What to look for in a global payroll solutions provider: 10 must-have features

Run multi-country payroll with confidence in 150+ countries with Mauve's automated global payroll solution. Reach out to our team today to get started.

• Compliance is critical: A strong global payroll provider must ensure legal and tax compliance across jurisdictions, with built-in capabilities for local labour laws, statutory benefits, and permanent establishment guidance.
• Comprehensive, scalable services: Look for multi-country payroll support, EOR/PEO options, contractor management, and scalability to support business growth into new markets.
• Tech-driven and strategic support: Providers should offer advanced digital platforms, real-time analytics, salary benchmarking tools, and act as HR consultants, not just vendors.

More companies than ever are looking to expand abroad, be that setting up overseas entities or employing workers remotely. For example, an estimated 5 million foreign workers are employed around the world by UK companies.

Expanding into international markets offers exciting growth opportunities, but it also introduces significant complexity, especially when it comes to payroll.

Whether you're paying wages to overseas employees, working with foreign independent contractors, or navigating local tax laws, choosing the right global payroll solutions provider is crucial.

As you start your search for the right global payroll provider for you, you may feel overwhelmed. It’s a highly saturated market, with dozens of vendors in the UK alone. To help, we’ve selected the ten must-have features to look for in a reliable provider, along with essential considerations for managing a global workforce effectively.

For more information on global payroll, read our Ultimate guide to global payroll.

1. Global compliance services

Staying compliant with labour laws, tax regulations, and employee benefits in multiple jurisdictions is a top priority. Your provider should offer global compliance services to help you navigate local payroll rules, tax codes, and statutory benefits. Look for expertise in global regulatory compliance and managing payroll in accordance with the legal frameworks of each country you operate in.

Mauve Group’s compliance team, headed up by our Legal and Compliance Director, are dedicated to ensuring 100% compliance no matter where in the world you’re paying staff.

2. Multi-country payroll capability

Your provider must support payroll processing across multiple countries seamlessly. Whether you’re employing staff overseas or setting up operations in a new region, they should understand the types of permanent establishment and offer solutions that comply with each country's labour and tax laws.

Providers should also offer payroll for international employees and enable you to pay international employees on time, in their local currencies, while ensuring deductions and contributions are made correctly.

Mauve Group offers global payroll services in over 150 countries, and counting!

3. Expert-led global workforce deployment

Rather than relying on third-party PEO networks, choose a provider like Mauve Group that offers direct EOR capabilities and in-house international HR expertise. With almost thirty years of experience in global workforce solutions, Mauve supports businesses by becoming the legal employer of your staff in-country, eliminating the need for you to set up legal entities in each new market.

Mauve’s unique model provides a direct operational presence in 70+ countries, in-depth knowledge of local employment laws, benefits, and tax systems, strategic advisory on workforce planning and risk mitigation during global expansion, and tailored onboarding and employee support to ensure a compliant, positive experience for your global hires.

This hands-on, consultative approach simplifies your entry into new markets while reducing the risk of permanent establishment and HR missteps.

4. Support for contractors and freelancers

When paying foreign independent contractors, the rules differ from those for full-time employees. Your provider should know how to pay independent contractors internationally while complying with misclassification laws.

Additionally, they should support hybrid workforces that include remote work employees, freelancers, and part-time talent—an increasingly popular setup in global hiring.

Mauve Group offers comprehensive independent contractor services, supporting organisations to ensure compliance when classifying workers.

5. Scalability and global expansion readiness

Your payroll solution should support your global expansion strategy. Look for providers experienced in how to expand your business internationally, with a proven track record across multiple markets. They should provide a roadmap for global mobility, workforce planning, and global human resources management.

Also consider if the provider offers visa and immigration services, which can be critical when moving talent across borders.

Mauve Group offers global business expansion and visa and immigration services. These solutions mean that Mauve is perfectly placed to support your business to scale up, if and when the time comes.

6. Cost transparency and calculation tools

Understanding the total cost of hiring abroad is vital. Look for tools like a true cost of an employee calculator UK, staff cost calculator UK, or global equivalents to understand local tax, benefits, and salary expectations. Tools that allow you to calculate cost of employee UK or other regions can prevent budgeting surprises.

Make sure your provider offers access to reliable salary benchmarking tools, including salary benchmarking, salary benchmarking tools, and offers insights into how to conduct salary benchmarking.

These tools are invaluable when setting competitive, compliant salaries across different countries.

At Mauve, there are no hidden costs. All expenses are outlined up-front, and any possible additional costs are always communicated clearly as they arise. As part of our global payroll service, we generate salary calculations, including taxes and other mandatory contributions, allowing for a detailed view of employment costs for your new workers.

7. Global HR integration and consulting

Top-tier payroll providers don’t just process payments—they offer full global HR consultancy support. Seek out vendors that also provide international HR consultancy, global HR consulting and global employee management services.

These offerings help you streamline your global HR operations, optimise benefits packages, and design effective compensation strategies for each market.

Mauve Group’s Global HR Consultancy solution, you can ensure comprehensive compliance in everything from employment contracts to employee benefits.

8. Localised expertise and PE guidance

Understanding permanent establishment meaning is vital when entering new markets. A good provider should help you assess types of permanent establishment risks and guide your decisions to avoid triggering unwanted tax or legal obligations.

This includes knowing when to use an EOR company and how to remain compliant when managing a global workforce.

Understand more about permanent establishment and the risks by reading our article.

Contact our team today for advice on how to avoid triggering permanent establishment and how we can help you to expand compliantly with ease.

9. Advanced technology and reporting features

Your payroll provider should offer a unified digital platform with features like real-time analytics and dashboards, custom reports for payroll work from home setups, automation for tax and benefits calculations, cross-border employee insights.

Integration with global HR software or APIs for existing HRIS platforms makes managing your remote workforce easier and more efficient.

Mauve Insight, Mauve’s centralised platform, tracks and stores all employee data. Data is accessible to workers and employers 24/7. This platform provides a clear overview of all important information, streamlining global payments and worker management.

10. Dedicated support and ongoing compliance monitoring

International laws change frequently. A strong provider offers ongoing monitoring of legislative changes, tax reforms, and labour laws. This support is essential for staying ahead of changes affecting overseas employees and managing international workforce challenges.

Your provider should act as a partner, not just a service vendor, proactively offering guidance and updates.

At Mauve, all our clients are assigned a dedicated Client Manager to be your point of contact and support throughout your relationship with us. Read testimonies from satisfied Mauve clients about how our customer service is second to none.

Choosing the right global payroll solutions provider is about more than just paying your employees, it’s about ensuring legal compliance, supporting international growth, and managing a dynamic, dispersed workforce. From salary benchmarking tools to EOR payroll, the best providers act as strategic partners in your global journey.

As you expand, focus on providers that offer the 10 must-have features outlined above. This approach will help you reduce risk, control costs, and simplify the complexities of global employee management.