UK businesses planning to expand internationally over the next two years are being urged to check they are fully equipped to meet global hiring compliances.
According to recent figures, 28% of UK firms are looking at international expansion within the next two years.
As a result of these Santander findings, Sterling is urging employers to ensure they don’t find themselves in a predicament caused by nuanced compliance requirements across borders.
Steve Smith, President, International at Sterling, explained, “International markets are clearly rife for businesses at the moment, however, moving across borders and employing people in other countries is a complex process.
“Business leaders need to be mindful that just because they have a screening process in the UK that helps to enable compliance, doesn’t mean that it can be replicated in other countries. In fact, doing so could expose a company to significant risks.”

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Steve added, “A prime example is how and when it is appropriate to carry out a criminal record check. It may be part of current hiring processes for UK teams, but in Spain, for example, employers need to have a legal requirement — not just a legitimate interest — to process this data.
“How information such as this is transferred from one country into the UK can also be complex, and employers could inadvertently be falling foul of international laws by implementing processes across borders without the right due diligence.
“There’s no doubt that international markets provide a buoyant source of opportunities for UK firms, but they need to be prepared to redesign their employment compliance practices before they take this leap – and that can take time to implement.”
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