Breaking news in global HR

The world of global HR is notoriously fast-paced, evolving rapidly to meet the demands of an everchanging workforce. As global working becomes more common, with diverse teams spread over differing time zones, legal jurisdictions, and cultures, global HR leaders are kept busy navigating the ins and outs of these now-common working scenarios.

The rise of remote working and the push for greater work-life balance, in the wake of the significant impact of the pandemic on the world of work, is a key example of the rapid adaptation and innovative strategising required of global HR leaders.

Similarly, as AI and technology continue to advance - often faster than regulations can keep up with - it frequently falls to HR teams to manage the outcomes and challenges within this space. There’s also the need to keep up-to-date with regulatory updates, such as those pertaining to data privacy and compliance.

With all that said, let’s take a look at some of the biggest recent updates in the world of global HR today.

Immigration

South Africa: Proposed changes to immigration legislation

Changes under consideration for codification by South Africa’s Immigration Department include enabling spouses, children, and parents of South African citizens to move from a visitor’s visa to another visa while in south Africa.

As for the police clearance certificate, it’s only necessary from countries where an applicant has spent a certain amount of time. The changes will also bring in a new remote worker visa option for foreign nationals earning a minimum of R1 million. For a full overview of the proposed changes, see here.

USA: legal status to be offered to 500,000 spouses of citizens

President Biden has introduced an immigration programme offering legal status and a straightforward path residency and citizenship to approximately 500,000 unauthorised immigrants who are married to US citizens.

Individuals who have been in the US for minimum a decade may apply for work permits and deportation protections. This will also provide access to permanent residency pathway known as the Green Card.

If upheld, this policy will be  the largest government programme for undocumented immigrants since Obama’s Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals initiative, which currently protects 528,000 beneficiaries from deportation. More information is available here.

To ensure that your global workforce remains compliant and all of your employees are established in-country correctly, engaging Mauve Group’s Visa and Immigration service is a great place to start. Find more information here.

Payroll

Payroll fraud costing companies 40,000 GBP per incident

A new report from the Global Payroll Association (GPA) has found that payroll fraud costs businesses on average 40,000 GBP every time it occurs. The report also finds that asset misappropriation is the most common form, occurring in 89% of all occupational fraud cases in 2022 and 2023.

According to the report, the average instance of payroll fraud continues for 18 months before being discovered, costing an estimated 2,217 GMP per month. More information is available here.

Payroll reporting absent from most business

The latest research from Everest Group shows that a worrying majority of businesses lack payroll reporting capabilities. As a result, a staggering 80% of payroll leaders are left unable to utilise payroll reporting in their decision-making processes.

Over 100 senior leaders in payroll, finance, and HR roles were surveyed, with 45% admitting that they do not have clear visibility on their global payroll functions.

Utilising a global payroll solutions provider such as Mauve Group is one way to ensure that you avoid fraud, have transparency on all your payroll operations, and be confident that your business is operating 100% compliantly. More information on the report is available here, and you can find out more about Mauve’s payroll options here.

Benefits

UK: 59% of workers rank financial wellbeing as top priority

In a new survey of 6,000 UK employees, by Willis Towers Watson, 59% of workers say that financial wellbeing is the area in which they desire the greatest support from their employer.

The report found that 45% feel they are not financially secure, with 28% predicting their financial situation to worsen in the next 12 months. 59% stated that financial worries are causing stress and anxiety. More information is available here.

USA: top priorities are health, retirement, and paid time off

In the USA, the Society for Human Resource Management (SHRM) has released its annual Employee Benefits Survey. Workers rank health, retirement, and PTO as their top concerns.

For the first time ever, this year, SHRM has  included menopause-specific support, finding that just 17% of employers provide support to those experiencing menopause, while just 2% offer menopause-specific sick leave. More information is available here.

When seeking to support your global workforce, having on-the-ground support is essential. At Mauve Group, we’re not only a global HR provider, but also provide a salary benchmarking service; taking into account benefits packages in your chosen location. By availing of these services, your business can be rest assured that you are offering competitive packages in line with local expectations. Find out more here.

Employer of Record

Republic of Ireland: EOR services used by tech companies to avoid housing struggle

As Ireland’s housing crisis continues, tech companies are engaging the services of Employer of Record solution providers to hire overseas talent, rather than move employees to Ireland – due to the cost and lack of accommodation.

Numerous tech giants operate in Ireland, including Indeed, LinkedIn, Meta, and Google. However, while the technology industry continues to boom in the small European country, the worsening housing crisis - which currently sees the highest ever recorded numbers of people experiencing homelessness in the history of the state - provides a stark contrast to the nation’s lucrative tech scene.

If you are seeking to hire overseas, Mauve Group’s flagship Employer of Record (EoR) service has been in operation for over 28 years. Find out how our EoR service can help you to recruit and employ in 150 countries worldwide, here.