In today’s global marketplace, there are vast opportunities for global talent acquisition. More companies than ever are looking beyond their borders, tapping into the global talent pool to drive innovation, diversity, and competitive advantage to meet their hiring needs. However, global recruitment involves more than just identifying and hiring candidates from abroad; it encompasses assisting these individuals and their families through the often-daunting process of international relocation. This post explores the best practices in supporting employees with international relocation, contributing to a smoother transition and long-term success for both the employee and the organization.

The Crucial Role of Employee Support in International Relocation

Employee relocation is a complex process, laden with challenges ranging from logistical hurdles to cultural adaptation. For HR professionals, providing comprehensive support throughout this process is critical. Effective relocation support can significantly impact an employee’s ability to adapt and thrive in a new environment, which could ultimately affect their productivity, satisfaction, and overall morale.

Planning Ahead: The Pre-Relocation Checklist

A successful relocation begins with meticulous pre-relocation planning. This includes ensuring all visa and immigration documentation are in order, making housing arrangements, and addressing financial adjustments like cost-of-living and taxation. Early and thorough planning can alleviate much of the stress associated with moving countries, setting a positive tone for the employee’s experience. For businesses, this can often mean compliance with local legislation if the business doesn’t have an entity set up at the destination company. Often, services like Employer of Record (EOR) can be very helpful.

Bridging Cultural Gaps: Orientation and Training

Cultural orientation and targeted training are indispensable tools in helping employees adjust to their new surroundings. Understanding local customs, workplace etiquette, and social norms is crucial when settling in a new country. Tailored training sessions that address these areas can help mitigate the cultural shock and speed up the acclimation process.

Speaking the Language: Providing Linguistic Support

Language barriers can pose significant challenges to relocated employees. Offering language training or immersion programs not only equips employees with essential communication skills but also demonstrates an employer’s investment in their long-term success and well-being. Various tech companies like Meta, provide linguistic support through external partners, to both relocating employees and also their families moving with them.

Family First: Comprehensive Family Support Services

Relocation isn’t just an individual endeavour; it often involves an employee’s family. Providing spouse or partner employment assistance, educational counselling for children, and community integration support can ease the transition for the entire family, reducing stress and facilitating a smoother adjustment to the new locale.

Health Is Wealth: Ensuring Adequate Healthcare and Insurance

Access to quality healthcare and appropriate insurance coverage is a paramount concern for relocating employees. Facilitating healthcare system enrollment or offering comprehensive international health insurance plans are essential steps in ensuring the health and safety of employees and their families.

Building Connections: Social Inclusion and Networking

Creating opportunities for social interaction and professional networking can help new employees forge connections, combat loneliness, and enhance their sense of belonging. Whether through company-organized events or community engagement initiatives, encouraging these interactions can foster a supportive and inclusive workplace culture.

A Focus on Mental Health

Relocating can take a toll on one’s mental health due to the stress, anxiety, and isolation it may bring. Providing access to mental health resources and support services is crucial in helping employees manage these challenges and maintain their well-being at a time when they are apart from their usual support networks.

Beyond the Move: Continuous Support and Integration

Support shouldn’t stop once the move is complete. Ongoing check-ins, mentorship programs, and continuous professional development opportunities are essential for ensuring the long-term success and integration of relocated employees with the company.

Cross-Cultural Understanding: Inclusion Training for All

Integrating an employee from another culture into the workplace is a two-way street. Cross-cultural training for existing staff can promote a more inclusive environment, enhancing collaboration and understanding across diverse teams.

Learning from Experience: Soliciting Feedback

Gathering feedback from relocated employees can provide invaluable insights into the effectiveness of the support provided. This feedback should serve as a foundation for continuous improvement, ensuring future relocations are even more successful, which ultimately helps with employee retention.

Successful International Relocation in Action

Tech giants like Google and Facebook exemplify how thorough and thoughtful relocation support can ease the transition for international hires. These companies offer comprehensive relocation packages that cover everything from corporate housing and moving expenses to social integration programs, significantly reducing the stress of moving and allowing employees to focus on what they do best.

Conclusion

Recruiting and relocating international talent offers vast potential benefits for organizations willing to invest in comprehensive support services. By addressing the logistical, cultural, and personal aspects of relocation, companies can ensure their global recruits are positioned for success. Not only does this benefit the individual employees, but it also contributes to a diverse, inclusive, and dynamic workplace culture, driving the organization forward in an increasingly globalized world.

If you’re an HR recruiter, you’ll know first-hand that the gap between the supply and demand of developers is still a bottleneck. The C-levels ask for the best programmer out there to scale up your company’s products, but finding the right fit is difficult. Some reasons for this include:

• A lack of applicants with the necessary skills and training: Your region could’ve already run out of skilled software engineers seeking employment.
  
• Global competition for talent: Better salaries will tilt a developer’s scale, and some companies from markets that weren’t on the radar 20 years ago are now offering better salaries to devs in your country, ruling you out of the contest. Companies worldwide go toe-to-toe for the best programmers, making it difficult for small and medium-sized businesses to find the developers they need.
  
• Hesitance to hire junior talent: Recruiters are often required to bring in the best developers in the market, and junior talent, which is more available as the competition hasn’t taken it, is too risky to hire. It could turn out to be a great match, but asking a recent bootcamp graduate to take on a project overseen by the CEO could also cut a recruiter’s career short.
  
• Hiring freezes—and lower offers to work with: Ever since the tech layoffs in the US began shaking the job market, recruiters have been forced to send job offers with lower salaries, making their companies seem less competitive. Hiring freezes being called up and called off without notice certainly doesn’t help.

We’ll present 10+ websites to help you attract the best programmers for your company.

First, a disclaimer: we won’t review the bigger and most well-known portals like LinkedIn, Indeed, Monster, Glassdoor, or Wellfound for obvious reasons. Those are not specialised sites, and finding suitable candidates over there is very hard. That said, let’s get started.

Tech-focused platforms

These are the best developer-focused job boards to hire software developers, search for programmers, or hire IT staff. Some of them are very selective and offer curated opportunities to candidates (and thus fewer but more qualified applicants to recruiters), while others are more broad and a bit harder to navigate.

Relocate.me

Works best for: Recruiters that want to access global talent and hire internationally. Businesses worldwide can use the platform to hire software developers and tech talent.

Relocate.me, an IT niche job board for techies looking to relocate, is the best option for hiring international talent. We work with techies from more than 150 countries, and our job posts have more than 2,000 views per month on the website alone. You’ll connect with talent that’s already motivated to start a relocation process. When you post an ad, you’ll reach our developer network of techies who’re looking for relocation jobs. So, by working with Relocate.me, you will:

• Attract international talent: That’s what jobseekers visit our platform for — to relocate with a job at your company. You’ll level up your employer brand if your company offers strong relocation support and exciting international opportunities. Posting remote jobs is also possible!
• Target your ads and your hiring efforts: Our Advanced plan includes candidate vetting and promotion in our email newsletters. 
• Have a company page: Our plans include an enhanced company page with a custom URL. 
• Get your company/jobs promoted on Telegram: Relocate.me has an active community on Telegram, which is already over 22k international job seekers strong (and growing by the day).
• Pay no additional or hidden fees for successful hires: Pay only for the job ads, never for the hire. Our pricing is transparent and scalable. You don’t have to pay for a hire. Check out what’s included in each plan and how much it’ll cost you per job slot by visiting our Employers page.

How To Relocate Developers With 10+ Years Of Experience →

One overlooked aspect about international talent who wants to relocate is that it’s a very attractive demographic. A professional who wishes to move is usually around 30 years old, which suggests they have 5–8 years of work with them. So, if you need senior developers to join your team, and you haven’t found those on the domestic market, then hiring internationally can help you overcome the talent gap.

We can help you hire the top global talent by posting your open positions on our site. You can register your company now — it’s free. If you want a quick start, email us at [email protected] to have your company mentioned on the Companies Hiring Internationally list. The best way to hire software developers is matching what you offer — relocation — with the top talent seeking that out.

Honeypot

Works best for: Companies based in Western Europe wanting to hire developers already living in Europe

Honeypot.io is also a recognised place to hire software developers. It’s a dev-focused job platform primarily serving the European market, including Germany, the Netherlands, Austria, Switzerland, and Spain. It’s now part of New Work SE, a German group known for its stake in XING, dubbed “the German LinkedIn.”

They follow a “reverse-hiring” process in which they vet candidates and then recommend them to the hiring managers.

Let’s go straight to its key features:

• Focused on qualified developers: Honeypot’s platform is regularly updated with new profiles of developers actively seeking new roles. This helps recruiters get more qualified people to respond than by starting their outreach on LinkedIn, for example.
  
• Expert support: Recruiters on Honeypot have access to a Talent Success Advisor.

However, the board’s current focus might leave you empty-handed if your search needs to extend beyond Europe. Its developer bee-hive is primarily European, but even European candidates are left on the sidelines occasionally. For example, some candidates who are EU citizens but are not living in the region were invited to interviews only to be dropped out of the process for not being based in Europe.

WeAreDevelopers

Works best for: Companies with HQs in Western Europe wanting to hire developers in Europe

WAD for Businesses is another useful option for finding developers open to work. The platform connects companies and IT workers and offers various services to assist in tech recruiting, employer branding, product marketing and brand awareness. With its headquarters in Vienna, this platform focuses on certain Western European countries, specifically Germany, Austria, Switzerland, and the UK.

Some of its practical features include:

• Events and conferences: WeAreDevelopers organises events and meet-ups that bring together developers, recruiters and tech enthusiasts face-to-face.
  
• Recruiting resources: These include white papers about online recruiting, podcasts, webinars, ebooks, guides, surveys and more.
  
• Employer branding: Besides helping with hires on a case-by-case basis, WeAreDevelopers helps companies build their “employer brand.”
  
• Job ads: Since they’re a developer job board, they post your company’s ads and take it from there.

WeAreDevelopers offers various paid plans with different features and pricing options.

How to Write Job Descriptions That Attract Tech Talent →

Lemon.io

Works best for: Eastern European startups that need to access vetted talent from their home countries

If you work for an early-stage startup that wants to save some costs, Lemon.io might be a good friend to hire a software programmer. The board connects recruiters with vetted offshore developers, especially from Eastern Europe.

Some of its distinctive features are:

• Transparent billing: Lemon.io operates on a transparent billing system. Programmers do not pay any commission. Recruiters pay the developers’ rate plus a commission for the board’s services.
  
• Flexible hiring: It offers flexible hiring options, including both full-time and part-time positions, so it could work if you need to get contractors rather than employees.

OfferZen

Works best for: South African or Dutch companies that want local, not international, developers

OfferZen is a dev-driven job board based in Cape Town.

The platform works with a “reverse hiring” method. First, it asks developers to create a profile for free so they can connect with a Talent Advisor. Afterward, instead of devs applying for jobs, companies on OfferZen send interview requests to developers, providing upfront information on the role, tech stack, and salary.

Other key features are:

• Transparent recruitment process: Devs can access information about companies, including their profiles and offers.
  
• Presence in South Africa and Europe: OfferZen has offices in Cape Town, South Africa, and Amsterdam, the Netherlands. While the platform initially focused on the South African market, it has expanded to include opportunities in Europe, especially those in Dutch.

Japan Dev

Works best for: Companies in Japan that want English-speaking devs

Japan Dev is a job platform for roles in Japan that only require English and not Japanese. It’s a good tool for companies that want to start operations in Japan and want to hire international developers who can settle down there. It’s also convenient for companies that need to expand their English-speaking crew. Some key features are:

• Vetted company selection process: They pick the companies that can run ads, and 90% don’t make the cut, so the hiring process could turn out to be too long-winded.
  
• Specifically for Japan and in English: If you need to hire great software developers quickly and globally, you should consider other platforms that work internationally.

Otta

Works best for: Companies in the UK

Otta is a UK job platform for software developers, designers, or product managers. They work with UK companies that are not specifically developing tech but need up-to-date stacks to stay in business, like the online retailer ASOS. They offer help in hard-to-fill roles to these companies that can’t hire by themselves, maybe because they don’t have tech recruiters on their teams. Some key features are:

• They give relevance to a company’s mission: UK workers who are concerned about their future employer’s vision rely on Otta. If you want to make a strong case for your vision and are looking for UK workers, this platform could help.
  
• They help with hard-to-fill technical roles: Around half of the hires made on Otta are for expert, leadership or technical roles.

Dice

Works best for: Companies that want to hire US developers

Established in 1994, Dice is a well-known site, mainly present in the United States. Some of its pros are:

• Extensive talent pool: They’ve been around for 30 years and claim they have millions of registered members.
  
• Targeted search: Dice says they use AI to connect the right professionals to your job ad.
  
• Social media presence: Dice says they’ll share your postings on their socials.

Dice is heavily marketed in the United States, but recruiters and developers from all parts of the world use it. It’s not a narrowed-down, all-in-one solution by any means. Just like LinkedIn, to mention another giant network, it’s spread too thin.

Remote-focused boards

Let’s now see a few remote work-focused job boards. These boards also try to help recruiters find skilled developers, but the difference is that they market themselves to developers as a work-from-home platform.

X-Team

X-Team operates differently from traditional recruitment platforms. It acts as a facilitator of pre-vetted development teams rather than individual devs. This presents some advantages and considerations for dev recruiters:

• Fast if you need a team: It lets you hire pre-built teams that know how to work together.
  
• Third-party management: Besides helping you recruit, X-Team manages the team logistics, payroll and administrative tasks.
  
• Global pool: They claim to reach developers from over 75 countries.

Considerations:

• Limited control: You have less control over individual team member selection than traditional recruitment.
  
• Hard-to-estimate cost: X-Team’s services come at a premium compared to hiring individual developers. The developer rate for X-Team is between $40 and $50 per hour. That would cost you almost $90,000 a year to hire one of their developers full-time, and if you prefer an in-house dev, then you better put the money on one.

Arc.dev

Arc.dev, sometimes stylised as Arc(), offers recruiters a pool of vetted developers and also comes with an AI tool that allows you to get a shortlist of matched candidates.

Some of its features are:

• Flexible hiring options: Arc() enables you to hire developers freelance, contract-to-hire or full-time.
  
• Support: They also provide ongoing support during the hiring process. If it’s your first hire,
  
• AI-powered matching: They use an AI assistant — a chatbot called HireAI — to get you quicker to the right candidate.

Their features look very similar to X-Team, but Arc.dev emphasises AI more strongly because they claim the assistant will help you reach your match rapidly (it’s not clear how it compares to traditional hiring methods). Remember that the site is a relatively new player compared to established platforms, and its user base might be smaller in specific regions or skill sets. Also, Arc.dev is popular among designers, so it could be a great place to look for frontend developers, but not the best to find a Java senior developer.

The Art of Relocating Tech Talent Post-Pandemic →

Devremote

Devremote is a job board for remote workers looking for remote companies, but not necessarily remote-first companies. Among their clients are Match.com (Tinder), Amazon, and HubSpot, which are companies that certainly have offices and in-person meetings. If your company needs to get developers who are specifically looking for remote jobs, Devremote can help you. Some significant features are:

• “Competitive Salary” option: When checking the boards, jobseekers can toggle the “Competitive Salary” option on or off. Postings without a salary are removed when the option is toggled on, so you might be sifted out if you can’t list your salary yet.
  
• An emphasis on Web3 and blockchain: Many players in the blockchain sector post their jobs on Devremote. It’s not specifically marketed to them. But if you’re a recruiter in the Web3 space and need a great software developer, you should try this site.

Remotive

Remotive is a well-known platform that collects jobs in software development, customer support, marketing or sales. They’re a remote-first platform and emphasise work-from-anywhere (what they call “worldwide”) postings, so if you don’t have a specific location for your new hire, Remotive could help you. Some of their key aspects are:

• Job listing import from ATS: Recruiters can import job listings from their applicant tracking system with a few clicks, including Greenhouse, Lever, Workable, Recruitee, Smartrecruiters, or Recruiterbox.
• Requires no account: Recruiters can manage jobs via a link we’ll email you upon posting. So no need to sign up and recover yet another password.

If you prefer your talent to relocate or to offer a curated jobseeking experience, you should try a niche board. You’ll be competing against thousands of job ads in Remotive. 

Other useful options for recruiters

Lastly, here we’ll present some sites that are not precisely job boards but can still be very useful in your search to hire a software developer.

Turing

Turing, founded by Stanford alumni, is a tech services company that connects businesses with vetted developers. Instead of posting jobs and sifting through applicants, you tell Turing your specific needs, and they match you with pre-vetted developers. In that way, it’s very similar to Honeypot, but the difference is that Turing is based in Silicon Valley, and they connect applicants with US companies. 

So, Turing could only be the best fit if your company is based in the US. Also, they seem to capture senior talent only. And unlike traditional recruitment, you might have less control over individual candidate selection. In addition, be prepared for premium pricing.

ScienceSoft

ScienceSoft is a software consulting company that outsources software development and IT services. With offices worldwide, they can source talent from various countries. However, their primary focus is on Eastern Europe and the US.

Their recruitment services lean towards larger, custom projects rather than individual placements. This might not be ideal for filling everyday development roles. You could also combine their recruitment with their services if you’re just starting.

It’s not a way to hire developers, but it is a way to have developers on your team.

Recruiters know that hiring an international worker is a good move, but they might not know where to start. Thankfully, the pathway to hiring foreign workers and becoming a global company is easier than ever.

In this article, we’ll discuss the benefits and challenges of hiring international employees, plus how you can do it for your company. 

The pros of hiring international employees

There are numerous advantages to hiring international employees for your — potentially global and multicultural — organisation. Here are some of the main advantages companies receive:

• Expansion into new markets: A new hire can be the stepping stone in a new region. And companies can add a flag to their “About Us” page and impress clients with a single hire, provided that hire is a quality worker.

• Access to skilled labour: Plenty of potential employees who would help your company grow and stand out are seeking precisely the kind of job you offer. If you start hiring foreign employees, you’ll access a wider pool of talent, obviously; but, most importantly, you’ll access qualified workers. Did you know that most workers who want to relocate are around 30 years old? That means you’ll be hiring experienced workers.

• Company diversity: When you hire foreign employees, you’re making your company diverse while travelling in a low-effort lane. You don’t have to specifically sift through resumes to pick your candidate based on a certain background. You’re bringing in diversity by design.

How to hire a foreign employee: Why it’s simpler than ever

Still, one of the more understated advantages is that hiring international employees is easier than ever. Global mobility strategies are much simpler to pull off than before for several reasons:

• Payroll and administrative tools became global: Solutions like Rippling, Ontop and Remote let recruiters add international workers to their payroll without having to register a company in each country. They also let employees invoice, receive their pay stubs, and keep traceable evidence that they should be paying their VAT. Global payroll solutions make sure that hiring internationally is no longer a liability.

• Ease to set up communications and interviews: Tools like Zoom and Calendly have been around for years. But only recently they became the standard, not the low-cost option, for meetings. Recruiters can now interact with candidates and set up interviews async with less work than ever, and without staining their employer’s brand.

• Improved ways to connect with the talent: Specialised job boards that match the top talent that wants to work remotely or relocate with companies that offer these packages make the process easier. Some job platforms even vet the talent for you.

The Art of Relocating Tech Talent Post-Pandemic →

The challenges of hiring international employees

Pinning up a world map on your office’s wall — with a pin on each country you have an employee in — sounds like a wonderful idea. But if you haven’t done it yet, considering how it’s obviously so good for your company, it’s because there are challenges to it. These are the challenges you’ll face when you’re defining how to hire international employees:

It’s hard to estimate how much it’ll cost

How much will bringing in international talent cost? It’s very challenging to understand if you haven’t defined if you’ll be hiring remotely, if you’ll offer relocation, if you’ll pay in foreign currency, and such. Are you relocating your employee? Consider that when hiring international talent and requesting them to relocate, many companies supply an additional 15% stipend for “miscellaneous expenses” on top of the cash they assign for relocating. These are some not-so-obvious costs that come with hiring foreign workers for the first time. Even workers are sometimes caught blindsided by them: many companies that request relocation don’t offer packages, probably because it’s hard for them to understand how much they should spend on their new employee.

You don’t know where to start

A very typical conclusion after breaking down what it takes to hire internationally is that you won’t know where to begin the process. If you want to attract talent, should you start an office in the target country so you can conduct interviews with more supervision? Which country should that be? Is there really any market for the job you’re posting, or is it not in demand for jobseekers? Moreover, who can you connect with to ask questions about the vital first step? 

It looks like a barren land, but it turns out to be a maze. Still, there’s a straightforward way to start.

How to hire international employees, step-by-step

Follow this step-by-step guide to start hiring international talent. To learn how to hire a foreign employee, you should follow these steps in order because each step will narrow down the employee funnel for you.

1. Define where your international talent will work from

Before starting, you need to make a strategic decision: Will your foreign employees work from where they are, remotely, or will you ask them to relocate to a different country, like where your headquarters are? This step comes in first for a reason. When you narrow down the job’s location, you narrow down your job pool, age group, and thus the level of experience you’re looking for. You’re also adding a selling point to your employer’s brand if you end up offering relocation packages. So when it comes to how to hire foreign workers, decide their target location before even connecting with anyone, even before deciding on which pool you’ll dive into.

Pro tip: If you offer those relocation packages, make them clear and explicit. Don’t leave it as a small footnote.

2. Decide where you’ll run your job ads

If you want to hire internationally, you need to post your job ads somewhere the international workers will notice them. You should focus on using specialised job boards. Some of them can be for remote opportunities, or others can be for relocation packages. Job platforms like Relocate.me connect techies with companies that offer relocation assistance and want to hire internationally. Other sites offer less curated experiences but can help you get employees that are not from a niche, such as customer service reps.

Best Sites To Hire Great Software Developers → 

3. Set up an onboarding process

Before you hire, but after you decide on where to post your job ads, understand how you’ll onboard your first international employee. If this looks like jumping the gun, it’s really not. An employee will sign the contract only if they’re sure your process for letting them work for you is rock-solid. If you have a well-thought-out onboarding process, the employee will be compelled to sign your offer over a competitor’s. To ease this up, you could consider using an ATS with features to categorise workers, such as TalentHR or Lever. Check what the onboarding process for an employee looks like and, when the time comes, know the specifics so you can describe it to your candidate in an interview.

When it comes to employee onboarding, you should define a standard contract and check if you want your foreign workers to work as independent contractors or as full-time employees. It’ll depend on the legal framework you’re subject to. In very regulated job markets like the US, having your employees as independent contractors will speed things up. Your ATS and international payroll solution will cover these bits for you.

4. Figure out your international payroll

Now that you know where you’ll seek out your foreign workers and how you’ll get them on board when the time for hiring comes, you need to know how you’ll pay your new employees. The easiest and most reliable option is using a global payroll platform because they cover the legal nooks and crannies (i.e. they know how to request a tax ID in your employee’s country) for you. Ontop, Rippling or Remote all sort this out. And if your candidate has been doing some research, she’ll be relieved to realise you’re using one of those tools, because it makes invoicing — assuming she’ll be working as an independent contractor — simpler for her.

5. Go out and hire

Some of these steps could look too hurried on. Why not figure out international payroll after getting a close hire? It’s a valid approach, for sure, but we strongly suggest following these steps in order because they’ll narrow down your pool. Maybe you realise that you can’t pay in this or that currency because your balance sheets will look skewed, and you already promised a certain salary to a new hire. That’s a wrongheaded direction for your employer experience. So better follow steps 1–4 before getting onto the gist of it: Go out and hire. Follow your usual HR process to try to reach out to vetted candidates, and when you find a suitable foreign worker, explain to them that you have everything in place to let them work for you.

How to hire international employees

The best way to hire an international employee is to find employees who want precisely that: To work for a company that hires foreign workers. If you can offer relocation packages, which not many companies offer, you’ll sharpen your search even further.

You can hire international talent with Relocate.me. It’s a platform that connects job-seeking techies with employers who offer relocation packages. We boast a user base of over 200,000 IT professionals from more than 150 countries, and our job posts get thousands of views per month on the website alone.

You can post your jobs on our site, and we’ll help you hire the top global talent so you can get them right to your doorstep. Remember — they’ll be equally happy to participate in the process because they know we’re only working with top companies that understand the implications of moving abroad for work.

If you want a quick start, email us at [email protected] to have your company mentioned on the Companies Hiring Internationally list. It’s free, and top international talent continually refreshes it for interesting employers — just like you.

Over the last six years, more than half of global organisations have run into skill shortages that have slowed them down. The skill shortage dropped a bit in 2020, mostly because the COVID-19 pandemic made hiring tough. But in 2023, 54% of organisations are still struggling to find the tech skills they need. This shows how important it is for recruiters to look further than just local hiring to find the talent they need.

Hiring internationally means companies can reach out to more skilled people from all over the world. This way, they can either find top-notch talent or skilled workers who cost less, thanks to the different economies around the globe. It gives everyone, no matter where they are, a fair chance at landing a job. It also means companies can find the skills they need from other places if they’re not available locally. This approach helps businesses get the best team together, possibly at a lower cost, by broadening their search beyond their own backyard.

With remote work on the rise — evidenced by a tripling of remote job postings since 2020 and 74% of employees happier working this way — the opportunity and necessity to tap into the global talent pool have never been clearer. As 97% of workers express a preference for remote work, the move towards global recruitment strategies is essential for forward-thinking organisations aiming to thrive.

This is your guide to international recruitment, where we outline how to effectively identify, attract, and onboard global talent. We’ll also provide actionable insights and best practices for hiring internationally, ensuring your organisation leverages the full potential of the global workforce. 

What is international recruiting?

International recruiting is when HR teams look for, attract, interview, choose, and bring on board talent from around the world. It broadens the search for talent to include candidates from outside local or national limits, offering access to a varied mix of skills and backgrounds. This process uses technology and worldwide networks to find potential hires and see if they’re a good match for the job and company culture. It also covers getting them settled into the company, no matter where they’re from.

This global approach to hiring means dealing with more than just finding the right people. Compared to local hiring, it involves navigating different challenges like understanding international payroll systems, adapting onboarding processes for remote workers, and managing taxes and legal requirements across various countries. 

By tackling these differences, companies can diversify their teams, spark innovation, and stay ahead in the international market.

Hiring internationally brings clear advantages:

• Lower costs for labour, thanks to different economic situations in other countries.
• Fewer expenses related to things like visas, moving, and office space because you can hire remotely.
• The chance to find the very best talent from all over the world, without being limited to local candidates.
• Easier entry into international markets if the company is expanding, with team members who understand those areas well.
• Access to a much bigger pool of potential hires.

Your guide to the international recruitment process

Learn to hire talent from around the world. Opening up to candidates globally can bring in top talent. Here are the steps to get you started.

Step 1: Identify your team’s needs

Start by looking at your team and upcoming work to see where you’re short on skills or could use some extra help. Focus on roles that are tough to fill or that can work on their own, since these are good to hire for internationally. Jobs in areas like marketing, advertising, or software development often fit this bill because they can be done independently.

Think about the jobs you’re hiring for. If the job can be done from anywhere, it’s perfect for hiring someone from another country. But if the job needs lots of teamwork or is super important, it’s better to find someone who’s in a time zone close to yours.

Here are some practical steps to take:

• Consider location and time zones: After spotting the skill gaps, decide which geographical areas or time zones you should target for these roles. The decision could depend on whether the job requires close teamwork or if you’re aiming for cost-effective solutions.
• Choose between contractor or full-time: Based on how critical the role is and the duration of the need, decide whether to look for contractors for short-term tasks or full-time employees for ongoing work. This will guide your search and the offers you make.

Step 2: Develop a recruitment strategy

Adding to the importance of a solid strategy, a CareerBuilder survey found that 74% of employers admit to making a wrong hire, costing anywhere from 30% to 150% of the employee’s first-year salary. 

Here’s a blueprint for building a solid strategy:

• Find your preferred payroll solution: Use platforms like Remote.com or Deel.com for handling international payroll to make sure you’re on top of taxes and legal stuff without the headache.
• Get worker classification guidance: Check out Boundlesshq.com to get your team’s job roles right according to local laws, avoiding any legal trouble across borders.
• Find tools for effective onboarding: Try platforms like Personio for a smoother start for your remote hires. It helps with all the paperwork and gets them feeling like they are part of the team faster.
• Think about time zone coordination: Use scheduling tools like World Time Buddy or Calendly to plan meetings that work for everyone, no matter where they are. It helps keep everyone in sync and working together smoothly.
• Evaluate each role’s impact: Take a close look at how every position helps achieve your company’s aims.
• Conduct market research: Dive into the availability of the skills you’re after on a global scale, pinpointing regions rich in the talent you need.
• Plan strategically: Decide on the most effective channels and approaches for attracting candidates for each specific role, whether through specialised job platforms, professional networks, or recruitment agencies.
• Budget considerations: Think about your hiring budget, remembering the costs of international hiring, such as relocation support or remote setup. Also, consider how much you’re willing to spend on hiring senior roles or managers, as these positions might require a larger investment.

Step 3: Write engaging job descriptions

Job descriptions are often the first glimpse potential candidates get of your company. It’s crucial to be clear, welcoming, and true to what your company is about. A good job description goes beyond listing what the job involves; it also highlights your company culture, the perks of joining your team, location preferences and job type. 

Remember, the way you present this information matters a lot — 52% of job seekers from an Indeed survey said the quality of a job description (think spelling, grammar, clarity about the role, and how it’s formatted) plays a big part in their decision to apply.

Here’s how to make your job descriptions stand out:

• Clarify the role’s impact: Clearly explain how the role contributes to the company’s goals and success.
• Detail the requirements: Include necessary qualifications, language abilities, and any specific certifications required for the role.
• Showcase company culture: Give insights into the values and environment of your company to attract candidates who will fit in with your culture.
• Outline benefits: Talk about the salary range, benefits, and unique perks your company offers, like flexible working arrangements, office setup funds, holidays, international office sites or opportunities for growth and learning.

How to Write Job Descriptions That Attract Tech Talent →

Step 4: Promote the vacancy

To draw in a wide and varied group of applicants, mix up your recruitment methods by combining both traditional and online strategies. This means making the most of your company’s web presence, tapping into global job platforms, and using sites tailored for international hiring.

You’ll find some of the most popular sites among jobseekers here.

Here’s how to broaden your search:

• Company website: Keep the careers section fresh and easy to find.
• Global and niche job boards: Post your openings on big sites like LinkedIn, Indeed, AngelList for startup jobs, Glassdoor, and local startup boards, as well as those specific to your industry.
• Specialised platforms: For tech positions, Relocate.me and similar sites cater to those specifically looking for international work in various sectors.
• Social media campaigns: Use LinkedIn and other platforms to spread the word about your openings, reaching people you might not find through traditional means.
• Employee referral programs: Get your team involved in the search by asking them to recommend people they know, offering bonuses for hires that work out.
• Recruitment help: Team up with agencies or a freelance recruiter — focused on international hiring — for their pools of candidates and specialised knowledge.

Step 5: Review applications

When sifting through applications from around the world, remember that resumes might look different based on each country’s standards. What’s important is to focus on what the resume tells you about the candidate’s skills, experiences, and what they’ve achieved. Tools that standardise resumes — such as Pinpoint, Manatal and Freshteam — can be a big help, making it easier to compare candidates fairly.

Here’s what you can do to improve this process:

• Create a checklist: Put together a list of the important skills and qualifications for the job. This makes sure you’re judging all candidates by the same standards.
• Understand cultural differences: Give your HR team training on the various ways resumes might be presented from country to country. This helps in recognising valuable skills that might not be immediately obvious.
• Check language skills: If the job needs specific language abilities, think about adding language tests to your screening. This ensures candidates can meet the communication requirements of the role.

Step 6: Preliminary screening and interviewing

Adjusting your interview approach for candidates from different countries is essential to respect cultural and legal differences. It’s vital to understand which questions might be inappropriate or even illegal based on a candidate’s local laws. Incorporating video interviews can add a personal touch and help overcome the barrier of distance. 

Also, be mindful of time zone differences to schedule these sessions at a mutually convenient time. According to the Talent Trends 2023 Report, flexibility ranks as the second most important motivator for job seekers considering new opportunities.

For hiring from abroad, try to keep the interview process quick, wrapping it up in about a week if possible. This makes sure you respect the candidate’s time and keep things moving on your end. Aim for a smooth and fast interview schedule that fits the quick pace of hiring internationally, helping you land top talent quickly.

Here’s how to refine your approach:

• Stay legally informed: Get to grips with the employment laws that apply in the candidate’s country to keep your interviews on the right side of the law.
• Be flexible with times: Schedule interviews at times that work across time zones, showing respect for the candidate’s availability.

Step 7: Negotiate the salary and compensation package

Crafting the right compensation package is key to attracting international talent. Researching standard salaries, benefits, and legal requirements is essential. 

Also, consider the cost of living at the candidate’s location to make your offer appealing. According to Gartner, nearly 90% of candidates have dropped out of the hiring process due to mismatches in what they value, such as pay, benefits, work-hour flexibility, career development, team diversity, and management style.

Here are some steps to take:

• Understand market rates: Research typical compensation for similar roles in the candidate’s region.
• Consult legal advice: Ensure your offer meets legal standards for salary, benefits, and taxation.
• Broaden the offer: Include valued benefits like health insurance, retirement plans, and relocation support.
• Negotiate creatively: If salary adjustments are tight, consider enhancing the package with higher learning and development budgets, remote office setup contributions, or additional vacation days to meet the candidate’s expectations.
• Tailor the package: Adapt the offer to the candidate’s specific needs and career stage, making it personally appealing. 

Step 8: Extend the job offer

When it’s time to offer the job to an international candidate, your offer letter needs to cover everything. It should be clear and straight to the point, so the candidate knows exactly what you’re offering, including help with moving and what they need to do next. This clear communication sets up a relationship based on trust and openness right from the start.

Here’s what to include:

• Spell out the details: Make sure the offer letter includes the role, pay, perks, working hours, and any other parts of the compensation package.
• Confirm relocation help: Finalise the support you’re offering for relocation – if the candidate is moving for the opportunity, as opposed to remote work — like covering moving costs or help with finding a place to live. Describe how to get any required visas or work permits, and how you’ll support them in this process.

Step 9: Finalise the hire

Finalising the hiring of an international candidate means ticking off a few important boxes, particularly when it comes to the nitty-gritty of legal stuff like visas and permits. Making sure you’ve got all the paperwork sorted and that everyone’s clear on what’s expected can make everything go a lot smoother and keep any surprises to a minimum.

Here’s how to nail it:

• Sort out the legal bits: Work with legal pros to make sure you’ve got all the work authorisation documents you need.
• Stay in touch: Keep the candidate in the loop about where things stand with their application and what happens next.
• Have a contingency plan: Be ready with a plan B in case you hit any snags with visas or other paperwork hitches.

Step 10: Onboard new hires

According to Paychex, 36% of remote workers find the onboarding process confusing, compared to 32% of those working on-site. Plus, according to Gartner, there’s a significant impact on long-term retention: 77% of new hires who were happy with their onboarding experience said they could see themselves staying with the company for a long time, versus only 29% of those who weren’t satisfied with onboarding. This highlights the need for a clear, welcoming, and effective onboarding process for all new hires.

Here are some simple tips to improve onboarding:

• Start early: Kick off onboarding before their first day, sharing useful info and resources about your company and team.
• Email all the tech and logins they’ll need access too. 
• Find a buddy: Match the new hire with a buddy for guidance, answers, and company navigation in their early days.
• Keep in touch: Have regular check-ins for support, feedback, and to tackle any problems quickly.
• Meet the team virtually: Arrange online meet-ups with the team and important people in the company to help them feel welcomed.

International hiring best practices to incorporate into your strategy

When hiring globally, it’s all about getting the details right. Remember, 72% of candidates say a smooth interview process can sway their decision to take a job. Here’s how to streamline your approach:

1. Tailor your strategies to different markets

To really get the best global talent, you need to tweak your strategy for each market. Begin by writing job descriptions that hit home locally — maybe even translate them to the local language to widen your reach. Figure out which job boards and platforms folks in each area use most to make sure your job ads are seen by the right people. This practical approach takes into account the different vibes of global markets, making your recruitment drive more on point.

2. Enhance the candidate’s experience

Making sure candidates have a good experience is key to drawing in the best people. Being flexible with how you do interviews — like using video calls or working with local agencies for face-to-face chats — helps include people from all over, no matter their time zone. Also, making the application process straightforward knocks down hurdles, so it’s simpler for folks to show they’re interested in joining your team.

3. Build a strong global employer brand

Building a strong employer brand worldwide means being clear about what your company stands for, its culture, and why it’s great to work there. Getting your current employees to talk about their positive experiences adds realness to your brand. Also, making good use of social media can help spread the word, drawing in potential hires by highlighting what makes your company different and the exciting chances it offers.

4. Explore emerging markets for talent

Looking into emerging markets can reveal a wealth of hidden talent. Searching in these places lets you find people with special skills and viewpoints that can really benefit your company. This strategy does more than just add variety to your team; it also shows that your company is open-minded and welcoming to all.

5. Prioritise skills over degrees

Putting more emphasis on what people can actually do and their real-world experience — instead of just what degrees they have — lets you look at a wider range of applicants. This approach appreciates the different paths people take in life, understanding that these varied journeys can bring valuable insights and fresh ideas to your team. It’s a smart way to find those standout talents that might otherwise be overlooked.

6. Leverage technology in recruitment

Using the latest HR tech can make hiring faster and smarter. With tools like AI for sorting resumes and software that schedules interviews automatically, every step of hiring gets easier for both the recruitment team and the applicants. This doesn’t just cut down on the time it takes; it also helps you look more widely and fairly for talent all over the world.

7. Be aware of employment laws

Getting a handle on the employment laws of different countries is key to smooth international hiring. Making sure you’re in line with local rules about things like taxes and contracts keeps you out of legal hot water. It’s a good idea to talk to legal professionals who know the ins and outs of these laws. They can help make sure your hiring abroad is not only successful but also follows all the rules.

8. Outsource to specialised agencies

Working with agencies focused on international hiring can be a game-changer. They know the local scene inside out, from legal must-dos to who’s who in the talent pool. This kind of collaboration can make hiring a breeze, helping you find the right people while making sure everything’s above board with local work laws.

Start hiring internationally today

The people you hire really shape your business’s success. Going global with your hiring strategy can help you find the talent you need, thanks to technology and more options for remote work.

Actually, 66% of recruitment experts think going global is a great way to snag top talent, and 80% of the biggest-earning agencies are already hiring all over the world.

If you’re looking to hire from around the globe and relocate employees, check out Relocate.me for help. Post your tech job on the Relocate.me board today.

For a business, adopting a global mobility strategy means making the most out of a globalised workforce. Greater diversity, skilled labour, extended operational hours, and access to specialised skills that may not be readily available in your home country — global mobility can bring on all of those advantages.

Still, crossing borders and onboarding workers from different backgrounds in their home country or yours is a complex process. Global mobility programs need to be set up to make this strategy work. We’ll walk you through the key elements of a global mobility program and how your company can run one so that you can hire and onboard international talent with ease.

What is global mobility?

Global mobility, also known sometimes as employee relocation, is the HR process that allows businesses to move workers across international borders, from one location to another to meet the company’s operational, strategic or development needs. In this sense, it implies planning, coordinating and administrating employee relocations, including aspects such as visas, work permits, accommodation, benefits and cultural support to ensure a smooth transition into the new environment.

Is global mobility similar to employee relocation?

Yes, global mobility is a relatively new term that has been gaining popularity in the past 30 years, and that is very similar to the less-sellable employee relocation. But talking about global mobility has extra undertones that more closely represent the opportunities the workforce has access to in the 21st century.

For example, relocating within one’s country for work is still very common in certain regions. Talking about employee relocation certainly applies to domestic transfers, but falls short of defining how companies can enable workers to move across international borders for work, or to make international hires. Also, global mobility suggests a company strategy, not a single effort from the employee’s camp. Additionally, some HR teams consider business travel a part of global mobility, while relocation refers to a new life in a new town, not a business trip.

All in all, the terms are comparable, but global mobility underscores the international aspect of the movements. It’s also the name of an HR strategy: HR teams can make global mobility happen.

These employees’ transfers, movements, or assignments can be classified into:

• Business travels: These are what we commonly call quick trips to other countries for conferences, meetings, contract negotiations or networking with industry peers. When airport security asks, “Business or pleasure?” they refer to this type of travel.
• Short-term: Short-term assignments can last three or six months and have specific goals. For example, they might involve training local staff, filling a temporary position or working on a particular project. These assignments can be done with a regular tourist visa in most countries.
• Long-term: Long-term transfers typically last one to three years and meet different business needs, like developing global leaders, entering new markets or launching new facilities. They’re chosen over permanent relocations when there’s a specific timeline or when an employee’s in-depth knowledge of the company is crucial. In most cases, the government will require a special visa for this kind of assignment.
• Permanent: A permanent assignment involves indefinitely relocating an employee to another country. The employee becomes a resident there and works locally through a local company. Traditionally, these assignments were sourced locally: you first hired someone from your HQ country before sending them overseas.
• International hires: The company hires a worker from a different country so it can work remotely from there until it relocates to any other region. Global mobility enables this process.

What about a workation?

Workation is a portmanteau of the words work and vacation. Since remote working allows taking on tasks from anywhere, employees are on workation when they travel and work from new locations like if they were on holiday, without spending their PTO days.

Workations differ from traditional business trips because employees decide when to take on one. Since it’s something workers strive for, employees will seek no assistance from their managers to go out on a workation — but they will need a suitable global mobility policy to rely on, and they’ll undoubtedly appreciate it if the stage is ready for them to take their meetings from a hut by the beach.

The Art of Relocating Tech Talent Post-Pandemic →

Pros of global mobility

We won’t dwell on this point too much, as it’s been discussed at length before — and you’ve probably thought about the same for your company even before finding Relocate.me, where we specialise in connecting employers with skilled tech professionals seeking work opportunities abroad. Embracing global mobility offers various benefits for your organisation, especially in today’s potentially global and culturally diverse setting. Some of them are:

• Access to skilled labour
• Expansion into new markets
• Company diversity
• Hiring internationally with worldwide coverage

Additionally, a point often missed out on is how global mobility has become easier than ever.

Thanks to exceptional historical factors, including the rise of collaboration tools, a transnational economy, and increasingly electronic paperwork, companies can shape up multinational teams by hiring people from abroad — and even helping them settle down in a different country. The pandemic has altered perceptions of remote work and the challenges of welcoming new team members from all around the globe. It’s all about seeing the bright side of things.

Do employees also win with a global mobility strategy?

Yes — employees substantially benefit from a global mobility policy. It’s a win-win policy. When the company sets up a process through which it can access worldwide talent and expand into new markets, workers from any background can, in turn, make their next professional step with certain advantages that are difficult to come by on their own. Even if our guide is mostly for companies, workers can also reap benefits from global mobility, like by moving to a new country for their jobs or enjoying a workation.

Challenges in the global mobility process

Of course, it’s not all a bouquet of roses when it comes to moving globally. Not only do different countries have their own customs and traditions, but they also have specific rules you need to follow. So, getting to know global mobility pitfalls will help you make the process smoother and help you make smarter decisions when putting your plan into action.

Disclaimer: The “too much paperwork” excuse

Keep in mind that, in 2024, shying away from global mobility programs because of it involving “too much paperwork” appears to be more of an excuse than a real challenge. Numerous solutions help roll out a global mobility strategy.

Let’s elaborate on the specific issues involved now.

Immigration

Since they depend on each government, a global mobility program can be made or broken by immigration policies. Let’s have a closer look at the specific issues and look at best practices for addressing them:

• Visa complexity and delays: Each country has its own rules for visas, and these rules can be ambiguous. It’s important to visit official government websites to learn about each country’s visa requirements and how long it takes to process them. It’s best to plan ahead carefully. The best choice is to partner up with people who understand how immigration in a particular country plays out. To go global, it’s best to go case-by-case.
• Work permit woes: Securing work permits, especially for specialised roles, can be time-consuming and require specific qualifications. Non-compliance could get you in serious trouble, like facing hefty fines, if you’re the firm, or making your employee face deportation. Make sure to carefully research the work permit requirements for your desired job and location.
• The changing tides of policy: Politicians with inconsistent ideas rise and fall off year by year, so immigration policies constantly shift, making long-term planning challenging. Building adaptability into global mobility programs allows for quicker response to legislative shifts. Your program should never depend on the charlatan who’s in office right now in your target country — they might get kicked out in the next election cycle, and policies could change at a moment’s notice.

Corporate tax

Dealing with corporate taxes across different countries can be really tricky. It can even affect legal compliance. Imagine paying taxes only to be told off for not following the rules — it can’t get worse than that. Let’s see some key challenges in this area that any company with a global mobility program should consider:

• Double taxation: Employees who work overseas might end up paying taxes in both the host and home countries. Fortunately, some countries have tax treaties and policies like tax equalisation. Tax treaties can prevent double taxation, while tax equalisation helps employees maintain their standard of living despite tax differences. Collaborating with tax specialists is always a good idea.
• Permanent establishment: Any connection in a foreign country, even if it’s just through your employees, can lead to a permanent establishment (PE) for tax reasons. To handle this, keep a close eye on what your employees are doing and how long they work abroad. Having clear rules and keeping tabs on what your employees are up to can help you ensure compliance and steer clear of surprise tax bills
• Saving on taxes but staying in the right lane: It can be hard to balance cutting expenses on taxes and being completely open to scrutiny. Aggressive tax planning may raise ethical concerns while overpaying taxes will slash your profits. Just make sure that you have a tax payment schedule at the start of each fiscal year. Not a reason to celebrate, but a necessary evil.
• Building internal collaboration: Different departments within an organisation, such as HR, sales — i.e., when they invoice — and finance, may have conflicting priorities regarding taxes. A compliance issue could be around the corner if these teams work too separately. Make sure teams collaborate and understand when and how to invoice from each country and to which country.

Payroll

Let’s jump straight to the key aspects of paying a global workforce:

• Currency: Changes in exchange rates can affect how much employees get paid and cause a lot of hassle for the company. To deal with this, create straightforward rules and steps for dealing with changes in currency value. You can always ask employees to send their bank account information in a specific currency and peg their salaries to that.
• Multiple formats: Managing diverse payroll formats, reporting requirements, and payment methods across different countries can be a logistical nightmare. Standardise processes wherever possible, using centralised payroll systems with global capabilities.
• Data: Keep correct and consistent information about employees in different countries. If authorities ask you how many contractors or employees from a certain country you have on your payroll presently, you should be able to send them info on it.

How to Write Job Descriptions That Attract Tech Talent →

Global mobility strategy: Step-by-step guide

Overcoming the previously mentioned challenges and taking advantage of all global mobility benefits strongly depends on crafting a robust strategy. It involves thoughtful planning and customisation. Here’s a detailed guide to help you create it:

• Figure out your global mobility program’s purpose: Consider the challenges you want to address, such as attracting and keeping talent or transferring knowledge to a new market.
• Conduct an assessment: Find key roles and positions that could benefit from mobility opportunities, and decide who can apply based on seniority levels.
  
• Choose locations: Pick those that match your business goals and are good for your company and its workers. Consider factors such as market potential, talent availability, cost of living, infrastructure, and cultural fit. Double-check that you are complying with local regulations, and consider the impact on diversity and inclusion.
• Estimate the costs: Evaluate the costs associated with each location, including taxes, housing, transportation, and relocation expenses. Remember that costs are two-fold: those the company will cover, and those an employee will have to deal with.
• Make the process easy to follow: If someone wants to relocate, they should be able to check everything about it on an internal knowledge base.
• Define standards: Establish transparent standards for mobility requests, approvals, and reviews. Determine how employees can submit requests. It should be as simple as simulating a return on investment or calculating an insurance premium.
• Keep track of it: Did you know that more than a third of relocated employees don’t feel happy about their process? You should monitor your mobility policies and start shrinking that figure. Collect feedback from employees and stakeholders to identify areas for improvement. On an ongoing basis, rethink the strategy to align with changing business needs and market conditions.

Global mobility is too complex to improvise on, but too simple to operate once it’s running. So follow those steps, and you’ll be able to get an exemplary global mobility program as quickly as your workforce and business call for it.

Why relocation is the measure of success for global mobility

If your company satisfactorily allows an employee to relocate to a new country, especially if it’s a new hire, you can consider your global mobility program a roaring success.

Why? From all the possible assignments, relocation is arguably the ultimate step of a global mobility program. It’s not just about paying for a plane ticket or helping the employee book a hotel — it’s about bringing talent to a new market with a different legal framework and a different taxation system. During relocation, both the employee and the employer need special care.

You don’t need to read another step-by-step guide because at Relocate.me, we match you with workers looking to relocate so you can hire internationally.

You can also head to our Employer page, and we’ll gladly assess you with all you need. 

If you’re a tech professional looking to relocate and be hired internationally, you can also head to our job board. Good luck!

In the current digital era, remote work has become an increasingly common practice. This allows businesses to manage global hiring and access global talent pools and employees to maintain a healthy work-life balance. Working remotely has many advantages as well as some difficulties, time zone differences being a major one. To help employers increase team productivity and accomplish business goals, we’ll look at ways to solve time zone issues encountered at remote work arrangements in this article.

Respect and acknowledge time zone differences

Acknowledging that people might be in different time zones and have different availability and schedules is essential for a successful remote work arrangement. Planning around this encourages inclusivity and reduces interruptions to workflow.

Establish core working hours

Although respecting and acknowledging time zone differences is important, there are times when all team members need to be available for communication, planning, and teamwork. To ensure maximum participation, plan and identify overlapping hours that work for most team members and schedule important meetings during these times.

Encourage adaptability and flexibility

Encourage team members to adjust their schedules to account for time zone differences as needed. Encourage an environment of adaptability and flexibility within the remote team. Give people the tools they need to prioritize their work, use time management techniques, and be proactive in communicating with colleagues to facilitate seamless cross-border and cross-time zone collaboration.

Use “Asynchronous” communication tools

Collaborate without needing to engage in real-time communication by adopting “asynchronous” communication tools and practices. To facilitate communication and update team members at their convenience, irrespective of time zone differences, encourage the use of email, project management platforms, or messaging apps. As a result, there can be constant progress, and no team member is left behind because of scheduling conflicts. This helps with effectively managing remote teams globally.

Rotate meetings times

Rotate meeting times regularly to equally divide up the workload of early or late meetings among team members. You can guarantee that everyone on the team gets to participate in talks and decision-making without constantly sacrificing their work-life balance because of time zone differences by switching up the times of meetings.

Use time zone management tools

To make scheduling and coordination across time zones easier, make use of the time zone management tools and features found in communication platforms. Employ tools that show meeting times in the local time zone of each participant to reduce confusion and scheduling error risk.

Encourage open communication and transparency

For team members to work remotely, promote open communication and transparency by creating a safe space for the employees to share their preferences, availability, and any possible scheduling conflicts resulting from different time zones.

Provide clear guidelines and expectations

Clearly define communication standards, expectations, and availability across time zones. Ensure that everyone on the team is aware of these rules and follows them consistently to preserve productive teamwork and reduce misunderstandings.

Regularly evaluate and adapt

Assess your time zone management strategies regularly, and adjust them as necessary in response to team feedback and changing business requirements. Use the knowledge you’ve gained from experience and experimentation to consistently look for ways to enhance productivity, teamwork, and communication within the remote team.

Offer flexibility in working arrangements?

Provide workplace flexibility to team members so they can modify their schedules or work hours to account for time zone variations. To improve work-life balance and give remote workers more autonomy, consider introducing flexible work policies, like compressed workweeks or flexible start and end times.

Ultimately, overcoming time zone difficulties in remote work settings is necessary to plan, have good communication, and readiness to adjust to the varied demands of a global workforce.

Employers can effectively address time zone differences and promote a collaborative and inclusive remote work culture that empowers team members to excel despite geographical limitations by putting the strategies discussed above into practice. To maximize productivity and succeed in today’s connected world, embrace the opportunities that come with working remotely and make use of best practices and technology.

The future is tech, but where will this future be created?

While the long-term effects of COVID have revolutionised work cultures, work hybridity and the meaning of work welfare, it cannot be ignored that many job seekers still want to live and work in vibrant cities and exciting metropolitan areas. As per Business Insider, in August of 2021 “urban population growth was steady across all metropolitan areas…migration from cities “has largely ceased” and urban occupancy is rebounding.” The workforce movement trends that dominated 2020 – people leaving urban areas – seem to have come to a halt and are starting to reverse. 

This has significant implications for employers looking at hiring tech talent. Cities remain attractive locations for the highly skilled, in-demand and we have confused their desire for remote work to mean de-urbanisation, when it really meant a desire to work flexibly, within urban locations. 

How Remote Work Helps Relocate Workers

Pre-pandemic, relocating talent was a slow, linear process, and the precedent was that new employee relocation occurs prior to a formal start date, and only once settled does the employee start work. In our post-pandemic new normal, both the culture within companies who engage in relocating talent, and the expectations of those workers who are relocated, are now dominated by one defining thing: remote work first.

Remote work offers your new employee the chance to start working with you immediately. In doing so they gain familiarity with the team and tools, make earlier contributions to team objectives, improving morale and building trust with new colleagues. The market now offers many excellent services for onboarding, collaboration, international payroll and more, which makes personnel integration –  and eventual relocating of talent – an easy, and stress-free endeavour.

From our work with hundreds of employers “hire to relocate” we have identified a host of tools which might be useful to you if you are undergoing a similar process. 

Tools to Use

Employee onboarding & collaboration:

Digital collaboration has been a mainstay of COVID-centric business solutions. The ease of SaaS integration, and a global requirement for touchless services, have underpinned an explosion of collaboration solutions in the recruitment industry.

The big fish of the collaboration world – Slack, Zoom and Microsoft Teams – have set a precedent for streamlined information access, video collaboration and workflow. But onboarding is so much more than ease of comms. It has to take stock of training, cultural integration, employee engagement, and staff retention.

Onboarding and collaboration companies to watch out for:

→ Talmundo
A simple cloud-based onboarding platform for companies that lets you personalize the new hire experience with engaging workflows and tools designed to pace the employee through the process.

→ Typelane
Designed for employee onboarding, Typelane wants to increase employee engagement through task management and automated messaging for productivity.

→ Freshteam
Created by Freshworks, this is a comprehensive applicant recruitment and HR management platform with an applicant tracking system (ATS), employee onboarding, and time off management software component.

→ Avature
Combining ATS and CRM capabilities, Avature personalizes the new hire experience perfect for enterprise level companies with applicant tracking, recruitment tools, social onboarding, and performance management.

→ Sapling
Sapling is a cloud-based solution designed to assist in employee onboarding and managing HR operations.

→ HROnboard
HROnboard is a mobile-first, onboarding engagement app that enables teams to create tailored new hire experiences.

International payroll services:

To illuminate the need for international payroll services, consider the boom in cross border payments. They “are expected to soar… in 2022 to a total of $156 trillion”. Having a payroll system optimised for an international market will open doors to international talent while adhering to local tax and payment laws, meeting the expectation of a more connected, digitally reliant user base.

This also means you can start paying remote employees before they relocate safely and securely, without the hassle of organising in-house payroll in the interim.

International payroll services to watch out for:

→ GoGlobal
This platform is ideal for businesses looking for exceptional white glove services, and their services include international recruitment, EOR as well as payroll across geographies, amongst other related services.

→ Deel
This global platform offers a basic payroll solution for international companies that focuses on legal compliance and payments.

→ Papaya Global
Perfect for enterprise-level global companies, Papaya automates payroll across 160 countries, manages employees, and offers employee onboarding tools.

→ Rippling
Rippling is one of the most highly rated payroll platforms, it combines payroll solutions with HR functionality including automating offer letters, health insurance, tax paperwork, and easy onboarding.

→ Omnipresent
Created solely for the recruitment of remote employees, Omnipresent offer localized employment contracts, payroll automation, onboarding/offboarding tools, and employee database information.

→ Immedis
Immedis is a streamlined platform that unifies payroll operations while offering real-time, embedded analytics and advanced reporting capabilities.

→ Gusto
An all-in-one HR platform, Gusto integrates its core payroll software with added capabilities for employee onboarding, PTO management, benefits management, and many HR needs.

Visa services:

Major tech hubs in countries like Canada, the UK, the USA, Singapore and South Korea have famously labyrinthine visa processes, but their tech employers need talent immediately. Specialist digital platforms in almost every country are rapidly speeding up the visa application process through their platforms, helping establish new staff in-country quickly.

Visa services platforms to watch out for:

→ Jobbatical
Used primarily by tech companies and start-ups, Jobbatical helps businesses relocate international employees quickly and without issue.

→ VISARIGHT
This immigration services platform focuses on relocating workers to Germany and the European Union.

→ Localyze
Localyze helps you manage your international team, especially when you need to relocate employees or insure a temporary employee transfer across borders.

→ iVisa
iVisa streamlines the lengthy bureaucratic visa application process into inexpensive and easy-to-understand steps.

→ Envoy Global
A US-based company, Envoy specializes in legal representation and technology to allow businesses to hire and relocate international talent quickly and efficiently.

Housing search:

Relocating employees has to take stock of more than just workplace processes like payroll and onboarding: companies are also responsible for homing new staff in secure housing where they can interact with new communities and feel at home.

Luckily, innovation in this niche abounds.

Housing search service platforms to watch out for:

→ PerchPeek
Calling itself “the tinder for renters,” PerchPeek is an AI-powered service that helps people throughout the relocation process – from finding a new home to settling in. The service is active in hundreds of cities worldwide.

→ HousingAnwhere
HousingAnywhere is a rental accommodation platform for mid-length stays in European countries.

→ SITU
SITU helps companies and organizations find international housing and accommodations for corporate travelers and provide employee relocation services. They offer easy access to a wide range of serviced apartments in 500+ locations.

→ Wunderflats
Providing fully furnished apartments and accommodations in Germany, Wunderflats caters to business relocations and family homes alike.

→ Rentberry
US-based Rentberry connects potential renters with property owners and eliminates the guesswork in applications, leasing contracts, and background histories. It offers long-term properties in over 50 countries across the world.

→ Canopy
Another platform for renters and landlords alike, Canopy operates in the UK to streamline the renting process.

Full “stack” end-to-end relocation platforms:

There are companies that do all of the above, who provide the platform to better organise relocation, reduce costs, connect you with other relocation companies, and keep all stakeholders happy.

Full service platforms to watch out for:

→ UrbanBound
UrbanBound is relocation management software that guides businesses through the entire remote worker process. It gives businesses the tools to recruit talent, control relocation costs, and remain competitive in the process.

→ Noah Mobility
Serving a global workforce, this service covers the full gamut of relocation services from incorporating global talent into existing corporations to providing relocation tools.

→ Start Relocation
This company specializes in supporting international employees in Berlin and across Germany to acquire visas, fill permit applications and other paperwork, and find housing.

→ Mobility Empowered
Creating an online marketplace, Mobility Empowered connects companies, their talent, and global relocation services through their platform.

→ Globalization Partners
With offices in the US, Mexico, Germany, India, Brazil, and Singapore, Globalization Partners provides the tools companies need to hire international teams without setting up subsidiaries or offices in each location.

The bottom line 

We believe remote work is tech’s secret weapon because it can be a fundamental strategic bonus to your relocation and onboarding of tech talent in the long term.

It can help expand your team’s access to diverse talent from across the globe, immediately, while opening pathways for underrepresented talent.

Not only does this benefit your recruitment drives, it generates a more inclusive working environment of creativity and acceptance. Hiring more diverse teams, as studies prove, fundamentally improves your bottom line, retention rates and staff productivity.

But above all else it means your talent can start working today, knowing a whole package of supported relocation services is available at the touch of a button.

Relocate.me

Here at Relocate.me, we’ve spent the last 2 years helping companies adjust their relocation strategies and practices in the wake of COVID-19. After much analysis and feedback from clients, we’ve perfected what we feel is a set of remote working rules for employers seeking to relocate tech talent.

• Relocating for work is still a popular and requested driver for talent. London hasn’t lost its famed history or West End; Paris hasn’t lost its architecture or cafe culture; Amsterdam hasn’t closed its famed canals or museums – people still want to live, and work, and grow, and experience new places. Remember that, and use it to your advantage.
• Remote work is not the enemy – in fact, remote work is how you engage with talent better. Remote work is critical to how you retain new talent as they learn about your company, and their role within it.
• Remote work – alongside engaging with digital platforms to streamline onboarding, housing and payroll – is how you create a relocation package fit for the future.

Relocate.me is a 100,000-user strong niche job board for tech roles with relocation. 

Note: This post was written in collaboration with Recruiting Brainfood.

Due to the rapid growth of demand for software engineers, developers, and tech employees in general, finding tech talent can seem like looking for a needle in a haystack. With various IT companies offering incredible job positions to tech talent, attracting capable employees’ attention isn’t an easy task.

Every segment of the search process needs to be strategized and carefully designed to entice tech professionals. The first impression especially matters. If you don’t get the candidates’ attention right away, they’ll skip your company in a heartbeat.

That’s why the job description is so important. It is the initial step that needs to draw in the tech talent. Crafting a great job description can give you an upper hand even when compared to well-known tech companies.

You need to personalize the job description and design it to appeal to job searchers. How to do that is exactly what we’ll cover in the following lines.

In this guide:

• Pay Attention to the Job Title
• Put the Use of Information from Previous Candidates
• Put the Emphasis on New Technologies
• Specify the Impact
• Point Out the Perks
• Allow Them to Meet the Team
• Provide a Salary Range
• Edit the Description Before Publishing

Pay Attention to the Job Title

If you want your job description to rule the search results, focus on the job title. For your job description to even reach the right candidates, you need an effective job title. Using the main keywords in the job title is just as important as using them in the job description.

Not rarely do techies scan jobs based on technologies used. Therefore, adding the key technologies to the title can be extremely useful.

For example, rather than just writing, complete the title like this: Senior Software Engineer (C++/Java/Python).

Put the Use of Information from Previous Candidates

As a recruiter or HR manager, you must have had a fair share of job interviews in your career. One of the fundamental questions for job candidates is, “Why do you want to work for this company?” Remember the answers of previous job candidates for the job position you are writing about now. Those answers can help you sell this role.

Start the job description with why this IT job is an amazing opportunity. This will help you lock in the candidates’ attention and keep them reading further. The previously mentioned candidates’ answers can be your source of inspiration for crafting the perfect reason.

Put the Emphasis on New Technologies

Talented professionals are always in pursuit of tech jobs that can improve their skills and knowledge. That is why you should state the newest technologies, best coding practices (DRY, SOLID, CI/CD, etc.), and how you maintain software quality.

Positions that provide an opportunity to learn something new or try out new software are favored. Therefore, consider which tools in your “arsenal” to prioritize in the job descriptions.

Specify the Impact

Skilled technologists want to know what to expect from the job. If your description is too broad or unspecific, they won’t waste time inquiring about it. They’ll simply move onto the next one that will have more detailed information.

Instead of listing boring daily tasks and responsibilities, describe the concrete ways your new employee will impact a product/project. Focus on the impact itself — the “what” more so than the “how” (although both are important).

Point Out the Perks

What makes your company different from the rest? That’s the prevailing argument that can help the tech talent decide in your favor. Openly state why a candidate should choose you. Are you a startup with massive potential? Are you a company with a long tradition? Do you offer a relocation package to foreign hires?

Tech talent will be more attracted to a job with specific benefits. Remember that every company has something unique about it. Think about which aspect of your company you can utilize as a magnet for tech talent.

Allow Them to Meet the Team

Having the ability to work with experienced software engineers or developers will be a huge plus. If your team consists of professionals who’ve worked on renowned tech projects or they are a part of relevant research in the tech industry, mention that.

Working with other talented tech pros will look like a valuable offer in the eyes of tech talent. If you don’t have any well-known professionals in your team, focus on teamwork. Share how your team is supportive and collaborative. Present your company as an establishment that cherishes teamwork.

Feel free to share your company’s GitHub account and how your development team contributes to your core and spare products.

Provide a Salary Range

While you don’t have to disclose the exact salary, you should consider sharing a salary range. This kind of transparency is beneficial in two ways. Firstly, the salary range will act as a filter. You won’t have to go through resumes of people who will, in the end, reject the job because of the salary.

Secondly, the pay range will give you an advantage compared to other job descriptions that don’t share that information. You don’t need to specify the salary; a simple pay range will do just fine.

Edit the Description Before Publishing

Before sharing the job description with the public, ensure that the text is well-written and comprehensible. Small grammar and spelling mistakes, including incorrect technology spellings like Nginx or Html, can shed a negative light on your company, so don’t let that happen.

You can install the GlossaryTech Chrome extension to check your tech keywords before publishing. Moreover, this plugin will vividly show you the number of tech keywords used.

Despite the cut-throat competition, your job description can stand out if you invest some effort. The tips mentioned above can serve you as guidelines for directing your writing towards tech talent that will be the right fit for the company.

Take your time to develop a tech job description that will efficiently present your company as an ideal employer. That’s how you’ll open up the door to the pool of talented candidates.

PS: Before posting your jobs on Relocate.me, our experienced team of tech recruiters will review your job descriptions and offer advice on how to get more and right-fit applicants.