Harness Indian Talent Using EOR Solution- Expat Orbit Client Stories

Client 1 - The American start-up facing talent crunch

Our client is a high-growth data privacy and cyber security start-up.

Given the industry they work in, and the top-notch work they deliver, they are always loaded with project opportunities. At one point they had more than what they could handle. So, they urgently needed data scientists, researchers, digital marketers, and designers.

Not to forget, it’s still a start-up - cost-effectiveness and time optimization are always on top of their minds. It also doesn’t mean they are ready to compromise on the talent they aspire to hire.

So it’s a tricky predicament where they are desperate yet choosy.

The right hire at the right cost and right time can make all the difference

Client 2 - The French MNC, whose South Asian operations were threatened due to an economic turmoil at the project location

Client 2 operates mainly in the water and waste management sectors.

They had deployed 3 Indian nationals to carry out projects in Sri Lanka.

The Sri Lankan economy began to collapse - hyperinflation, sovereign debt it could not repay, and a devalued currency. The Lankan Rupee or LKR had depreciated by ~45% against the INR.

Look at the picture from the seconded employees’ POV, you’ll understand the problem.

The depreciating LKR bore a negative omen for their bank account balance, their earnings were in jeopardy. Their hearts sank each time the LKR took a dip. The expats were fear-stricken.

The Solution

Let’s understand how Expat Orbit helped them in overcoming these challenges-

Client 1- Remote Team Setup in India

Client 1 requires ‘the right hire at the right cost’. In other words, they need Indian talent. (Hiring subpar talent at exorbitantly high rates is surely not a smart decision)

A US start-up wanting to hire Indians is no cakewalk. They face challenges, such as-

• Limited access to quality talent in a foreign country(in this case India)
• Inadequate knowledge of local Indian laws
• Lack of support for managing Indian employees
• No knowledge of the employer and statutory obligations

So, this is how we solved all of this and more for Client 1:

1. Understanding their needs and issuing them global mobility advisory- We began by establishing close coordination with the client to understand their employee expectations, policies, and budgets while keeping Indian labor laws and talent expectations in mind
2. Issuing localized employment contracts- Once we were clear about what exactly the client wanted, we drafted offer letters, and employment contracts, ensuring full compliance with local laws
3. Offering local employment and onboarding- We employed the shortlisted candidates locally with our entity in India, ensuring a smooth onboarding process
4. Managing payroll- Expat Orbit was 100% in charge of managing payroll - running monthly payrolls, taking into account leaves, reimbursements, benefits, and overtime
5. Undertaking employer compliances- Along with payroll,  we took 100% responsibility for employer-related compliances like TDS, social security, et al as well

In short, our client only had to tell us the JD, their employee requirements, and their budget. That’s all. In the process, they,

• Reduced their costs by ~7 times,
• Got quality work done by the best people there are,
• Had nothing to do with compliances, labor laws, and regulatory issues of a foreign land.

Expat Orbit expertise in managing compliances and support in hiring and onboarding candidates was seamless. Hiring in the USA  would have cost us 7-8 times more and the regulatory stuff would have been baffling. This is a quick and cost-efficient solution for any startup.

Client 2- Employer of Records

Expat Orbit stepped into the employer’s shoes, took the expats under its wings, and decided to pay them salaries in INR in their Indian bank accounts.

The entire process involved drafting and executing secondment contracts, setting up and processing Indian payroll, and taking care of all compliances - withholding, tax returns, social security, etc. in India and where needed in Sri Lanka as well.

Expat Orbit essentially became what is commonly known as ‘Employer of Records’ for the Indian employees in Sri Lanka.

Expat Orbit has done a commendable job helping all Indian Expats working in Sri Lanka facing the impact of the economic meltdown and financial crisis

Our client was relieved of all employer responsibilities, the Indian employees worked in Sri Lanka without caring about the skidding LKR, and everyone could finally breathe a sigh of relief.

To understand more about our hiring solutions, we suggest you read the section “Modern ways of hiring and working” in Globility - our biweekly newsletter.

Also, check out our EOR guidebook to know how EOR can be deployed in India to further your organisation's growth.