Are HR leaders targeting the wrong markets for tech talent?

Organisations willing to consider markets beyond overcrowded tech centres are most likely to uncover overlooked clusters of remote tech talent. The report shows that forward-thinking organisations that build globally distributed teams can seize this untapped opportunity – and the process is far simpler than many expect.

What major obstacles exist in global tech recruitment?

Receive direct insight from more than 1,400 executives and hiring managers representing organisations in Germany, the Netherlands, France, Sweden, the United Kingdom, and the United States.

In 2022, the survey asked participants about considerations when hiring in established talent hotspots such as New York, London, and Tokyo, as well as in 15 emerging tech hubs around the globe.

Our survey found that hiring managers are uneasy about remaining compliant.

38%

Over a third of respondents report difficulty understanding local legal requirements when hiring in new regions.

Download the report to see how straightforward it can be to capture the benefits of international employment with speed, security, and minimal risk.

Specialist global recruitment insight 02

Emerging tech hubs present competitive advantages

You can often attract another country’s top tier talent that might not be accessible in your local market because of the level of competition. Tech professionals located outside of the established saturated hubs are more responsive to established organisations offering globally competitive compensation. This type of job opportunity can be life changing for international candidates and their families, especially in developing nations. You’ll see increased motivation and loyalty in return.

Brett Jones, Co-founder at OFFERZEN

02. Legal requirements and cultural fit worry hiring managers

Hiring managers who intend to recruit tech talent in new regions are primarily concerned with two aspects of remote work — the legalities of employing people and how to effectively manage culture across geographically dispersed teams.

Legal obligations

The survey shows hiring managers are apprehensive about staying compliant when hiring outside of their own country. It’s a real concern, but a navigable one for companies serious about onboarding the right talent.

Expert global recruitment insight 04

Overcoming barriers to global hiring

The benefit of international hiring is obvious and compelling – you can suddenly open up access to the world's very best talent. Crucially, you can also develop truly a diverse team. Value-based recruitment provides the foundation for lasting success here. Leaders who seek out new team members with shared values can build an inclusive, equitable, and trusting environment that empowers a global team to thrive.

Anastasia Pshegodskaya, Director of Talent Acquisition. Remote

01. Experienced remote tech professionals live across the globe

Knowledge workers adapt to remote team working fairly quickly provided you take a globally inclusive approach to recruitment. Top candidates exist worldwide, but securing them requires a fresh remote-first hiring strategy to attract their skills.

Action

Legally and compliantly hire a global workforce with minimal effort

Hiring remote tech talent doesn’t have to be complicated. As the most trusted EOR in the market, Remote removes the need to create a local entity in every jurisdiction — a costly process that can slow your ability to scale. Remote gives you the assurance that you:

• Have the right contracts

• Be compliant with local employment laws and tax regulations

• Classify your employees and contractors correctly

With Remote, you can hire people across the world legally and quickly. You can even offer your international employees share options in your business using Remote’s platform!

02. A single global compensation plan won’t suit every location

Scaling your team globally can deliver substantial advantages, yet HR managers must overcome several challenges when developing remote compensation plans in order to create a high-functioning international workforce.

• Employees quickly discover if you’re underpaying them compared to their colleagues and international market rates, but it’s not as simple as paying everyone the same.

• Benefits packages also need to be nuanced across different geographies.

• Individuals with equivalent education, skills, and experience should be able to enjoy comparable lifestyles and disposable income in their country of residence.

Action

Provide competitive pay and benefits packages

Remote’s global employment platform reduces the time, cost, and effort involved by creating country-specific benefits packages at highly negotiated prices. This lets you provide equitable, best-in-class benefits to your employees for a fraction of the expense of handling everything yourself or setting up a legal entity. You can even offer share options to your international workforce.

03. Asynchronous work is central to globally successful teams

Asynchronous (async) working allows distributed teams worldwide to maximise output irrespective of time zones. Success is judged by work delivered rather than by when individuals were online. The autonomy and flexibility this model affords are major draws for highly skilled, experienced tech professionals.

Many such candidates bring years of productive experience working fully remotely.

Action

Establish intentional remote-first work practices

An async work environment demands greater communication and documentation, which in turn improves employee morale and productivity.

04. Async practices remove several obstacles to global collaboration

An asynchronous approach to work tackles many of the obstacles that stop hiring managers from committing to remote operations. Experienced remote tech professionals now look for roles that support life-work balance. Employers can therefore allow remote staff worldwide to work hours that suit their time zone and personal routines. Beyond drawing top remote talent, creating systems to manage a globally distributed team will maximise productivity and improve staff retention.

Employ with Remote

Intentional remote-first work practices and async workflows facilitate innovation and maximise the productivity of your global team. While it takes discipline to develop good documentation and move away from real-time workflows, the benefits far outweigh the downsides of the traditional, synchronous way of working. In the process of developing those documentation assets, you can transform your organisation into one ready for the future of work. Diversity brings significant long-term advantages and a culture of inclusion baked into the fabric of your company.

Remote simplifies the burden of complying with international legislation.

Forming local entities overseas is typically prohibitive in both cost and time. We establish our entities to meet the highest standards of compliance so you can expand your global footprint with confidence.

Study overview

Remote conducted a survey of 1,485 decision-makers across six key markets who self-identified as currently hiring tech talent. Fieldwork took place from 9–26 September 2022 in the United States, the United Kingdom, France, Germany, Sweden and the Netherlands. Each country contributed around 200 respondents to the survey.

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