Ensuring your supported employees have a positive experience with their employer of record (EOR) is crucial for maintaining trust and satisfaction. Learning that they will be employed by an EOR can initially be confusing and concerning for employees, especially if they're unfamiliar with the term or have had a negative experience with a past EOR. Concerns over the potential for delayed payments, poor communication, and lack of knowledge of local labor laws can distract employees from doing their best work.
Velocity Global is proud to provide your supported employees with the best employment experience possible, from on-time payments to ongoing HR support. Read on to hear directly from an employee in Brazil and learn how we worked to give her a more seamless, consistent, and positive experience than the previous EOR companies she had worked with.
1. What is your name and role at the company, and what country are you based in? How long have you been working with the company?
My name is Karina Cizeski, and I work as a Contributor Lead/Team Lead. I manage an international team of contributors that handles data. I’ve been working with my current company since 2015.
2. Prior to working with Velocity Global, had you ever heard of an “employer of record”? Have you ever heard of us before?
Yes, I’ve worked with different employers of record since I became a Team Lead. I think it’s been about 18 months since my current company started working with Velocity Global, but before that, I hadn’t heard about you guys.
3. How has your experience with Velocity Global differed from previous employers of record? What would you say is the biggest difference?
I will say my experience has been a massive upgrade from previous employers of record. I think the biggest difference is the level of communication. The other employers of record had very poor communication, which left me in a vulnerable position because I didn’t have the clear and immediate information I needed, and I had to go through various communication channels.
But with Velocity Global, there are plenty of communication channels for me, and I get very quick responses about any issues I have. The team is always very helpful. It’s never a “We’ll check with someone and get back to you.” It’s always an immediate response and solution, which is brilliant. It's a win-win situation. Knowing that I always have people to help me puts my mind at ease and lets me focus on providing the best service at my job.
4. Can you give us an example of a time where a Velocity Global employee was able to help resolve an issue or complex circumstance? Or an instance where they were very helpful?
I was trying to book time off for my holiday, but in Brazil, there’s a complex set of local labor legislation that I wasn’t aware of, which specifies when you’re allowed to take days off. For instance, there are so many rules about the minimum number of days you have to work, and if there's a national holiday close by, it gets very complicated.
But, the Velocity Global team gave me clear instructions, and together, we worked out a good solution for me and ensured I complied with local legislation.
5. What was the experience like when you transitioned from your previous employer of record to Velocity Global? Was Velocity Global able to help answer your questions about things like local tax forms, labor legislation, employment contracts, and compliance?
Yes, the team was always upfront and informative. When it comes to all this paperwork, all I want is for someone to send me a list of bullets about what I need to do. And the team provided that. It was very organized, and each document and signature was well explained. It was very helpful. I had lots of questions, and the answers were always very clear.
6. What we’re trying to show is how an EOR makes things possible for talent all over the world. So if you didn’t have this opportunity, what would that look like? What would happen if you didn’t have an EOR to work with?
It would mean I’d have to go back to being a freelancer so I wouldn’t have to move. I’m quite settled where I am now, and without Velocity Global as an employer of record, it would mean I would have to become a freelancer just to avoid moving. I’m able to manage about 75 people all over the world because I can work remotely in the location I’m in right now.
Without being a full-time employee through Velocity Global, I’d also lose my benefits. Brazil has public health services, but you have better access to care with a private health insurance plan through an employer. Through Velocity Global, I also have benefits like holiday and sick pay and unemployment benefits, as well as benefits I’ve never had before, like life insurance and meal stipends.
7. What surprised you the most about working with Velocity Global? Was there anything that left an impression on you?
The communication. Because with previous employers of record, it hasn’t been great, and I was sort of expecting the worst. I really hate all the bureaucratic paperwork and things of that nature, but Velocity Global always had the expert knowledge readily available and was always helpful.
8. How would you describe your onboarding experience with Velocity Global?
I worked in the United Kingdom for a while, and the local labor laws and processes are very different from Brazil. I came from this employment culture in the U.K., where everything is very organized, but it can get quite messy here. So, having Velocity Global provide a similar onboarding experience in Brazil was quite surprising. It lessened the culture shock.
