Case Study Breedj: Recruiting a Back Office Team in Madagascar

Madagascar is increasingly becoming a strategic choice for Francophone companies seeking qualified talent, thanks to its French-speaking workforce, high level of education, and time zone proximity to France. This location is a significant advantage for businesses looking to establish or expand their operations without opening a local subsidiary, and that’s where Breedj steps in.

At Breedj, we assist our clients with sourcing, recruiting, and managing remote talent through our Employer of Record (EoR) service. This innovative solution allows our clients to recruit and manage teams in target countries without having to set up a local entity.

Client Objectives and Needs

Our client, a major international group in the accounting audit sector, needed a fast and reliable solution to build a team of assistant accountants, collection agents, and technical engineers in Madagascar. Their current service center was located in Mauritius, and they faced several challenges:

• Rising Costs: The appreciation of the local currency in Mauritius made expansion difficult in that region.
• Talent Shortage: The local job market in Mauritius was saturated, making it challenging to find qualified accounting and engineering resources.
• Tight Deadline: Given the urgency of their needs, they required a partner capable of quickly providing an operational team.

Solution Proposed by Breedj

To address these challenges, we offered our Employer of Record (EoR) service. As an EoR, Breedj enables companies to hire talent in Madagascar without establishing a subsidiary, handling all administrative, legal, and payroll matters. Our solution allowed our client to:

1. Recruit a Qualified Team Quickly: Breedj managed the entire recruitment process.
2. Ensure Legal Compliance: Acting as the EoR, we ensured compliance with Malagasy labor laws, providing full protection for both the company and employees.
3. Optimize Costs: By outsourcing their recruitment to Madagascar, the client reduced salary costs while maintaining service quality.

Step 1: Defining Profiles and Needs Analysis

Before starting the sourcing process, we worked closely with the client’s teams to define the profiles required for each position:

• Assistant Accountants: Professionals with accounting expertise, an understanding of international accounting standards, and the ability to handle routine operations.
• Collection Agents: Profiles with strong communication skills, bilingual in French, to manage collections from Francophone clients.
• Technical Engineers: Skilled technicians to manage the technological aspect of customer service, with specific expertise in accounting software.

Based on this analysis, we adapted our sourcing strategy and set a tight recruitment schedule to meet the client’s deadlines.

Step 2: Talent Sourcing and Recruitment

We deployed several recruitment channels to attract the most qualified talent:

• Local and International Job Boards: We posted job ads on specialized and well-known sites to attract top accounting and technical profiles.
• Breedj’s Internal Database: Leveraging our pool of local talent, we quickly reached out to candidates who matched the desired roles.
• Targeted Networking and Proactive Headhunting: For more specialized roles, we used a headhunting approach, directly contacting qualified professionals on LinkedIn and other networks.

This multichannel approach allowed us to receive over 300 applications in 10 days, providing a wide range of profiles for pre-selection by our client.

Step 3: Selection and Interviews

To ensure candidate quality, we implemented a rigorous selection process:

1. Application Screening: We pre-selected candidates based on their technical skills, experience in accounting or collections, and French proficiency.
2. Technical Tests and Interviews: Pre-selected candidates underwent technical tests to assess their skills and suitability for the client’s needs.
3. Final Interview with the Client: We organized interviews with the client to validate shortlisted candidates. This allowed the client to ensure that the selected talents aligned with the company’s culture and values.

Step 4: Setting Up the Employer of Record (EoR) and Onboarding Talent

Once candidates were selected, Breedj activated its role as Employer of Record to manage the hiring and onboarding of new talent. The benefits of our EoR service included:

• Legal and Administrative Compliance: We handled the drafting of employment contracts and ensured compliance with Malagasy legislation.
• Payroll and Benefits Management: Breedj also managed payroll, social contributions, and employee benefits.
• Ongoing Employee Support: We remained available to support employees and the client with any administrative or legal questions, ensuring a smooth onboarding process.

This comprehensive support allowed our client to focus on their core business without managing the complexities of international recruitment.

Results and Benefits

Thanks to our support, the client was able to integrate a team of 10 members (assistant accountants, collection agents, and technical engineers) in less than a month. Here are the main results and benefits achieved:

• Cost Reduction: By recruiting in Madagascar, the client achieved a 40% cost saving compared to hiring in Mauritius.
• Time Savings: As an EoR, we reduced administrative formalities for the client, speeding up talent integration.
• Operational Flexibility: The client was able to establish their team without incurring fixed costs for creating a local subsidiary.
• Quality of Talent: The recruited team members had strong educational backgrounds and were highly adaptable to the company’s requirements.

Key Success Factors

1. In-depth Knowledge of the Malagasy Market: Breedj’s expertise in the local market and cultural nuances facilitated talent recruitment and integration.
2. Comprehensive Employer of Record Service: By offering a turnkey solution, we enabled the client to focus on their operations without administrative complexity.
3. Agility and Responsiveness: We set up a complete team in less than a month, meeting the client’s tight deadlines.

Lessons Learned

This experience demonstrates that Madagascar is an effective alternative for companies looking to build qualified Francophone teams. The Employer of Record model is an ideal solution for international companies that want to quickly deploy teams without the administrative constraints of establishing a local subsidiary.

This case study illustrates Breedj’s ability to support clients in international recruitment and talent management while ensuring compliance. Through our EoR model, we offer increased flexibility and cost savings for companies looking to expand in Madagascar.

For any company seeking to effectively outsource its operations, Breedj is a preferred partner to simplify international recruitment and ensure rapid team integration. Contact us to learn more about our Employer of Record service and discover how we can help you expand your business in countries like Madagascar.