With remote work (or “telecommuting”, if you prefer) now an established practice for many global companies, in-house no longer automatically means in-person.
That’s especially true in sectors like marketing, with 84% of marketers working remotely at least some of the time — and most saying they’d be unwilling to permanently return to the office.
For digital marketing teams specifically (where full-time in-person collaboration is rarely a necessity), this means there’s little need to get hung up on factors like location when hiring in-house talent — why limit yourself to a finite catchment area when no one on your team needs to commute to a central HQ anyway?
This opens up global avenues. Businesses in India can hire digital marketing talent in the United States, Canada, the UK, or anywhere. And vice versa. In turn, the talent pool expands (globally there are over 20 million people in marketing or marketing-adjacent roles) and businesses can hire efficiently and cost-effectively.
In short, why wouldn’t you opt for a globally-distributed “in-house” digital marketing team, especially when Employer of Record (EOR) platforms like Remote and Deel make the process so seamless? Acting as the “local” employer when you make an overseas hire, EORs handle factors like international payroll, benefits, legal compliance and more.
Based in India and looking to hire in another country? Looking to tap into Indian marketing talent as an overseas company? You need an EOR — and here are five of the best.
1. Remote
The gold standard for global hiring
If you’re looking for an EOR platform that really delivers on the promise of making global hiring seamless, Remote is a standout. Its biggest strength is its sheer simplicity — Remote allows businesses to hire digital marketing professionals almost anywhere, with minimal fuss. From managing international payroll to offering localized benefits, it removes the pain points that typically come with global hiring.
For in-house digital marketing teams, this is a game-changer. If you’re looking to hire a social media whizz from India, for example, the Remote EOR service in India takes care of all the complex stuff — benefits administration, compliance with local labor laws, and so on.
The same applies if you’re an Indian business seeking a seasoned PPC strategist from Canada or a marketing automation expert in Germany. Remote acts as the legal employer every step of the way, no matter where your talent is based.
Its global infrastructure is impressively robust, ensuring every hire you make is fully compliant with local regulations. But what’s especially impressive is how Remote caters to both sides of the employer-employee relationship — making it just as easy for hires to sign and review documents, access benefits, and understand their pay and tax obligations.
2. Deel
A reliable all-rounder
Deel has emerged as one of the best-known names in the global EOR space, and not by accident. Its user-friendly platform is built with speed and efficiency in mind, making it an attractive option for businesses in India looking to hire digital marketing talent from across the globe.
Perhaps its biggest selling point is how quickly it can help you hire and onboard staff — in many cases, you can have an international employee signed, sealed and ready to work within days. The platform’s focus on compliance and risk mitigation is another plus, giving you peace of mind when bringing in remote marketing talent from different countries.
What makes Deel especially valuable for digital marketing hires is its strong focus on contractor and employee experience. The platform gives both employer and employee access to a centralized space for accessing documents or submitting timesheets. Its payments feature is also pretty seamless and supports a wide range of currencies.
If there’s a limitation, it’s that Deel can be slightly costly compared to some alternatives, especially when you have a large number of hires across multiple regions. It’s worth weighing this cost consideration if you’re planning to build a very expansive global marketing team, but for responsiveness and reliability, Deel is up there with the best.
3. Multiplier
Strong on compliance
Now, Multiplier shines when it comes to providing strong legal and compliance support, making it ideal for risk-averse businesses that want absolute peace of mind when employing people across borders. And why shouldn’t you?
The service covers every element of the hiring lifecycle, from drafting compliant contracts and managing benefits to ensuring payroll and tax deductions align with local regulations.
For digital marketing hires, the focus on compliance is pretty invaluable, especially when bringing in specialists across highly regulated markets like the US, Canada, and the EU. Its pricing is fairly competitive too, making it an attractive option for startups and growing marketing teams that don’t want to overcommit their budgets.
That said, while Multiplier excels in making global compliance straightforward, it’s worth mentioning that its automation features can be a bit basic compared to competitors like Remote or Deel. You may find yourself relying more on manual interventions for certain HR-related tasks, which could be a consideration for companies with large global teams.
4. Papaya Global
Ideal for complex, large-scale hiring
Papaya Global has built a reputation as a highly robust EOR platform, aimed at businesses looking to scale their global workforce quickly and reliably. Its appeal lies in its sophisticated, enterprise-ready approach — which is ideal for larger digital marketing teams that want to hire in many markets.
For marketing teams that operate across diverse regions and disciplines, Papaya’s highly customizable global payroll services and seamless integration with HR software (plus its analytics and reporting tools) are a huge boon, while its focus on automation takes away many of the traditional manual processes associated with hiring and onboarding.
If there’s a caveat, it’s that Papaya’s focus on enterprise needs can make it feel a little overwhelming for smaller businesses, or at least those making their first global hire. Its pricing model, while fair for the level of service it provides, can be more restrictive too. But if you’re a large business or agency with ambitious global hiring needs, Papaya’s breadth of services are pretty hard to top.
5. Oyster
A user-centric option for growing teams
Oyster HR is another strong contender in the growing EOR space. Its biggest draw is its focus on making global hiring approachable and accessible, with its clean, user-friendly design making it easy for both employers and employees to understand their part in the process.
Its pricing is very competitive too, making it ideal for startups and growing marketing teams that want to hire internationally while keeping a close eye on their budgets.
Oyster’s support for a range of global benefits and its built-in compliance expertise are big advantages, while its intuitive, self-service approach means you can hire and onboard new staff with no needless holdups. Its global payroll service is similarly solid, and its HR tools are more than enough for most in-house digital marketing setups.
Oyster’s focus on simplicity can sometimes come at the expense of depth — meaning large teams or businesses with complex HR needs might find it a bit too basic — but for smaller digital marketing teams or businesses making their first foray into global hiring, it’s an ideal choice.
Digital marketing has truly gone global, and these five EOR platforms make it remarkably straightforward to hire, onboard and manage talent regardless of location. From Remote’s seamless experience to the enterprise focus of Papaya Global, every option has its benefits. Whichever you choose, one thing’s certain: the days of being constrained by geography when hiring marketing talent are long gone.
