For a business striving for international growth, pairing up with a reliable EOR provider is not unlike finding a miracle elixir with properties that ease, or even fully eliminate, the many pains of overseas hiring that are otherwise inevitable. The offer is not scarce – but how can a decision maker evaluate the actual service quality of an EOR company or platform, beyond their marketing claims and digital facade?
Here at Acvian, personalities are the miracle workers, the drivers of our excellence as an international employment organization. We are proud of the service we provide – by people and for people – and it is made possible by our team of qualified and committed professionals. Join us in the series of conversations with some of the company’s key players, and learn how they make Acvian a trustworthy partner on your venture to business expansion.
Julia Romanenko is an International HR and Payroll Specialist and a member of Operations Team at Acvian.
She is the hand that orchestrates multiple processes set in motion once the client company makes a decision to partner up with us to hire an overseas employee or a team of employees. With 4 years of experience in Human Resources and nearly 2 years on board Acvian, Julia also mentors newcomers, ensuring a seamless transition of internal expertise. She handles the regular monthly workflow and accommodates additional client requests that occur along the way. Today, Julia will be sharing with us how Operations provide comprehensive support to client companies in all aspects of their relationship with overseas talents working on an EOR basis.
Hi Julia! To begin with, could you walk us through the responsibilities of the Operations team when taking on a new client?
Hello! It’s a vast array. At every stage of the employer-employee relationship, there are specific tasks for us to handle. First, we attend to the relocation of a new hire to the designated country. This typically involves obtaining an appropriate visa and permits, ensuring compliance with local regulations and completing the mandatory paperwork. Then, we assist with the onboarding process, making sure the employee has a smooth start in their new role. This stage is crucial for establishing mutual trust between the employer and the hire, and we provide every bit of support that is needed to minimize stress for both. And when I say ‘every bit’, I mean it. Sometimes we even offer to accompany an individual to the mandatory medical check-up, making sure they feel comfortable and helping to handle the formalities that otherwise take up too much headspace when one starts a new job.
It is indeed in the client’s best interest to onboard a newcomer as promptly and smoothly as possible. Can you recall a case of the fastest relocation?
Last year, we helped an IT specialist from a non-EU country to relocate to Latvia together with his loved ones. It was a once-in-a-lifetime decision for his family, and the client company in Spain was counting on us to make sure the process was seamless and timely. And it was – in just a month, the employee’s family successfully relocated in full compliance with the Latvian law. To this day, the satisfied employer remains our client, and with our swift assistance, the specialist in question has extended his work agreement and residence permit.
What happens once an employee is successfully onboarded and starts the job?
Then of course there are monthly payrolls. It is our responsibility to make sure all deductions, benefits and other nuances are factored in, and there are no discrepancies in payments. With our help, the client company can distribute the salaries promptly on the final day of the month. It’s a big perk! This simplifies the client’s internal accounting and boosts employee satisfaction.
How do you coordinate internal work to make sure payrolling is so efficiently done, and manage to do so stress-free?
Top secret! (Laughing) All I can say is that it has everything to do with our internal expertise and ability to prioritize. The Operations team is able to react quickly and effectively to any changes that affect the payroll, making sure the employees are paid on time. This takes the strain off the client’s internal accounting and boosts employee satisfaction. On a more personal note, my experience has made me the master of multitasking, rearranging what seems like a chaotic array of assignments in an orderly manner and handling them competently and without much fuss. I believe that stress doesn’t make one a good professional, and would recommend partnering up with teams who value competence over stress resistance. Competence facilitates confidence, and confidence allows you to create order out of chaos instead of trying to resist chaos.
Well said! Where does this understanding of workplace psychology come from, and do you apply it often at your job?
I turned to psychology to reevaluate my approach to professional life and to work on expectations and attitudes that no longer served my career. Mindfulness might not typically be on the soft skills list, but it has an immensely positive impact on the quality of my work and life overall. It improves time management, task coordination, workplace flexibility, and the ability to empathize with the client’s needs. I have a clear understanding of my individual duties and fulfill those without extreme mental strain.
Let’s admit not every hire is a best-case scenario. How do you handle situations when one of the parties – either the client or the employed individual – no longer wants to cooperate?
The most delicate aspect of our job is dealing with critical ruptures that sometimes occur between the company and the employee. In case of a termination, Acvian takes over all aspects of the process except material risks. Proceedings and notice periods vary from country to country, and there is always more than one way to approach the situation from the legal point of view. We present a client with the range of options applicable in the specific case, ensure full compliance, calculate severance benefits and provide a supportive environment to reach a consensus so that no party steps out of the interaction disgruntled. I cannot emphasize enough how many potential issues, including lawsuits from former employees, can be avoided if the situation is approached correctly. There are times when a well-formulated statement can call off the termination altogether – if only it serves the client’s best interest, of course.
What do you find most fulfilling about working at Acvian?
Probably the team! There is understanding, open communication and exchange of knowledge, benevolence and support. It is a nurturing environment that results in a great quality of work. Also, I’ve been around for a while and enjoy being a witness to Acvian’s steady growth.
In your opinion, what is one big reason a company should go for remote employment with EOR?
EOR saves you time and money. It’s that simple. It allows your business to direct resources towards real goals instead of focusing on processes and competencies that you really don’t need to understand. If I were you, I would go for EOR – it is a relatively new, yet increasingly popular solution, and it is best to benefit from it sooner than later.
