HR Outsourcing in Europe for Startups

Outsourcing in Europe

Launching a business in Europe is an exciting prospect! From the moment the idea was born to the day that your business becomes fully operational, your startup goals are important and meaningful.

They can also become a little overwhelming.

There is so much that needs to happen in order for you to successfully launch a European startup that sometimes it feels like an impossible dream. Even when you are in the middle of planning, prepping, and getting established, you may find yourself desperate for some good advice and some exceptional moral support.

That’s where HR outsourcing in Europe for startups comes in.

Outsourcing your European HR will save you time, help you maintain full compliance with European labor laws, and allow you to focus on the exciting work of kick-starting your new European business!

What does HR outsourcing for startups in Europe look like?

HR outsourcing can take many different forms.

Some companies want a third party to manage every single part of their HR, from recruitment and hiring to HR policy creation and full compliance. Other startups just need to outsource HR professionals to manage specific tasks, such as building an employee handbook or managing payroll.

At Europe HR Solutions, we work with startups of all sizes, with all levels of human resources needs. That includes companies who want to pick and choose “a la carte” HR services and those who want year-round management of every single HR task you can think of!

Commonly outsourced HR tasks for startups

Some tasks are unique to the needs of startups.

For example, startups often need services that include:

  • Crafting an excellent employee handbook
  • Conducting an HR audit to ensure that you are prepared for full compliance with European laws
  • Hiring your first employees and contractors

Choosing the best software platforms, including general HR software, payroll, benefits management, employee engagement, data security software, and more

Commonly Outsourced HR Tasks for Startups: Crafting Employee Handbook, HR Audit, Hiring, and Software Selection

Additionally, we can handle all of the following tasks for any company, including startups.

Recruitment & talent acquisition

  • Understand the local job market in any countries where you operate
  • Navigate language requirements to help attract top-tier talent to your company
  • Leverage knowledge of the complexities in the European job market to find the best candidates for your needs

Employee onboarding & offboarding

  • Provide all necessary onboarding documentation to new hires in compliance with local, national, and European labor laws
  • Streamline and smooth the onboarding process for your new European employees
  • Follow mandatory exit procedures for offboarding employees in alignment with EU regulations

Payroll processing & benefits administration

  • Ensure timely payroll payments to employees according to national and EU tax regulations
  • Process payroll fully compliant with the complex tax laws and regulations in the country where you are launching
  • Manage employee benefits enrollment and communication with local providers

HR compliance & legal support

  • Reduce legal risks and potential fines by ensuring full compliance with Europe’s intricate labor laws
  • Draft employment contracts that properly align with the nuances of EU and national labor law
  • Provide expertise to avoid compliance issues and legal problems in the complex EU regulatory environment

Performance management

  • Implement performance appraisal systems tailored to fit the professional culture and work norms where you are operating
  • Assist in setting clear objectives for high performance that align with your European team
  • Provide localized feedback and training to enhance employee performance

Training & development

  • Identify gaps in your current training plans and programs for your team
  • Tailor training & development initiatives to fit the needs of your local workforce
  • Offer development programs to build specific skills your employees need
  • Provide training for employees to successfully work in an international business environment

Employee relations & conflict resolution

  • Address employee grievances and workforce issues with cultural awareness
  • Mediate interpersonal and internal conflicts within your teams
  • Resolve tricky workforce problems

HR reporting & analytics

  • Offer insights into your company’s workforce to inform data-driven decisions
  • Provide customized European HR reports to your headquarters, wherever they are located
  • Analyze HR data to share recommendations based on your unique team

HR consulting

  • Prepare expert HR advice tailored for Europe’s unique business culture and environment
  • Support your in-house HR team with strategic data and consulting
  • Provide exceptional localized HR consulting services based on deep knowledge of the European market

HR technology & systems

  • Assist with implementation and integration of HR software for your European
  • Ensure compliance with national and European data protection laws and requirements
  • Meet local, national, and European reporting requirements for HR technology use

Employee engagement & retention

  • Identify reasons for employee attrition
  • Design customized employee engagement initiatives fitting your team
  • Promote a positive and culturally-aligned workplace culture
  • Reduce employee turnover through strategic retention programs tailored for Europe

HR outsourcing in Europe ensures compliance with all EU and national laws

Any company operating within the EU has to abide by all European Union laws, including labor laws. In addition, each EU member country has its own list of laws and rules.
EU law supersedes national law, but countries can add to European rules in any way that does not conflict with the governing EU policies.
Here is an example:
In the EU, employers must allow new parents to take 14 weeks of maternity leave. However, each country in the European Union sets its own additional laws regarding parental leave. As long as they meet that EU-required minimum, they can add whatever they want regarding paid parental leave after the birth or adoption of a child.
Most European countries go above and beyond this EU-level guidance:

  • Spain: 2 weeks of fully paid, optional prenatal leave and 6 weeks of fully paid, mandatory postnatal maternity leave
  • France: 2 weeks of fully paid, mandatory prenatal leave and 14 weeks of fully paid, mandatory postnatal maternity leave
  • Bulgaria: 6 weeks of 90% paid, mandatory prenatal leave and 52 weeks paid postnatal leave (some mandatory, some optional)
  • Italy: 4 weeks of fully paid, mandatory prenatal leave and 16 weeks of mandatory, fully paid postnatal leave

As you can see, each country has provided its own guidelines for mandatory leave, and employers need to be aware of both sets of laws: EU laws and national laws.

HR Outsourcing in Europe: Ensuring Compliance with EU and National Labor Laws

What are the best countries for launching a startup?

Deciding where to launch your startup is one of the most important decisions you will make. 

The decision is not a “one size fits all” situation, either. There are many factors that will go into your start-up location. Where you currently live or where you can get a good investor visa will help! Your language fluency, familiarity with the global economy related to your industry, and experience level with starting businesses will all play a part!

We work with startups throughout Europe, but some of the most popular startup locations include:

  • Ireland
  • The Netherlands
  • Germany
  • Estonia
  • France
  • Sweden

Contracting with Europe HR Solutions to outsource your startup

At Europe HR Solutions, we offer HR outsourcing services in Europe for startups that meet your unique needs. That includes individual services or comprehensive HR support solutions. 

Our experienced, multilingual, and professional team of HR experts knows how to provide a seamless connection between your startup’s executive leadership and your newly recruited talent. We can recruit, train, and manage your workforce at the same time that we provide guaranteed compliance with the laws in the country or countries where you operate. 

Our proven track record of successful partnerships speaks for itself!

When you work with Europe HR Solutions, your dedicated HR professional or team will take the burden of HR off your hands so that you can focus on the growth of your startup!

Contact Europe HR Solutions to learn more about how we can help your startup thrive!

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    Our Client Testimonials

    We are proud to have worked with numerous UK- and US-based businesses as they have started their operations in Europe, including startups, acquisitions, and expansions.

    Here is what some of them have to say:

    Anouck Cerdan Boillat
    I've been using Europe HR Solutions in countries where the team size doesn't justify hiring a local HR professional, allowing ...
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    Anouck Cerdan Boillat
    I've been using Europe HR Solutions in countries where the team size doesn't justify hiring a local HR professional, allowing us to maintain a lean HR organization. This solution has been fantastic, offering a high level of expertise. Not only do I benefit from exceptional support, but the HR consultants also provide valuable insights into best practices. The team is engaged, available, and knowledgeable. I highly recommend their services to any company seeking top-quality HR support.
    Anouck Cerdan Boillat
    Anouck Cerdan Boillat
    Rebecca Richardson
    I had the pleasure of working with Inez Vermeulen and her exceptional team at Europe HR Solutions, and I cannot ...
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    Rebecca Richardson
    I had the pleasure of working with Inez Vermeulen and her exceptional team at Europe HR Solutions, and I cannot recommend them highly enough. Over the course of several projects, I collaborated with many team members, and every single one of them exhibited a high level of professionalism, expertise, and approachability.From the outset, Inez and her team demonstrated an impressive depth of knowledge in HR solutions, which was instrumental in helping me achieve my project goals. Their commitment to delivering high-quality work is evident in every interaction, and they consistently go above and beyond to ensure the success of their clients.One of the standout qualities of Europe HR Solutions is their approachability. No matter the complexity of the issue, I always felt comfortable reaching out to any team member. Their willingness to listen, provide insightful feedback, and offer practical solutions has been invaluable. This approach fosters a collaborative environment that makes working with them both productive and enjoyable.The dedication of Inez and her team to their clients' success is unparalleled. Their proactive approach and unwavering support have been crucial in navigating the challenges of various projects. I have been consistently impressed by their ability to deliver results on time and with the highest standard of quality.Without hesitation, I would work with Inez Vermeulen and her team at Europe HR Solutions again. Their expertise, combined with their friendly and supportive nature, makes them an outstanding choice for any HR needs. I highly recommend them to anyone looking for a reliable and knowledgeable HR partner.
    Rebecca Richardson
    Rebecca Richardson
    Melanie Girardin
    Europe HR Solutons is my go to organization for anything related to employment matters in the Dutch market. They are ...
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    Melanie Girardin
    Europe HR Solutons is my go to organization for anything related to employment matters in the Dutch market. They are one of the most talented and efficient HR professionals I've ever met. This is a great pleasure to work with them. They are creative problem solvers, and trustworthy Advisors. Their recommendations are well thought out and clearly articulated. I give them my highest recommendation, without reservation.
    Paul Grafham
    Europe HR Solutions has consistently delivered high quality work in all of the projects that she has been involved in. ...
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    Paul Grafham
    Europe HR Solutions has consistently delivered high quality work in all of the projects that she has been involved in. The professional approach that they display is combined with a very personable manner, which has helped integrate them into the AngioDynamics team, and their expertise has assisted significantly in the growth of the international business. I would not hesitate to recommend Europe HR Solutions and the consultancy services offered, and believe they would be an asset to any organisation.
    Michelle Simpson
    Working with Inez and her team of partners in HR Europe has become a valuable partnership to Cold Jet. Their ...
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    Michelle Simpson
    Working with Inez and her team of partners in HR Europe has become a valuable partnership to Cold Jet. Their response time is excellent and the care they take in their response to our team has been appreciated. HR Europe has been a great resource for us to quickly address employment matters that cross many European borders. They make business a pleasure and they have quickly become an extenstion of our team. We look forward to continuing our relationship with them.
    Michelle Simpson
    Michelle Simpson
    Maham Zafar
    Our experience with Europe HR Solutions has been nothing short of exceptional. As an international company, ensuring HR compliance across ...
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    Maham Zafar
    Our experience with Europe HR Solutions has been nothing short of exceptional. As an international company, ensuring HR compliance across various regions is a complex challenge, and Europe HR Solutions has proven to be an invaluable partner in navigating this intricate landscape.From the outset, their team demonstrated a deep understanding of the complexities associated with international HR regulations. Their expertise in local labor laws and regulations has not only ensured our company's compliance but has also provided us with peace of mind knowing that we are in safe hands.
    Maham Zafar
    Maham Zafar
    Christina Lambourne
    Europe HR Solutions have been vital to the HR journey of our business. To begin with we had two...
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    Christina Lambourne
    Europe HR Solutions have been vital to the HR journey of our business. To begin with we had two small acquired businesses and one newly founded company which all needed some structure and a lot of knowledge as a good foundation. Inez’ team in UK, Germany, France and the Netherlands have been hugely supportive and were fundamental to put in place the solid policies and the processes we now have in place. Their highly professional approach in combination with true empathy and flexibility was a breath of fresh air. We had a true partnership for over 18 months now and know we can rely on the team in day to day as well as critical and more challenging situations. Europe HR Solutions have supported us with recruitment, general HR advisory, policies, TUPE, Coaching, redundancies, and everything in between. As the CFO for the business, I’m eternally grateful for all the very practical and human support I have received to date and look forward to continuing this relationship.
    Elke Taylor
    Europe HR Solutions delivered employee handbooks for multiple countries in English and also local language. They provided local expertise for ...
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    Elke Taylor
    Europe HR Solutions delivered employee handbooks for multiple countries in English and also local language. They provided local expertise for those countries and were able to answer the multiple questions from the business and employees. Their responsiveness, quality of expertise & knowledge, output on deliverables was excellent therefore I have already worked with them on further projects and hope to do so in the future again.
    Christos Kartalis
    Europe HR Solutions was main HR/Legal lead for a major restructuring in Europe in 2006. Amazing cross/dept/areas knowledge, ...
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    Christos Kartalis
    Europe HR Solutions was main HR/Legal lead for a major restructuring in Europe in 2006. Amazing cross/dept/areas knowledge, keenly results oriented, jelled with the team with decisive (especially for a "consultant") and highly accountable attitude. Europe HR Solutions are a amazing professionals, making things "easier" for management. I would work with them at any given next opportunity and would recommend them with out any reservations. Christos Kartalis. CEO, Int'l CIPLA.
    Andy Brown
    Europe HR Solutions have provided exceptional service consistently over a number of years to Genea Biomedx in Europe. As a ...
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    Andy Brown
    Europe HR Solutions have provided exceptional service consistently over a number of years to Genea Biomedx in Europe. As a business head quartered in Australia with no inhouse HR support on the ground in Europe this has been invaluable, not only during the start-up phase but also as the business has expanded. I highly recommend them.
    Check out our testimonials page to hear from more of our happy and satisfied clients! 

    Why choose Europe HR Solutions?

    Speed
    Our HR services professionals can start immediately and send answers to your needs within 24 hours or less.

    Immediately Operational & High Quality
    Our human resources consultants in Europe have many years of expertise. Our team will be able to help you immediately with your questions and projects.

    Flexibility
    We are HR experts who serve on an ad hoc basis, interim basis, project and retainer basis from a few weeks, months up to several years.

    Articles
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