This 2019 SHRM Annual Conference and Exposition (#SHRM19) interview is with Blue Marble, a global payroll company that utilizes cloud based solutions. Below is a quick Q&A with Julie Gaertner.
Who is Blue Marble!? Tell us everything, just as you would someone approaching your booth and asking you this question at #SHRM19 in Las Vegas.
Blue Marble helps companies simplify the global payroll process. We have payroll and compliance experts in 145 plus countries to help set up business entities, hire employees, ensure employees are paid accurately, on time, and in compliance with in-country regulations. We provide customized reporting so clients can view payroll costs across all countries and currencies, and we have a U.S.-based team and access to in-country experts when questions come up.
Working at a global company like Blue Marble, you’re tasked with communicating with people from over 135 countries. How important is global competence to engaging with your global network?
It is very important that we fully understand the global and local company when we engage with our global network. We have a team dedicated to researching, interviewing and building our global network. We conduct a thorough due diligence process that includes talking to key stakeholders to make sure all business, compliance, and security questions are addressed. Blue Marble conducts frequent touch points with our partners to keep them engaged and also to make sure they fit in culturally with Blue Marble and our clients.
Let us in on the magic. What’s the payroll process like at Blue Marble? How do you utilize your own tech to improve the process?
We think of ourselves as a technology firm with a mission to make global payroll easy for small or large clients. Blue Marble leverages integrations with our local partners along with payroll and HCM partners to give our clients a full end-to-end automated system to manage their global employees. Our software allows our clients to have a singular user experience while staying compliant with local requirements. Our robust but easy-to-use reporting module gives our clients access to their entire payroll data across all countries and currencies. We have also built automation to fund payroll in multiple currencies so employees can get paid correctly and more importantly, on time.
What are the biggest challenges companies face when conquering global payroll? How do they overcome those challenges?
The biggest challenge with global payroll is finding providers in each country, understanding the unique regulations for each country, ensuring data privacy and protection, and providing employees with accurate, on-time payroll. Many companies use local providers in each country, but have no reporting or access to view payroll. There can be language barriers, compliance errors, and payroll delays, with no way to determine how the error occurred or how to correct it. When a company has employees in multiple countries, the payroll issues are magnified due to so many different providers. There are heavy penalties for non-compliance or data privacy issues, so it is vital for companies to get control over their payroll processes in each country.
What do you wish more HR professionals and recruiters knew about global payroll?
Global payroll is VERY different than payroll in the US. There are many statutory requirements for employees overseas that we do not have here in the U.S., so it is not “one-size-fits-all” when it comes to global payroll. Companies must be aware of every regulation related to employee payroll, tax, benefits, and pensions in order to stay compliant in each country. Without a single platform for global payroll, companies can easily miss payroll errors, fraud, or compliance problems that can multiply very quickly. We offer a full suite of consulting services along with a compliance module to eliminate the knowledge gap.
For anyone who won’t be able to make it to the Blue Marble booth in Las Vegas, what do you want them to know?
Global Payroll doesn’t have to be complicated, but global companies often find it difficult to manage and maintain. Many companies today are leveraging local payroll firms or using a managed payroll vendor, but these options are costly and do not provide timely and accurate reporting. Blue Marble’s approach is to give our clients tools and technology to manage their global payroll, reducing overall cost, increasing process efficiency and automation, and providing an exceptional service experience. We will continue to innovate in the global market, provide global payroll and compliance solutions for every company, and lead the industry with our customized global payroll, HR, and finance solutions.
Visit the Blue Marble Booth #2657 at #SHRM19!
Brett Farmiloe is the Founder and CEO – and currently CHRO - of Terkel.io, a platform where business leaders can answer questions related to their expertise and get published in articles featuring their
insights. Brett is a #SHRM22Influencers and has also been a keynote speaker at several state SHRM conferences around the topic of employee engagement.
- 0
- 84 views
Add new comment