Oyster HR is a global HR and payroll platform designed to support businesses with distributed workforces. With an emphasis on simplifying international hiring, compliance, and payroll management, Oyster HR provides tools and services to help organisations manage employees and contractors in over 180 countries. Below, we review Oyster HR services, pricing, and what sets it apart in the competitive HR solutions market.
Company profile
- Founded: 2019
- Headquarters: London, United Kingdom
- Specialisation: Global employment solutions for remote and distributed teams
- Target audience: Start-ups, SMEs, and enterprises hiring internationally
Oyster HR was founded to address the growing demand for remote-friendly infrastructure. By offering a fully digital platform, it aims to remove the complexities of managing international payroll, legal compliance, and employee benefits. The company has gained a reputation for promoting fair employment practices globally.
Key services
1. Global hiring and onboarding
- Features:
- Hire full-time employees and contractors in over 180 countries.
- Automated compliance checks to ensure adherence to local labour laws.
- Tools to customise employment agreements and contracts.
- Benefits:
- Speeds up the onboarding process for international hires.
- Reduces the risk of legal non-compliance.
2. Payroll management
- Features:
- Supports multi-currency payroll for global teams.
- Transparent breakdowns of taxes, contributions, and net pay.
- Automated payroll calculations based on regional regulations.
- Benefits:
- Streamlines payment processes for remote workers.
- Ensures timely salary disbursements with accurate tax compliance.
3. Employee benefits
- Features:
- Offers country-specific benefits packages, including health insurance and retirement plans.
- Customisable options to meet employee needs.
- Integrated expense management tools.
- Benefits:
- Attracts and retains top talent by providing competitive benefits.
- Simplifies administration of regionally tailored benefits.
4. Compliance and risk management
- Features:
- Real-time updates on local labour law changes.
- In-house legal expertise to support compliance audits.
- Automated generation of compliant contracts.
- Benefits:
- Reduces exposure to legal and financial risks.
- Allows businesses to operate confidently across borders.
5. Time tracking and productivity tools
- Features:
- Integrated time tracking for remote teams.
- Productivity analytics to measure performance.
- Tools for managing time-off requests and holidays.
- Benefits:
- Encourages accountability and efficiency in remote work settings.
- Ensures accurate tracking for payroll purposes.
Oyster HR pricing model
Oyster HR uses a tiered pricing structure based on the scope of services and the number of employees. While the company does not publish detailed pricing information on its website, they typically charge on a per-employee, per-month basis. Factors influencing pricing include:
- Number of employees.
- Regions of employment.
- Required additional services, such as benefits administration or advanced compliance support.
Businesses can request a personalised quote to better understand costs specific to their needs.
Pros and cons of Oyster HR
Pros
- Global coverage: Supports employment in over 180 countries.
- Ease of use: Intuitive platform with a focus on automation and user experience.
- Compliance expertise: Reduces the complexities of navigating international labour laws.
- Customisation: Tailored solutions for payroll, contracts, and benefits.
- Social impact: Promotes fair employment practices globally.
Cons
- Cost: May not be the most budget-friendly solution for smaller companies or those with limited international operations.
- Learning curve: Some users report a learning curve when adopting the platform’s advanced features.
- Contractor limitations: Benefits are more robust for full-time employees compared to contractors.
Who should use Oyster HR?
Oyster HR is ideal for businesses looking to hire and manage talent across multiple countries without setting up local entities. It is particularly suited for:
- Start-ups expanding internationally.
- SMEs with growing remote workforces.
- Enterprises aiming to streamline global HR processes.
Verdict
Oyster HR simplifies the challenges of international hiring, payroll, and compliance, offering a comprehensive platform for businesses operating across borders.
While it may come with a higher price tag than some competitors, its emphasis on ease of use, compliance, and employee satisfaction makes it a worthwhile investment for businesses prioritising global growth.
Alternatives
FAQ
Oyster HR is particularly beneficial for businesses with distributed teams, those expanding internationally, or companies transitioning to remote-first models. It caters to start-ups, SMEs, and large enterprises alike.
Oyster HR uses a combination of in-house legal expertise and automated compliance tools to keep up with local labour laws and regulations. The platform also provides country-specific contract templates and guidance.
Yes, Oyster HR facilitates the hiring of both full-time employees and contractors, offering tailored tools and processes for each type of worker.
Oyster HR is transparent about its pricing, but specific details depend on the services selected. Businesses are encouraged to request a customised quote to understand the full cost.
Oyster HR supports integrations with popular HR and payroll systems, enhancing workflow automation and data synchronisation across platforms.
Oyster HR provides customer support via email and chat, along with an extensive knowledge base and onboarding assistance for new users.
While Oyster HR is effective for businesses of all sizes, its pricing and features are often more aligned with companies managing a significant number of international employees or contractors.
Yes, the platform manages multi-currency payroll, ensuring accurate payments based on local currencies and exchange rates.
Oyster HR offers personalised demos to showcase its platform’s capabilities. Interested businesses can contact their team to schedule a session.
The platform offers country-specific benefits packages and allows businesses to customise offerings, ensuring employees receive competitive and compliant benefits in their region.