a presence in over 176 countries, Safeguard Global has one of the largest global footprints in the industry. This allows them to support companies hiring and managing teams practically anywhere in the world through a unified platform.

Deep Local Expertise
Rather than taking a one-size-fits-all approach, Safeguard has localized teams and legal entities in key markets. This in-country presence gives them nuanced expertise in each region’s employment laws, cultures and best practices.

Cutting-Edge Technology
Safeguard Global utilizes advanced technologies like AI, machine learning and robotic process automation to streamline processes like payroll calculations, tax compliance, visa management and more. Their platform provides real-time data, analytics and process automation.

Comprehensive Solution Suite
In addition to payroll and EOR/PEO services, Safeguard offers an integrated suite of HR services like recruiting, onboarding, benefits, performance management etc. This end-to-end solution simplifies global workforce management.

Scalable Global Infrastructure
With an established global infrastructure and delivery model, Safeguard can quickly scale to support clients’ expansion into new countries seamlessly without compromising on local compliance.

White-Glove Service Delivery
Safeguard takes a high-touch, consultative approach, assigning dedicated service teams to support each client’s unique needs across the entire employee lifecycle.

While other providers may be stronger in certain regions or services, Safeguard Global’s unparalleled global capabilities combined with localized expertise make it a compelling option for companies looking to build best-in-class global teams.

Global Payments Partners Of Safeguard Global

Safeguard Global has partnered with several leading global payments providers to facilitate seamless cross-border payments and contractor payouts for its clients’ globally distributed workforce. Here are some of the major payment partners that Safeguard Global works with:

Wise (formerly TransferWise)
Wise is one of the world’s largest fintech companies focused on international money transfers and payments. Safeguard Global utilizes Wise’s multi-currency accounts and global payments network to pay employees, contractors and vendors in over 70 currencies cost-effectively.

Tipalti
Tipalti is a leading global payables automation platform that helps streamline cross-border payments. Safeguard Global leverages Tipalti’s solution to compliantly pay contractors and gig workers worldwide while handling tax, regulatory and compliance aspects automatically.

Global Cash Card
For unbanked or remote employees without access to bank accounts, Safeguard Global provides Global Cash Cards powered by payment partners like Greenlight and Brightwell. These reloadable debit cards enable cash payouts in local currencies.

PaySafe
PaySafe is a specialized online payment processor that Safeguard uses for disbursing contractor payments and payroll in regions with complex regulatory environments or underdeveloped banking systems.

Local Bank Partnerships
In addition to global payment providers, Safeguard Global maintains partnerships with major local and regional banks across key markets to facilitate in-country payroll payments through domestic bank transfers wherever suitable.

By integrating best-in-class payment solutions, Safeguard Global ensures its clients can pay their international employees and contractors through a variety of secure, cost-effective and compliant payment methods tailored to each geographic location. This payments ecosystem is a critical part of Safeguard’s global workforce deployment platform.

Safeguard Global Competitors

Here are some of the key competitors of Safeguard Global in the global employment/EOR space:

Competitors:

• Deel
• Velocity Global
• Remote
• Globalization Partners
• Papaya Global
• Payoneer
• Pilot
• Omnipresent
• Multiplier
• ShieldGEO

While these companies offer similar employer of record and global payroll solutions, Safeguard Global stands out with its truly global reach across 176 countries – more than any other provider. It also has integrated offerings beyond just payroll/EOR spanning the entire employment lifecycle.

List Of Safeguard Global Headquarters

Safeguard Global has its corporate headquarters located in Philadelphia, USA. However, it maintains major regional hubs and offices in several locations around the world, including:

• London, United Kingdom
• Singapore
• Dubai, United Arab Emirates
• Bangalore, India
• Toronto, Canada
• Bogota, Colombia
• Auckland, New Zealand
• Amsterdam, Netherlands

This distributed headquarters model allows Safeguard Global to have localized operations, legal entities, and expertise across key global regions while centralizing corporate leadership and support functions out of its Philadelphia HQ.

The company’s multi-headquarter approach is an advantage that gives it the ability to better understand and navigate the nuances of employment regulations, labor laws, and cultural practices across diverse geographies compared to competitors based in just one location.

Related FAQs Of Safeguard Global

Conclusion

Safeguard Global has firmly established itself as a leading global workforce management solution for companies looking to build international teams quickly and compliantly. With an extensive footprint across 176 countries, Safeguard provides unmatched geographic reach along with nuanced local expertise in each region’s employment laws and practices.

Its integrated platform offering services like global payroll, contractor management, recruitment, immigration, and HR support throughout the employee lifecycle sets it apart from niche providers. Safeguard’s use of advanced technologies like AI, analytics and automation also allows it to streamline complex processes while providing strategic workforce insights.

While pricing remains opaque requiring custom quoting, Safeguard seems to be well-worth the investment for businesses prioritizing a truly global workforce solution from a stable, well-funded company. Its $700 million-plus valuation and backing from investors like Accel and Blackstone underscore its market leadership.

However, self-service payroll tools like Gusto may suffice for companies operating in just a few countries in the initial stages before expanding further internationally. Smaller firms with limited budgets could also explore more regionally-focused EOR alternatives.

Overall, Safeguard Global emerges as the premier choice for mid-market and enterprise organizations with the resources and ambition to build best-in-class global teams across multiple regions through a unified, compliant and technologically-advanced workforce platform. Its end-to-end capabilities make it an attractive long-term partner for companies on the path to globalization.