Company Background
A growing IT consulting and services firm based in Singapore was delivering digital transformation projects to clients across Asia-Pacific. The company focused on enterprise technology platforms like SAP, ServiceNow, and Salesforce, working on both long-term client relationships and short-term implementation projects. As more global clients expanded in the region, the firm needed to scale quickly without losing control over costs, quality, or legal compliance.
Hiring Goals
The company planned to grow its tech teams across Southeast Asia, especially in the Philippines, Malaysia, and Indonesia. They needed a flexible hiring strategy that supported both short-term contract roles for projects and full-time hires for internal teams. Since the company didn’t have legal entities in these countries, they were looking for a trusted partner to help with hiring, onboarding, and payroll in a compliant and efficient way.
Challenges Faced
1. Finding Niche Tech Talent
They needed experts in platforms like SAP and ServiceNow, which are hard to find locally and highly competitive.
2. Fast-Changing Project Needs
Many roles were tied to specific client projects. Some needed to start within weeks, others would only last a few months. They had to hire quickly and adjust hiring volumes based on project demands.
3. No Legal Setup in Target Countries
Without legal entities in the Philippines, Malaysia, or Indonesia, the company could not hire directly or manage payroll legally.
4. Different Types of Roles
Some people were hired to work on internal products, while others were billed to clients. These two groups had different compliance and payroll needs.
5. Operational Complexity
Managing contractors and employees across multiple countries and vendors created extra administrative work and risk, slowing down hiring and onboarding.
6. Retention and Engagement Issues
Contractors hired through local agencies did not always feel like part of the team. This led to higher turnover and lower motivation, especially on long-term projects.
Solution
Second Talent worked closely with the company’s HR and project delivery teams to build a scalable and flexible hiring process across the region:
- Expert Talent Sourcing
Used Second Talent’s strong local networks to find experienced professionals in SAP, ServiceNow, DevOps, and cloud roles, often faster than traditional recruiters. - Flexible Hiring Models
Offered both contractor and full-time employee options using Second Talent’s Employer of Record (EOR) service or contractor payroll, based on what each project required. - Entity and Compliance Support
Hired talent under Second Talent’s existing legal entities, so the client didn’t need to open offices or manage complex local laws. - Tailored Resourcing by Project
Helped the company choose the right hiring model for each role, balancing speed, cost, and compliance based on project needs. - Fast Candidate Delivery
Second Talent sent recommended candidates within 24 hours of receiving a request and helped fill roles in less than 4 weeks after interviews.
Results Achieved
With Second Talent’s support, the company was able to:
- Fill critical roles in under 4 weeks, much faster than traditional hiring cycles.
- Successfully staff multiple client projects in the Philippines and Malaysia.
- Hire remote team members in Indonesia for internal development work.
- Avoid legal and administrative delays by hiring through Second Talent’s local entities.
- Scale up or down easily based on project timelines, without long-term commitments.
Note: This case study is intended for reference purposes.
