Talent Marketplaces and Compliance

Talent marketplaces like High5 are driving the use of on-demand talent. We see companies daily looking for ways to stay agile, reduce costs, and bring in specialized skills when they need them. But with that flexibility comes a challenge that many organizations underestimate: compliance.

If your company is using freelancer platforms or external talent marketplaces to build your contingent workforce, you may already be facing some of the pitfalls—worker misclassification, onboarding delays, security risks, or even fines for non-compliance.

At High5, we believe hiring independent talent should be easy—but also compliant, secure, and scalable. Here’s why it matters, and how we help you get it right.

The Hidden Risks of Non-Compliant Hiring

Freelancer platforms and talent marketplaces are great at giving companies access to global talent. But what they often don’t provide is a full-service solution for:

• Verifying and vetting talent
• Classifying workers correctly (contractor vs. employee)
• Handling contracts, taxes, and payroll legally
• Onboarding freelancers securely and consistently
• Managing international regulations and risk

We have heard from clients that while they can find great talent, many marketplaces then hand over to them to make those critical compliance judgments. When these elements are left to the hiring manager or internal teams, the margin for error grows. And unfortunately, the consequences—fines, legal disputes, reputational damage—can far outweigh the cost savings of using external talent in the first place.

There are also a rising number of platforms that enable freelancer and compliance management. Our aim is to combine the availability of talent in a marketplace with compliance capabilities to avoid having to work with multiple providers.

High5’sCompliance-First Approach

At High5, we’ve built more than just a talent marketplace—we’ve built a compliance engine around it. Every freelancer and independent contractor you engage through High5Hire is supported by a platform and team that handles the hard stuff for you. Here’s a walkthrough of our process.

Our Process & Commitment to Quality

1. Curated Network Access

• Entry into our network is by application for all new talent, including referrals and recommended talent    
• Our curation team manually vets every applicant
• Vetting includes experience verification, reference checks, and client-readiness evaluation
• Over 70% of new joiners have joined based on recommendation or referral because of the recognized quality of the network and opportunities.

2. Smart Matching and Human-LedCuration

• When a role or project becomes available, our curation team manually reviews all applicants
• We consider skills, project fit, past performance, client feedback, and location/time zone fit
• Only the most suitable  candidates are presented to your team or MSP for review

3. End-to-End Compliance Workflow for Fast Onboarding

Our onboarding workflows are standardized, secure,and tailored to your organization’s needs—so talent discovered from High5  can hit the ground running with minimal friction and full clarity.

• Background checks are completed in the pre-hire workflow (and stored centrally for future reference)
• Insurance documents are collected and validated
• Your standard NDA or additional clauses (e.g. post-project non-competes) can be integrated into the workflow

• Custom flags can be added for future engagements (e.g. competitor restrictions post-project for a     period of time)

4. GlobalPayroll

Whether your talent is in Australia or Argentina,we take care of payment processing, so you don’t have to worry about crossing international compliance lines wherever you are based, or the work is undertaken.

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Making the right choices

Contingent workers, in all forms,  are now a significant part of the workforce—and they should be a strategic advantage, not a compliance liability. High5 operates with enterprise-grade accountability and responsiveness with our team understanding the nuances of regulated industries – including data handling, risk mitigation, and global onboarding complexity.

High5 helps companies like yours scale confidently by combining the flexibility of independent and freelance talent with the rigor of enterprise-level compliance. You get access to high-quality candidates and peace of mind knowing every engagement is secure, legal, and aligned with your business policies.

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