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How to onboard and manage teams hired via Employer of Record (EOR) in Turkey

Updated: Sep 26



Table of contents:




Introduction: Onboarding without the chaos


Onboarding has a reputation for being less “smooth integration” and more “improv comedy.” The laptop that arrives two weeks late. The “official” contract was typed in Comic Sans. The new hire who spends their first day staring at Slack, waiting for someone, anyone, to add them to the right channels. It’s not HR. It’s a circus.


Now, imagine pulling this off in Turkey. Suddenly, you’re not just missing laptops, you’re trying to decode tax filings, social security contributions, and whether your English-only contract would survive in a Turkish court (spoiler: it won’t).


But here’s the good news: Turkey isn’t chaos, it’s opportunity. With a high-skill workforce, strong universities, and a strategic location bridging Europe and Asia, the country has become a serious talent hub. Engineers, finance professionals, and designers here are already working with global teams, and at costs that don’t give your CFO night sweats.


The only catch? Getting them onboarded without spending months opening a local entity or risking fines over misclassification.


That’s where an Employer of Record (EOR) flips the script. Instead of fighting bureaucracy, you get a clean, compliant way to hire in Turkey: contracts handled, payroll filed, benefits managed. You focus on people and performance. Your EOR keeps you out of trouble. And yes, your new hire gets their laptop before sprint planning.



What specific onboarding documents does a Turkish EOR require?


Let’s be clear: sending over a grainy passport selfie on WhatsApp does not count as onboarding. In Turkey, an Employer of Record needs the real paperwork, filed, stamped, and compliant, so your new hire isn’t stuck in payroll limbo while your HR team plays detective in Google Translate.


Here’s the standard starter pack every Turkish EOR will ask for:


  • Valid passport or national ID — proof that your shiny new teammate exists beyond LinkedIn.

  • Bilingual employment contract (Turkish + English) — required under Turkish labor law. Forget your English-only template; if it’s not in Turkish, it won’t hold up in court.

  • Tax ID registration forms — so salaries flow through the tax system without raising red flags.

  • Social security (SGK) enrollment forms — mandatory contributions that your EOR sets up and manages with the Social Security Institution.

  • Bank account details — because payday should never feel like international wire-transfer roulette.

  • Proof of address — rental contract, utility bill, or anything that proves they live somewhere more real than “online.”

  • Emergency contact info — not strictly required by law, but useful unless you enjoy digging through Slack to find someone’s cousin’s phone number when things go sideways.


The heavy lifting, tax filings, SGK enrollment, and government reporting are all managed by your EOR. That’s the whole point: your new hire in Istanbul is legally employed, compliant, and ready to work without your HR team needing to become experts in Turkish bureaucracy.



Onboarding remote employees: processes, tactics, and expert advice





Hiring in Turkey through an EOR doesn’t just mean adding headcount; it means adding remote teammates who may never walk into your HQ. And if onboarding in an office is already messy (the missing laptop saga, the contract in Comic Sans), doing it remotely without structure is a recipe for “new hire ghosting by week two.”


The good news? Turkey has a remote-ready workforce. Developers, designers, and finance specialists are used to collaborating with global teams. But they still need a proper process to feel connected and productive from day one.


Core components of remote onboarding in Turkey


  • Legal + payroll setup — handled by your EOR, so compliance isn’t left to chance.

  • Welcome call + company orientation — not a six-hour PowerPoint marathon, just enough context to make them feel part of something real.

  • Tools and technical setup — Slack, Jira, Gmail, VPN… get the logins sorted before day one.

  • Role-specific training — tailored guidance so they know how their work connects to company goals.

  • Human connection — buddies, mentors, team rituals. Without this, remote onboarding feels like solitary confinement in a Slack channel.


Remote vs. in-office onboarding: the real differences


  • Zoom fatigue vs in-person orientation — in the office, you can run a full-day session. Remotely, you’ll lose people after two hours. Break it up.

  • Scheduled bonding vs coffee chats — there’s no watercooler in Slack. Plan informal check-ins to replace organic office banter.

  • Local EOR leasing vs international shipping — in an office, you drop a laptop on their desk. Remote in Turkey? Let your EOR lease and deliver equipment locally. It’s faster, cheaper, and you avoid customs holding your MacBook hostage.


Remote onboarding in Turkey isn’t harder; it’s just intentional. And honestly, most companies should be this structured even when people are sitting in the same building.




Step-by-step guide to remote onboarding in Turkey


Remote onboarding doesn’t have to feel like dropping a new hire into Slack and hoping they survive. With the right playbook and an EOR handling the legal and payroll heavy lifting, you can make sure day one in Turkey feels like a real welcome, not a week-long scavenger hunt for logins.


Here’s how to do it right:


1. Start with a welcome call


Keep it human. Introduce the team, share company context, and make the new hire feel like more than just another Zoom square. If day one feels like radio silence, don’t be shocked if day thirty feels like disengagement.


2. Run a virtual orientation


Forget the all-day lecture. Break it into short, digestible sessions that cover company values, workflows, and expectations. Record them so you’re not re-explaining the same processes every time you add a new engineer in Istanbul.


3. Assist with technical setup


Nothing kills momentum faster than a hire spending their first week locked out of Jira. Work with your EOR to ensure equipment is leased locally and delivered on time, and that accounts and security access are ready before the welcome call ends.


4. Provide role-specific training


Generic “here’s who we are” slides won’t cut it. Tailor onboarding so your hire knows exactly how their role connects to product goals. The faster they see relevance, the faster they deliver.


5. Integrate into team workflows


Remote ≠ disconnected. Add them to Slack, Jira, retros, and standups. Pair them with a buddy who can answer the small questions without making them ping their manager every five minutes. Onboarding is about integration, not just documentation.



How do Turkish leave and probation rules affect onboarding?


Onboarding in Turkey isn’t just about getting Slack access and a shiny new laptop; it’s also about navigating the rules baked into the country’s labor code. These rules shape how quickly your hire can fully ramp up, and if you don’t account for them, your “seamless onboarding plan” will look more like a compliance headache.


Probation: your short runway


In Turkey, probation is up to 2 months by default, extendable to 4 months for certain roles (like managerial or technical positions).


  • This window gives you time to evaluate performance and cultural fit.

  • Termination during probation is simpler, but it still requires proper notice.

  • And no—probation is not free labor. Employees are entitled to full salary and protections from day one.


Smart employers treat probation as a structured ramp-up period: 30-, 60-, and 90-day check-ins, feedback loops, and clear performance milestones.


Leave entitlements: when time off kicks in


Employees in Turkey get 14–26 days of paid annual leave, depending on how long they’ve been with the company. It starts at 14 days and increases with tenure.


  • Public holidays: 14–15 days per year, covering both national and religious observances.

  • Sick leave: covered jointly by the employer and the state, depending on duration and medical certification.

  • Maternity leave: 16 weeks paid (8 before birth, 8 after). Additional unpaid leave may also apply.


The onboarding effect


  • Probation provides structure — a set window to onboard, evaluate, and adjust before committing long-term.

  • Leave rules set expectations — new hires won’t vanish for weeks in their first few months, but you’ll need to plan for entitlements as their tenure grows.



Which compliance risks should I monitor with EOR hires in Turkey?





Hiring through an Employer of Record in Turkey takes the legal admin off your plate—but it doesn’t mean you can zone out and hope for the best. Think of your EOR as the pilot: they’re flying the plane, but you still want to know if the landing gear is down. Here are the big risks to keep an eye on:


Misclassification of contractors vs employees


The fastest way to get into trouble? Calling someone a “contractor” when they’re working like a full-time employee. Turkish labor inspectors don’t buy it, and the penalties include back taxes, social security contributions, and fines. Your EOR helps avoid this mess, but make sure they’re classifying roles correctly.


Weak or non-localized contracts = IP and termination risks


That English-only one-pager you recycled from another country? It won’t hold up in a Turkish court. Contracts must be localized (Turkish + English) and clearly spell out intellectual property, confidentiality, and termination terms. Miss these, and you could find your code or designs legally tied up in ownership disputes.


Payroll and tax filing errors


Payroll and tax filing errors

Even with an EOR, payroll isn’t “set it and forget it.” Errors in income tax withholding or SGK (social security) contributions can trigger audits and penalties. Employees also notice late or incorrect salaries instantly, so double-check your EOR provider in Turkey's payroll accuracy.


Data protection compliance (KVKK)


Turkey has its own version of GDPR, KVKK. If your EOR mishandles employee data (IDs, bank info, contracts), you’re exposed to fines and reputational damage. Confirm they’re compliant with KVKK and not running payroll from a dusty Excel sheet.


Immigration compliance for foreign hires


Hiring non-Turkish employees? A tourist visa doesn’t count. Work permits and residency authorizations must be filed correctly. If your EOR drops the ball here, you’re looking at fines or even deportation for your employee.



What costs and fees change as I scale EOR hires in Turkey?


Scaling your team in Turkey doesn’t have to turn your finance dashboard into a horror show. With an EOR, the base costs are predictable, and the extras only change as you decide to level up your benefits package. The trick is knowing which costs stay flat and which ones flex as your headcount grows.


The base costs (your non-negotiables)


Every EOR hire in Turkey comes with three predictable costs:


  • Salaries — Expect around $1,200–$2,000/month for mid-level roles and $2,000–$3,500/month for senior professionals. Competitive locally, and far lower than Western Europe.

  • Social security contributions — Roughly 22.5% paid by the employer and 14% from the employee’s salary. Your EOR files these with SGK (Turkey’s Social Security Institution) so you don’t get flagged in an audit.

  • Flat EOR fee — With TeamUp, it’s a transparent €199/month per hire. Many global providers love percentage-based pricing, which means your costs “magically” rise the moment you hire senior talent. Spoiler: they’re not doing more work—they’re just charging you more because they can.


The scaling extras (where your budget flexes)


These aren’t mandatory, but they’re the perks that keep Turkish talent from jumping ship:


  • Health insurance — ~€49/month; almost expected by senior hires.

  • Gym memberships & wellness stipends — another ~€49/month; low cost, high morale.

  • Training & development — budget for professional courses or certifications (~€49/month).

  • Coworking passes — ~€150/month in Istanbul for reliable internet and a real desk.

  • Equipment leasing — ~€69/month for laptops and accessories, sourced locally by your EOR so you’re not playing customs roulette.


The CFO takeaway


Your base costs scale linearly with headcount, no surprise mark-ups, no shady math. The extras are optional, but they’re also what help you attract and keep top-tier talent in Turkey’s competitive market. With the right EOR, you scale cleanly, and your finance team gets predictable invoices instead of percentage-based sticker shock.



Who provides equipment & workspace? (avoiding laptop custody battles)


Few things sour the offboarding process faster than the classic “So… who actually owns the MacBook?” argument. Suddenly, you’re stuck in a passive-aggressive game of email ping-pong over a charger and a coffee-stained keyboard. Not exactly the culture win you had in mind.


When hiring through an EOR in Turkey, this is how to keep things simple:


Equipment: your bill, their logistics


Equipment policies for employees hired via employer of record in Turkey

Employers are expected to cover the cost of essential gear, laptops, monitors, headsets, the whole toolkit. But instead of playing international shipping roulette, let your EOR source or lease equipment locally. In Turkey, it runs about €69/month per employee and comes with two big advantages:


  • Delivery is fast, no customs nightmares.

  • Ownership and return policies are crystal clear, so no one’s holding your Mac hostage.


Workspace: more than a kitchen chair




Not every new hire wants to work permanently from their dining table. With an EOR, you can flex:


  • Fully remote setups — the most common, provided the home office meets safety standards.

  • Coworking memberships — around €150/month in Istanbul, giving employees a professional setup, good Wi-Fi, and coffee that doesn’t taste like regret.

  • Small private offices — ideal if you’re building a pod of hires who need to collaborate daily.


Compliance: yes, even remotely


Turkish labor law doesn’t look the other way just because someone works from home. Employers are still responsible for safe and compliant working environments. That means ergonomic standards, proper equipment, and clear policies on who owns what.


Handled via an EOR, equipment and workspace management is structured, documented, and compliant. Handled poorly, you’re left arguing over laptops like it’s a divorce settlement.



Conclusion: Turkey + EOR = structured growth without compliance headaches


Onboarding in Turkey doesn’t have to feel like a juggling act of contracts, payroll spreadsheets, and frantic Google searches for labor law.


With an Employer of Record, the heavy lifting is handled for you, contracts are compliant, payroll is filed correctly, benefits are covered, and yes, your new hire in Istanbul actually gets their laptop on time.


The formula is simple: EOR = faster onboarding, safer compliance, and predictable scaling. No wasted months opening an entity. No risk of fines from misclassifying contractors. No HR team buried under SGK filings. Instead, you get a clear, structured way to build your team in one of the region’s most strategic talent markets.


Turkey already brings the skills. TeamUp gives you the structure. Put them together and you’ve got growth, without the compliance headaches.





 
 
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