Payroll, social security and HR for your business or household
We are your outsourced HR department in Colombia. Choose what you need today, from the monthly social security return (PILA) to a complete talent management plan, and add services as your team grows.
- ✓ 11+ years in HR
- ✓ Serving all of Colombia
- ✓ English-speaking support
Monthly operations
The foundation: workers properly enrolled, social security paid on time and a payroll that follows current law. We handle it every month so you never have to worry about deadlines or calculations.
Social security and PILA
We enroll your workers in the Colombian social security system and file the monthly Integrated Contribution Return (PILA) on time and without errors.
What’s included
- Enrollment and updates with health insurers (EPS), pension funds, occupational risk insurers (ARL) and family compensation funds
- PILA for employees, freelancers, household staff, apprentices and Colombians abroad
- Correction of returns and reconciliation of balances with each entity
- Responses to notices from the UGPP, SENA and ICBF
- Contribution certificates for your workers
Payroll and employee benefits
We run payroll with every surcharge, deduction and change of the period, and file it as electronic payroll with the DIAN, the Colombian tax authority.
What’s included
- Monthly or biweekly payroll with overtime and night, Sunday and holiday surcharges
- Pay slips for every worker
- Electronic payroll filing with the DIAN, required to deduct payroll costs in income tax
- Mandatory service bonus (prima), severance (cesantías), interest on severance and vacations
- Payroll accruals for your accounting
- Final settlement when an employment contract ends
HR paperwork
We handle the procedures that take time away from you and your team, and follow them through to the end.
What’s included
- Sick-leave and leave reimbursements from EPS and ARL
- Workplace accident reports (FURAT) and case follow-up
- Requirements check for severance fund withdrawals
- Employment certificates and letters
- Corporate agreements for occupational medical exams
Administrative back office
Administrative support that plugs into your operation without adding headcount.
What’s included
- Digital organization of employee files and records
- Tracking of payroll changes, contract expirations and vacations
- Budgets for employee work wear
- Labor cost reports for management
- Document management and correspondence with government entities
Talent management
A great team does not happen by chance. We help you hire well, train your leaders and build a workplace where people want to stay.
Recruitment
We find the right person for each role through an organized, verified and documented process.
What’s included
- Job profile and job description
- Job posting and candidate search
- Competency-based interviews
- Reference checks
- Job posting on our WhatsApp job openings channel
- Psychometric testing by a psychologist, when the role requires it
- Final report with recommended candidates
Corporate training
Practical workshops for leaders and teams, in person or online, designed for your industry.
What’s included
- Colombian labor rules for managers and team leads
- Workplace relations and conflict management
- Customer service and teamwork
- Onboarding and refresher programs
- Content tailored to the size and reality of your business
Well-being programs
Well-being programs based on what your team needs and what your business can invest.
What’s included
- Sociodemographic profile of your workforce
- Needs and expectations assessment
- Annual plan of well-being, health promotion and prevention activities
- Life skills and emotional health workshops
- Compensation, benefits and career path proposals based on your budget
Employee experience
We support every stage of the employee journey, from day one to exit.
What’s included
- Onboarding process design
- Workplace climate surveys and improvement plans
- Performance reviews
- Exit interviews and turnover analysis
Labor compliance
Many labor disputes start with a document that does not exist or was poorly drafted. We put the rules of the employment relationship in writing, based on current Colombian law.
Contracts and internal work rules
Clear employment documents, tailored to your business and compliant with current law.
What’s included
- Fixed-term, indefinite-term and project-based employment contracts
- Contract amendments, confidentiality agreements and HR letters
- Internal work rules (reglamento interno de trabajo)
- Internal HR policies
- Review and update of your existing documents
Disciplinary processes
We guide you through each step so that disciplinary decisions follow due process.
What’s included
- Notice to a disciplinary hearing (descargos)
- Support during the hearing and drafting of the minutes
- Case analysis and draft decision
- Warnings and sanctions under your internal work rules
- Guidance before terminating a contract
Support with the UGPP and the Ministry of Labor
We help you respond on time and with the right documentation when an authority reviews your business.
What’s included
- Handling of UGPP notices and audits
- Preparation for Ministry of Labor visits and inspections
- Organization of labor and social security records
- Plan to catch up on overdue contributions
Specialized services
For matters that require a professional license or specialized expertise, we work with specialists. You have a single point of contact and we coordinate everything.
Occupational health and safety (SG-SST)
Design and implementation of the mandatory OHS management system by a licensed OHS professional.
What’s included
- Initial assessment under the minimum standards of Resolution 0312 of 2019
- Annual work plan and hazard matrix
- Setup and support of the OHS committee (COPASST) or safety officer and the workplace relations committee
- Training, inspections and drills
- Investigation of workplace incidents and accidents
Accounting and taxes
Bookkeeping and tax compliance by a certified public accountant.
What’s included
- Monthly bookkeeping and financial statements
- VAT, withholding tax and income tax returns
- Third-party information reporting (exógena)
- Tax advice for companies and individuals
Labor lawyer
Legal representation when a case requires it, by a lawyer specialized in labor law.
What’s included
- Labor law opinions
- Settlements before the Ministry of Labor
- Defense in labor lawsuits
- Representation before administrative and judicial authorities
Psychological assessment
Psychometric tests administered and interpreted by a psychologist, only when the role requires it.
What’s included
- Tests for critical or high-trust positions
- Results report to support the hiring decision
- Support in specific cases that require a professional assessment
Pension advice
We explain your pension situation clearly and guide you through the procedures.
What’s included
- Review of contribution history and weeks paid
- Requests to correct inconsistencies with pension funds
- Guidance on the pension regime that applies to you
- Support with the pension application
Choose how you work with us
Start with what is most urgent and add services when you need them. No unnecessary long-term commitments and a clear price from the start.
Fixed monthly fee
For the monthly operation: PILA, payroll and paperwork, at a fixed fee based on your number of workers.
Pay per service
For specific needs: a contract, a hiring process, a disciplinary process or a training session.
Custom plan
Combine services and build your own HR department for the stage your business is in.
- First conversationTell us about your case by WhatsApp, email or video call.
- QuoteWe send you a clear proposal with scope and price.
- HandoverWe review what you already have and organize the information.
- OperationWe take care of it every month and you receive the records.
We serve every client according to their reality
Businesses and agribusiness
SMEs with 1 to 50 workers and agricultural companies that need an HR department without hiring one.
Get a quote →Households
Written contracts, enrollment, PILA and settlements for housekeepers, nannies, drivers and household staff.
Formalize my household →Freelancers and entrepreneurs
Your own social security in order and the right way to hire your first employees.
Get up to date →Doing Business in Colombia
Our Landing in Colombia package covers your first steps: company setup, first hire, payroll and social security.
Learn more →For foreigners investing or hiring in Colombia
We work in English with foreigners and investors taking their first steps in Colombia. Our Landing in Colombia package supports you from setting up your company to your first payroll.
- Company setup, accounting and taxes
- Your first employment contract under Colombian law
- Social security enrollment, PILA and monthly payroll
- Hiring household staff as a foreigner
Jaco MijderwijkDoing Business in Colombia partnerDutch entrepreneur based in Medellín since 2012, with a long track record in business development across Europe and Latin America. He is the first point of contact for foreigners who come to Sala Laboral and guides them in English.
View LinkedIn profile ↗Frequently asked questions
What is PILA and who has to pay it?
PILA (Planilla Integrada de Liquidación de Aportes) is the monthly return used in Colombia to pay health, pension, occupational risk and payroll contributions. Employers pay it for their workers, including households that employ domestic staff, and freelancers pay it for their own contributions.
Can I hire just one service?
Yes. You can hire only PILA, only payroll or a one-off service such as a contract or a recruitment process. If you need more later, we add it to your plan.
How much do your services cost?
It depends on the number of workers and the services you need. Send us the details of your business or household and we will reply with a tailored quote.
Do you work with companies outside Medellín?
Yes. We serve businesses, households and freelancers across Colombia online. On-site visits are arranged depending on the service.
What if my HR processes are behind or incomplete?
We review what exists, identify what is missing and start from there. If contributions or documents are pending, we explain how to catch up in an orderly way.
I am a foreigner. Can you help me hire staff in Colombia?
Yes. Through Doing Business in Colombia we support foreigners in English who are setting up a company or hiring employees in Colombia, from the first contract to monthly payroll.
Leave the HR side of your business to us.
Tell us what you need and we will reply with a tailored quote.
Get a quote