Company Background
A regional construction and infrastructure development company operating across Southeast Asia was scaling its workforce to support new projects. With headquarters in Malaysia and active projects in neighboring countries, the company needed access to skilled engineers across borders.
Hiring Goals
To meet project demands and support long-term growth, the company sought to hire qualified civil, structural, and project engineers in Southeast Asia. While most roles were onsite due to the nature of construction work, some specialized or planning-focused positions could operate in a hybrid or remote setting. The company also needed to ensure all hires were made compliantly, especially in countries where they had no registered entity.
Challenges Faced
- Onsite Talent Requirements: Most roles required in-country or on-site presence, particularly for field engineering and project execution.
- Cross-Border Projects: Engineers were needed in multiple countries in Southeast Asia, but the company lacked legal entities in all project locations.
- Compliance & Risk Management: Hiring without proper contracts, payroll, or benefits in place posed legal and operational risks.
- Operational Complexity: Managing different employment standards and labor regulations across countries added to HR complexity.
Solution
Second Talent delivered a solution designed for the construction industry’s mobility and compliance needs:
- Engineer Hiring Enablement: Assisted in recruiting and onboarding skilled engineering professionals in key markets.
- Entity Coverage via EOR: Allowed the company to employ engineers in countries where it had no legal presence, using Second Talent’s local entities.
- Hybrid Work Accommodation: Helped structure hybrid and remote roles (e.g., planners or technical consultants) for compliant employment.
- Payroll & HR Compliance: Managed all employment aspects including contracts, payroll, taxes, and statutory contributions ensuring compliance and reducing risk.
Results Achieved
With Second Talent’s support, the company quickly scaled its engineering workforce to match project timelines across Southeast Asia. The EOR model eliminated the need for setting up new entities and gave the company peace of mind through full HR compliance and payroll management, allowing them to stay focused on project delivery.
Note: This case study is intended for reference purposes.
