.svg)
If there’s a word which captures 2025 so far, ‘unpredictable’ must be a strong candidate. Punishing inflation, fluctuating employment rates, see-sawing consumer confidence… and let’s not forget the roller coaster tariff ride of US economic policy. And the cost of hiring remains stubbornly high as the never-ending war for talent rages.
For companies looking for growth in the midst of this confusing whirlwind of contradictions, setting a clear path forwards can be a serious challenge.
Among the unpredictability of the last few months, we’ve seen a noticeable tightening of headcount budgets. That means your salary spend is going to have to work harder for your business.
The downwards pressure on margins makes hiring plans look very different compared to the start of the year. We’re seeing hiring freezes become more common as employers watch nervously for signs of improvement.
But waiting until things stabilise could be counter-productive. The companies that emerge from turbulent times tend to be those which find advantage regardless of market conditions.
A recent report by Combine highlights how global employers are responding to escalating tariffs by expanding into new talent markets. The explosion of remote working during Covid has opened the eyes of many employers looking at new ways of finding the right talent.
Many growing and developing economies have been making smart investments in skilled workers who now have exactly the kind of skills which are in-demand. And these skills tend to come at a lower cost than hiring talent on your doorstep (if your doorstep is in one of the major developed western economies).
Which begs the question: is the ‘wait and see’ strategy actually putting your business at risk? First mover advantage is usually a good thing, but at the very least we’d suggest that standing with your legs rooted to the spot will leave you falling behind the pack.
Everyone can go global
Mercer, the global HR consultancy, revealed in its Global Talent Trends report for 2025 that more than one in five companies say the cost of labor (22%) and geopolitical instability (22%) are key risks to their future growth. But 41% said having the right skills in place to meet customer demands was the biggest risk. So how to balance growing costs with a shortage of skills?
Most businesses don’t have extensive investment war chests to go on a global hiring spree for top talent. But here lies the opportunity, especially for smaller businesses which can often move faster than dominant larger players. It’s no longer necessary to invest millions in setting up physical premises in new territories. Remote working and ever-improving technology makes it relatively straightforward to onboard talented people around the world without having to swallow exorbitant set-up costs.
Platforms that support global workforce management, like Employer of Record (EOR) services, have made it easier than ever to compliantly hire international workers without setting up a legal entity in each country.
Pick a country, get growing
It may not feel like it, but employers are spoiled for choice when it comes to finding the right talent. While achieving global growth used to mean finding premises, local staff, local customers and so on, now it’s less about radius from your office – you can find the best talent wherever it is, onboard the right people, and focus on growing your business.
But where to focus your worldwide search? With technology, outsourcing and EoR services allowing companies their choice of hiring territories, having the right strategy for international talent acquisition is a must.
Employing global professionals in the Philippines, Eastern Europe, or Latin America, for example, can deliver savings of up to 70%, without compromising work quality. Software developers in Eastern Europe or South America typically earn less than half their US counterparts while offering comparable expertise.
The story is similar in other territories. India remains a key location for highly-skilled staff in IT, pharmaceuticals and other sectors, with salaries a fraction of their US counterparts. The boom in global talent also means there are plenty of options to structure your remote workforce around time zones, cultural fit and geopolitical stability, according to the World Economic Forum’s Future of Jobs 2025 Report.
Once you’ve established your requirements, budgets and risk parameters, you can get moving.
Speed and momentum
The last thing anyone needs is to get bogged down in complex admin when growth opportunities beckon. Hiring from a global talent pool by definition means you have a huge depth of candidates to choose from, so you can find the right people faster. Outsourcing or using EoR services hands the admin off to a partner to deal with onboarding, legal and tax issues, creating space for the business to continue its growth plans.
This has helped the rise of hybrid global teams, where core requirements are taken care of in-house while remote expertise is brought in to meet growing market demand. As well as providing flexibility while the business grows, a hybrid strategy can build resilience and reduce risk. EoR services in particular allow businesses to ensure legal and tax compliance by working with expert advisers who know the local landscape. Partnering with in-country experts takes the guesswork out of global growth plans and avoids any nasty surprises when it comes to tax or legal affairs.
Smarter Growth Starts Globally
Tighter budgets normally mean tight knots in the stomach – how on earth are we going to achieve these results with that budget? Global hiring should be a key part of your strategy. We’ll say it again – the world is rich with well-trained, highly-skilled talent at a fraction of the cost of doing it the ‘old’ way.
Whether it’s through full-time global employees, outsourced teams, or hybrid staffing models, businesses that integrate global talent into their workforce are more agile, more resilient, and more cost-effective.
Global Expansion Makes It Simple
Global Expansion helps companies hire smarter and faster. Whether you’re exploring a new market or already know where you want to hire, we’ll guide you every step of the way.
With award-winning technology, responsive support, and a trusted team of global HR, payroll, and compliance experts, we’re the international employment extension of your team.
Economic uncertainty doesn't have to stall your business.
The companies that are still building in 2025 are the ones facing into challenges and making bold moves.
But they’re not spending more, they’re spending smarter.
They’re not shrinking, they’re shifting.
And they’re not doing it alone.
Hiring freezes don’t have to freeze progress. Talk to us about smart international hiring that keeps your growth on track.
