Introduction
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Worksome combines international talent management, recruiting, compliance, risk management, and global payroll.
Though not unaccompanied in this space, Worksome’s suite of features is unique, and their distributed workforce (HQs in Copenhagen, London, and NYC) is a testament to their transnational core.
Ratings
Ease of Use
Best For
Key Differentiator
Price
Free Trial
PROS
- Finely tuned focus on some of the most challenging aspects of operating a global workforce
- Risk mitigation with indemnification
- Open API
- Utilizes vetted IC base for talent acquisition and direct-hire recruiting
CONS
- Built for scale, so not a great fit for small companies
- Some ICs report the UI is cluttered and can be challenging to use
- Possible incompatibilities with EU’s Artificial Intelligence Act
Freelancer
Freelancer
Guru
Guru
Toptal
Toptal
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Worksome is an outrider in an emerging space. As the number of U.S. companies that employ international talent grows, so does the number of non-US companies hiring U.S. workers.
The rapid expansion of this new normal has created a massive and primarily unoccupied market landscape for businesses that can meet the needs of companies that operate across continents. Worksome is a major player in this market – they offer risk reduction and streamlined operational processes to support modern teams relying on the global talent pool to build world-class products.
With their in-platform worker classification capacity, Worksome is a global Independent Contractor (IC) compliance leader. This product is a compliance engine, a term usually reserved for the systems used by civic organizations (cities, states, municipalities, etc.) to navigate compliance with laws, regulations, policies, and standards.
The images below show the in-platform Worker Classification Recommendation (WCR) process, which guides users through determining whether contractor or employee status is appropriate for a particular worker.
Unlike an engine for a local government, the Worksome platform is a central solution for companies that employ significant international talent, which means that the platform addresses the needs of employers and ICs across multiple imperatives.
For example, employers make good use of contractor management functions like global payroll, contractor/freelance management, compliance, worker classification, contract management, timesheets, time tracking, and invoicing.
It is also built with the ICs in mind. Those partnered with Worksome are paid directly (and on time!) with the platform's internal payroll. Timely payments may seem like a given, but processing global payroll is complex and prone to failure, and, to the distress of many ICs, late payments are widespread.
On top of supporting day-to-day employer and IC operations, the tool is built with future progress in mind. Recognizing that the ICs they service with their management features also represent a deep and highly-vetted talent pool, they have expanded the scope of their offering to include direct-hire sourcing. Talent acquisition features benefit both employers and ICs looking to hire vetted candidates. Recruiter collaboration makes sourcing easy and hiring fast.
Worksome was once known for its robust global compliance and payment capabilities, but the tool constantly evolves. As the needs of their customers shift and expand, they have responded with features to match. Suffice it to say, Worksome’s product is advanced.
Intelligent workflow automation inside the product and smart integrations with tools in the periphery work together to create a tool that is easy to use and incorporate into an existing tech ecosystem.
This platform enables a competitive edge for its users for two key reasons. First, intelligent automations and built-in features accelerate the pace of business operations. Second, the platform provides indemnification, alleviating worries about audits and the financial implications of compliance-related matters.
Worksome was founded to solve problems related to hiring at scale. Despite their expanded scope, most companies who use a low number of international contractors or use them sparingly would be over-served by Worksome.
Unilever, Ted Baker, Pepsi, Carlsberg, The Oliver Agency, and Petrol Advertising, among others.
- Simplifies compliance: Worksome’s top feature is risk management. They know the global IC space well, so their product is finely tuned to monitor and minimize the risk for companies who are juggling contracts across continents.
- Contract Management: Automating customizable forms and standardized templates simplifies processes and saves time.
- Global payments: Businesses can pay contractors and freelancers nearly anywhere in the world, excluding the embargoed countries Cuba, Iran, North Korea, Russia, Venezuela, Yemen, and Syria.
- Direct sourcing: Build a workforce from the curated talent pool available within the app. Find, hire, and pay vetted talent all in one place.
Their open API connects easily with numerous systems, including top HRIS and ATS platforms. Custom integrations are available for customers with integration needs that don't match the standard offering.
Worksome offers two account types: Basic and Enterprise.
Basic is free, with no time limit and no setup fee. Features like Global Compliant Contracts and Payments are extra: 4% of the contract fee.
Enterprise pricing is customized based on customer needs. Contact their sales team to schedule a demo.
This platform is a good fit for teams with a contingent workforce between 10 and 10,000 but a great fit for those closer to the 10,000 mark. ROI will be optimal for companies looking for and ready to adopt an all-in-one platform for contractor/freelance management, payroll, compliance, and recruiting.
The time frame depends on company size and application complexity, but most customers are up and running after one to three weeks of implementation. An open API and ample support are available, so users report many options and only minor issues.
This platform comes with an impressive level of support. Because they address the needs of employers, recruiters, and ICs, the product application can be highly diverse, even within the same company.
Adoption and implementation planning are highly supported. Live support is available during business hours for US and European customers, and automated support is available around the clock.
It’s worth noting that in addition to helping with integration, their FAQ pages provide support for External Workers, Companies, and Recruiters.
Global resources and training hubs, blogs, webinars, events, research, trends, blogs, webinars, and events can be found on their site.
Though not directly customer-facing, Worksome’s legal department deserves recognition too. Compliance is dazzlingly complex and dynamic, and the consequences of small mistakes are formidable. The work of a team that supports multi-dimensional compliance across the globe is laudable, and the integrity of a company that stands behind their work by offering customer indemnity is worth looking into.
Worksome was founded in 2017 in Denmark to help companies find and engage skilled individuals on a project basis or for a defined timeframe. The company got its first round of funding in March 2018 and expanded to the UK and the US a year later, offering solutions for the new IR35 tax law and flexible workforce setups. By 2021, the platform had 30,000 freelancers and secured $17 million in a Series-A funding round.
Company HQ
Copenhagen, Denmark
Number of Employees
100+ across Copenhagen, London, and NYC
Year Founded
2016
Amount Raised
22.9M
FAQ
How does Worksome ensure the quality and competency of freelancers?
Worksome does so by manually screening all freelancers who create profiles on their platform. Education, experience level, skills, portfolio (if applicable), and overall profile quality are what will be checked by the Worksome team to ensure candidate quality.
Also, as freelancers complete jobs on Worksome, clients will also have the option to rate their experience working with them. These ratings are displayed on each freelancer's profile for other companies to review.