GCC, outsourcing, or Employer of Record?
Pick the model that fits the work.
All three can get engineers working in India. They differ on who directs the work, who owns the outcome, how stable the team is, and what you are really paying for. Here is a straight comparison.
How the three models really differ.
| Question | GCC with MedRecDedicated team, run for you | Outsourcing vendorVendor team, delivers output | Employer of RecordLegal employment only |
|---|---|---|---|
| Who directs the work | Your leaders. The team works in your tools, ceremonies, and reporting line. | The vendor. You agree scope and outcomes; they decide how and who. | You, entirely. The EOR has no role in the work itself. |
| Who finds and hires engineers | MedRec sources and screens; you interview and approve every hire. | The vendor staffs from its bench, often with limited visibility for you. | You do, end to end. The EOR only issues the contract once you have chosen someone. |
| Team continuity | Named engineers dedicated to you long term, building product knowledge. | People can rotate between clients and projects at the vendor’s discretion. | As stable as your own hiring and retention efforts make it. |
| Intellectual property | Assigned to you by contract from day one. | Depends on the contract; reusable vendor components are common. | Typically assigned to you through the employment contract. |
| Workplace, devices, and security | Included: workplace, managed devices, access control, and security baseline. | Vendor’s environment and controls, which you audit from the outside. | Not included. Usually remote, on devices and controls you arrange yourself. |
| People operations and retention | MedRec runs payroll, benefits, HR, career growth, and retention. | Handled by the vendor for its own staff. | Payroll and statutory compliance only. Engagement and retention are on you. |
| Cost structure | Transparent fully loaded monthly cost per role, with assumptions written down. | Day rates or fixed price with vendor margin built in. | Salary plus a per-employee EOR fee; workplace and management costs sit elsewhere. |
| Path to your own entity | Optional Build Operate Transfer path to move the team to your own India entity. | Rarely. Transferring a vendor team is usually difficult. | Possible, but you build the entity and operations yourself. |
Each model has a right use.
We will tell you if outsourcing or an EOR suits your situation better. A GCC is not the answer to every problem.
Choose a GCC when
- The work is core to your product and needs long-term ownership
- You want engineers inside your own engineering culture and tools
- You plan to grow beyond a handful of people
- You may want to own the India entity later
Choose outsourcing when
- The scope is well defined, time-boxed, and not core IP
- You want to buy an outcome rather than manage a team
- Internal engineering leadership capacity is very limited
Choose an Employer of Record when
- You are hiring one or two specific people you have already found
- You have the leadership and tooling to manage them remotely
- Workplace, security, and retention support are not needed
Already leaning towards a GCC? Compare our six engagement models →
Choosing a model.
Short answers to the questions leadership teams ask most when comparing options.
What is the difference between a GCC and outsourcing?
In outsourcing, a vendor owns the team and sells you its output. In a Global Capability Centre (GCC), the engineers are dedicated to you, work inside your tools and leadership chain, and build long-term product knowledge. You control priorities, standards, and who joins the team.
Is an Employer of Record cheaper than a GCC?
The per-person fee is usually lower, because an EOR only handles legal employment and payroll. Once you add recruitment, workplace, devices, security controls, management time, and the cost of attrition, the comparison depends on team size. For more than a few engineers, a GCC is often the more complete and predictable model.
Can we start small and change model later?
Yes. Many companies start with a small dedicated team and grow it as the operating model proves itself. With Build Operate Transfer, the team can later move into your own India entity at an agreed point.
Who owns the IP in a MedRec GCC?
You do. Work product and intellectual property are assigned to you by contract from day one, and mutual confidentiality is in place before detailed technical discussion.
Not sure which model fits? Ask us directly.
In 30 minutes we will look at your roles, timeline, and leadership capacity, and tell you honestly which model makes sense, even if it is not ours.