Quick, hassle-free onboarding

We simplify adding an employee's details to Remote and send an automated invite to your new starter

Once the employee signs into the platform, Remote prompts them to provide administrative details and upload the required supporting documents

Remote performs a right-to-work check to confirm workers hold the correct permissions, work permits, or work visas required for their location

The employment agreement is generated and sent to the employee for a formal signature

The employee is enrolled onto payroll and benefits programmes and their status is set to active in Remote.

Depending on where you plan to hire, employee onboarding software allows you to bring new staff into your organisation in full compliance with applicable employment laws. For local hires this is typically a straightforward—often familiar—process: new employees sign an employment agreement and upload required documents, all managed by the company's onboarding software. Employee onboarding software frequently remains in use after a hire starts, as many onboarding tools are part of a broader employment software package.

The situation becomes more complex when companies try to onboard remote employees in countries where they do not own a legal entity. Unfamiliarity with local laws and practices can make it hard to onboard new employees quickly while staying compliant. In those circumstances, employers commonly use an employer of record, or EOR, to onboard new workers. An EOR enables businesses to employ workers in other countries by acting as the local employer while handling functions such as payroll, benefits, tax withholding, compliance, and share options.

New hires do not automatically know what to do when they begin a role. Even for small firms, onboarding is the first opportunity to manage administrative tasks, set clear expectations and introduce company culture. In many jurisdictions, onboarding requires meeting deadlines for paperwork and registrations, so companies hiring across borders should be vigilant.

Few things frustrate a new hire more than problems with payroll and benefits. You want new employees to have a positive experience and to feel an immediate sense of care and belonging.

If you cannot pay their first salary on time or they cannot enrol in insurance because of administrative errors, new team members will quickly lose trust and motivation. Efficient onboarding establishes a positive experience for employees from day one.

Onboarding remote hires can be as straightforward as onboarding office-based staff—or much more complex—depending on where you are hiring and how prepared you are. If the remote hire lives in the same general area as your team (for example, the same city or state), the process is fairly direct: provide the necessary equipment and ensure they feel welcomed, while legal steps such as signing the employment agreement remain largely unchanged.

Onboarding remote employees in another state or country introduces additional challenges. You must allow for time zone differences and manage the paperwork and registrations that come with a distributed hire. For example, some countries require a medical examination as part of a new employment offer, even for remote positions.

In many cases, specific documents must be filed with authorities by strict deadlines, and employees must be enrolled in social programmes within set timeframes after starting work. To hire in a country where your company does not own a legal entity, you can engage an employer of record, or EOR like Remote.

When onboarding remote employees, begin with the fundamentals. Do you have the legal and administrative setup required to employ this person?

For contractors this is typically quick and straightforward. Use an international contractor management platform such as Remote to pay your contractors in their local currencies.

For full-time employees who work remotely, onboarding is often more complex. The key is to understand the regulations that apply in the country or region where your new employee lives and works. If you own an entity in that country, you will be responsible for local compliance, payroll, taxes, benefits administration and assorted paperwork. Because of these barriers, companies hiring overseas commonly work with an employer of record.

Remote is built to remove the cost, risk and complexity from global employment so you can manage compliance with confidence.

Onboarding independent contractors is generally easier than onboarding full-time staff, but do not be complacent. Failing to define the correct boundaries of the working relationship can be costly — in fines and potentially in ownership of your intellectual property.

To onboard independent contractors, start by creating and signing a formal agreement with the contractor. The contract should cover pay rates, deliverables and ownership of created works. Rules vary by country, so when hiring internationally use an international contractor management tool rather than a basic payments-only solution.

You may want to convert contractors to employees at some point. If this occurs, you have a few options. You will need to onboard the contractors into the new roles, completing the paperwork required by the country.