The First 90 Days in a Small GCC: Where to Focus

When launching a Global Capability Center (GCC), the first three months are more than just a launch window – they’re the period in which the organization defines its operating model, governance structure, and cultural DNA.  

With over 70% of Fortune 500 companies now leveraging GCCs as strategic engines rather than cost centers, the importance of building a strong foundation from day one has never been greater. These early decisions shape how effectively the GCC will scale, integrate with global teams, and deliver long-term value.  

A thoughtfully sequenced 90-day setup aligns legal and regulatory compliance, hiring, infrastructure readiness, and cultural grounding, ensuring that even before the center reaches full capacity, the pillars for sustainable success are firmly in place.  

What a Realistic 90-Day Roadmap Looks Like for Emerging Enterprises 

From legalities to output, here is the 4-prong roadmap for an emerging enterprise to follow when setting up a GCC: 

Lay the Legal and Operational Foundation 

The first phase focuses on making the GCC legally operational includes incorporating a private limited entity through the MCA SPICe+ process, obtaining PAN/TAN, and registering for GST, Professional Tax, and the Shops & Establishments Act. Core labor statutes such as PF, ESI, Gratuity, and Maternity provisions are also set up. Data governance frameworks aligned with the DPDP Act 2023 and GDPR are implemented to support compliant hiring, payroll, and global data handling. 

Hire Key Leaders and Initial Critical Roles 

Early hiring focuses on leaders who can set culture, governance, and delivery systems that support the GCC’s goals of stability, knowledge transfer, and early capability build-out. A GCC Head anchors strategy, while HR, IT, Finance, and Compliance leads set up essential systems and controls. Functional specialists join early to activate priority workstreams, making this phase a mix of building and delivering.  

Set up Workspace and IT 

Operational readiness requires a secure and compliant workspace that supports collaboration. IT teams deploy devices, set up VPN or VDI access, and establish identity and endpoint security. Global tools such as Office 365, Jira, and ServiceNow are integrated to enable daily work. Cybersecurity is prioritized early with zero-trust controls because GCCs handle sensitive data and connect to parent systems. 

Start Delivering Measurable Outputs 

Delivery begins once core roles, systems, and governance are in place. A 30-60-90 plan guides early execution and usually starts with one or two anchor processes such as analytics, QA, or finance operations. SLAs, weekly reviews, and quality checks help stabilize early work. Typical 90-day KPIs track hiring progress, IT readiness, SLA performance, throughput, and stakeholder feedback. Early wins help establish the GCC’s delivery rhythm. 

Days 1–30 — Laying the Foundation 

Entity Setup and Regulatory Compliance (if required)

Depending on the country, you may need to: 

• Register a Legal Entity 
  Choose the entity type, check ownership rules, prepare basic incorporation documents, and file with the local registrar. 
• Obtain Tax IDs and Other Regulatory Approvals 
  Apply for corporate tax registration, indirect tax numbers, social security codes, and any required licences. 
• Follow Labor and IT Compliance Rules 
  Set up statutory benefits, compliant employment contracts, payroll registration, data-protection steps, and basic cybersecurity controls.

Partnering with the Right On-Ground Experts 

Engaging local advisors can significantly accelerate setup. Key areas of support include: 

• Legal and Compliance Guidance 
  Support with entity registration, regulatory filings, contract reviews, and interpreting country-specific rules. 
• Payroll and HR Administration 
  Assistance with payroll systems, statutory deductions, onboarding processes, and local HR documentation. 
• Real Estate and Workspace Acquisition 
  Help with identifying suitable locations, negotiating lease terms, and coordinating workspace fit-outs or basic setup. 

Early Workspace Planning and Infrastructure Readiness 

Early planning ensures smooth operations, covering IT, workstations, collaboration tools, and future scalability.  

Milestone: Core Legal and Operational Groundwork Completed  

By the end of the first 30 days, the GCC’s foundation becomes clear. The table below outlines what success and failure look like for each core area, along with the actions required to achieve the milestone: 

Common Pitfall: Underestimating Local Regulatory Timelines 

Many companies assume paperwork will take days, but often, it takes weeks. Starting early avoids pushbacks in hiring or onboarding later. 

Days 31–60 — Building the Team and Culture 

Hiring the First Set of Roles (Leadership and Critical Talent) 

This phase is about hiring your  GCC head, delivery leads, and other essential early roles. These individuals shape culture, standards, and execution from day one. 

Employer Branding and Value Proposition Alignment 

Experienced candidates have many choices. You must communicate company culture along with: 

• Why your GCC is exciting 
• How it is different from outsourcing 
• What growth opportunities exist for employees 
• What built-in upskilling and leadership opportunities are available  

Cultural Integration with the HQ Team 

A GCC’s long-term effectiveness depends on how seamlessly it integrates with headquarters, not just operationally but culturally. Early alignment helps the GCC function as a true extension of the global organization. Firms ought to focus on: 

• Reinforcing shared values and leadership behaviors so teams operate with a unified organizational identity. 
• Establishing communication protocols that define channels, response expectations, escalation paths, and cross-time-zone collaboration norms. 
• Introducing consistent ways of working through SOPs to align processes, documentation standards, and day-to-day expectations across teams. 
• Clarifying the corporate chain of command and decision-making authority so both locations understand roles, approval pathways, and who owns which decisions.  

Milestone: Key Roles Hired, Onboarding Frameworks in Place 

By day 60, most GCCs aim to have: 

• A GCC lead (or interim leader) in place 
• Foundational hires underway or completed 
• Onboarding playbooks prepared 

Common Pitfall: Hiring for Speed Instead of Long-Term Capability 

Many companies rush to hire, only to find the team lacks depth or the right mindset. Focus on fit, not just speed. 

Days 61–90 — Getting Operational and Delivering First Outputs 

Stabilizing the Workspace, IT, and Secure Access Environment 

The final month is when the GCC transitions from setup to steady operations, and this requires more than simply switching on infrastructure. Mature GCCs emphasize: 

• Hardening cybersecurity and access controls to meet global enterprise standards—Zero Trust configurations, data-loss prevention (DLP), privileged access protocols, and audit trails. 
• Validating production-grade system performance, including latency for cross-border workflows, VPN throughput, VDI performance (if applicable), and system redundancy. 
• Ensuring the physical workspace supports the operating model, such as collaboration zones for agile teams, acoustically treated areas for customer-facing functions, and compliance requirements (e.g., ISO, SOC, PCI depending on industry). 
• Completing business continuity and disaster recovery (BCP/DR) simulations, which many GCCs conduct before going live to align with global risk teams. 
• This stage ensures the environment is not just “ready” but capable of supporting enterprise-level operations from Day 91 onward. 

Establishing Operating Rhythms (Standups, Governance, Reviews) 

Unlike local business units, GCCs operate as extended global teams. Their rhythms must mirror HQ workflows while enabling offshore autonomy. Well-run GCCs typically establish: 

• A Dual-cadence Operating Rhythm 
  Daily/weekly: Agile standups, backlog grooming, issue resolution forums, and cross-timezone workflow handoff routines. 
  Monthly/quarterly: Steering committee meetings with global leaders, capability maturity reviews, talent and capacity planning, and quality audits. 
• A GCC Performance Command Center (PCC) Model 
  Many modern GCCs use a dashboard-driven governance layer that tracks SLA adherence, productivity metrics, automation opportunities, and hiring progress, giving HQ real-time visibility into offshore operations. 
• Defined Engagement Protocols with HQ 
  This includes escalation paths, decision rights, response-time expectations across time zones, and integrated calendars to avoid execution bottlenecks. 
• Feedback Loops Designed for Capability Lifting 
  GCCs use structured mechanisms like sprint retrospectives, peer reviews, coaching circles, and “voice of global stakeholders” surveys to establish a continuous-improvement culture early. 

These rhythms make the GCC standardized, transparent, and strategically valuable to global counterparts—far more than a standard team setup would. 

First Deliverables: What an Emerging GCC Can Realistically Produce 

Early outputs are key to showing the value of your GCC and building credibility with the parent company. These can include initial prototypes, dashboards, and operational processes that make work consistent. 

Milestone: Teams Begin Delivering Measurable Outputs 

Teams begin producing tangible results that showcase value to headquarters and build confidence in the GCC’s capabilities.  

Common Pitfall: Expecting Full Maturity or Complete Autonomy Too Early 

Assuming the team can operate independently from day one, which can create unrealistic expectations and slow progress if support structures are not yet fully in place. 

The 90-Day Snapshot — What Good Looks Like 

In the first 90 days, a successful GCC focuses on building a highly effective team to drive early momentum. Establishing clear governance with a structured communication prioritizes delivering meaningful, achievable outputs that demonstrate value.  

A Lean but High-Functioning Team in Place 

The GCC should have a small, capable team with clearly defined roles, verticals and areas of operation. Talent Acquisition teams should try to hire for skill and fit, and not just numbers. 

Clear Governance and Communication Cadence 

Structured communication keeps HQ and GCC aligned. Setting weekly updates and reviews and defining clear reporting structures and decision paths is imperative. Clearly defined KPIs, and documented decision-making and approval paths help ensure transparency, accountability, and faster resolution of issues.  

Initial Wins Demonstrating Value to HQ 

Early, visible wins build credibility and confidence with the HQ. Some of these include a seamless launch on Day 1, the fast filling of critical roles with low attrition, and the seamless migration of 1–2 high-impact processes or workstreams with measurable SLA adherence. 

Conclusion— Fast, Predictable, and Built for Scale 

A clear 90-day plan helps companies launch a GCC smoothly. By focusing on legal, operational, and talent priorities upfront, organizations reduce risk, avoid delays, and ensure early progress. 

A capable team, clear governance, and early wins build credibility, establish processes, and position the GCC to deliver sustainable value and scale efficiently over time. 

If you’re looking to set up a GCC quickly and with confidence, a partner like ANSR can make all the difference. With deep expertise in building, managing, and scaling global capability centers, ANSR offers full stack, AI driven solutions across talent, workspace, HR, and operations.