Enabling fast and compliant retail store launch in Rome
A global retail brand launched its first store in Rome with 24 employees hired and onboarded in 20 days—fully compliant, zero delays, no local entity required.
Executive summary
A globally recognized retail and lifestyle brand planned to enter the Italian market by launching its first physical store in Rome. The company needed to build a complete local workforce in an extremely short timeframe but lacked a legal entity and HR infrastructure in Italy. Through our Employer of Record (EOR) and payroll services, we enabled the client to hire, onboard, and manage employees compliantly—allowing them to launch operations on schedule without setting up a local subsidiary.
Business challenge
Expanding into a new country presents multiple operational and legal complexities—especially in the retail sector where large teams must be hired quickly. The client faced the following challenges:
- ●No registered legal entity in Italy
- ●No local HR team or recruitment infrastructure
- ●Limited knowledge of Italian employment laws
- ●Requirement to hire an entire retail store team within weeks
- ●Need for compliant payroll, contracts, and benefits administration
- ●Urgent store opening deadline
They required a reliable partner to act as their legal employer in Italy and manage all workforce-related responsibilities.
Project objectives
The primary goals of the project were:
- ●Recruit and onboard a full retail workforce in Rome
- ●Ensure full compliance with Italian labor laws
- ●Manage employment contracts and documentation
- ●Set up payroll and statutory contributions
- ●Support a fast and seamless store launch
- ●Eliminate the need for local entity establishment
The client needed a complete turnkey HR solution that would allow them to focus purely on business operations and customer experience.
Our solution – Employer of Record (EOR) Model
We implemented a fully managed Employer of Record solution tailored to the client's expansion timeline.
Key services delivered
1. Local Hiring & Workforce Setup
- ●Coordinated recruitment of retail staff
- ●Assisted in candidate screening and selection
- ●Managed employment offers and contracts
- ●Ensured compliance with Italian hiring regulations
2. Employment & HR Compliance
- ●Drafted legally compliant employment agreements
- ●Managed statutory documentation
- ●Ensured adherence to local labor laws
- ●Handled employee records and HR administration
3. Payroll & Benefits Management
- ●Monthly payroll processing
- ●Tax and social security contributions
- ●Benefits administration
- ●Compliance with Italian payroll regulations
4. Onboarding & Workforce Management
- ●Structured onboarding process
- ●Employee orientation and documentation
- ●HR policy implementation
- ●Ongoing employee lifecycle management
Implementation approach
Our team executed the project through a structured and time-bound process:
- Understanding Client Requirements – Workforce size, roles, timelines
- Local Compliance Assessment – Italian labor law framework
- Recruitment Coordination – Sourcing and selection
- Contracting & Onboarding – Legal documentation and HR setup
- Payroll Activation – Setting up compliant payroll systems
- Ongoing HR Support – Continuous workforce management
This approach ensured speed, accuracy, and full legal compliance.
Results delivered
Despite an extremely tight deadline, we successfully achieved the following outcomes:
Key Achievements
- ●24 local retail employees hired and onboarded within just 20 days
- ●Fully operational retail workforce in less than 3 weeks
- ●Full compliance with Italian labor and payroll regulations
- ●Zero delays in store launch timeline
- ●No need for the client to establish a legal entity
Results
Measurable impact on business success
24 local retail employees hired and onboarded within just 20 days.
Fully operational retail workforce in less than 3 weeks.
Full compliance with Italian labor and payroll regulations.
Zero delays in store launch timeline; no entity setup required.
Costs we helped avoid
These are the costs we help companies avoid when they use our EOR and global expansion services instead of setting up on their own.
Total DIY cost (per country)
- •Entity formation and employer registrations
- •12 months office rent, fit-out, and utilities
- •Office equipment
- •New hires × recruitment fees
- •Relocations × immigration and relocation services
- •Legal setup (contracts, policies, data privacy, works council readiness, etc.)
- •Payroll setup (provider onboarding, social security/tax registrations, benefits setup)
- •Recurring run-costs (accounting/tax, payroll operations, local HR ops, compliance updates)
- •Risk buffer (penalties, rework, delays)
By using EOR in Italy instead of setting up a local entity, the client avoided the full DIY cost of entity formation, 12 months office rent and fit-out, office equipment, recruitment and immigration costs for 24 staff, legal and payroll setup, and recurring compliance run-costs.
Business Impact
Our solution delivered significant strategic and operational value:
Operational Benefits
- ●Rapid market entry into Italy
- ●Faster time-to-hire
- ●Reduced administrative burden
- ●Streamlined HR operations
Financial Benefits
- ●Avoided cost of entity incorporation
- ●Eliminated need for local HR infrastructure
- ●Predictable payroll and employment costs
Compliance Benefits
- ●Full adherence to Italian labor laws
- ●Risk-free employment structure
- ●Proper tax and statutory management
Client outcome
The client successfully launched their Rome retail store on schedule with a fully staffed, legally compliant, and well-managed workforce. By leveraging our Employer of Record services, they were able to:
- ●Focus entirely on business growth
- ●Avoid legal and administrative complexities
- ●Operate confidently in a new market
- ●Scale their workforce quickly and efficiently
Why Our EOR Solution Was the Right Choice
This project demonstrated how Employer of Record services can accelerate international expansion. Value Delivered:
- ●Immediate access to local talent
- ●Fast and compliant hiring
- ●Simplified global expansion
- ●End-to-end workforce management
- ●No entity setup required
“Jackson & Frank's EOR solution allowed us to launch our first Rome store on schedule with a full team. We had no entity in Italy and no local HR—they became our legal employer and handled everything from hiring to payroll. Zero delays, full compliance.”
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