Managing Beyond Borders: How U.S. Companies Are Transforming Global Hiring

Many U.S. companies have hit the brakes when it comes to hiring in their home country, but not overseas. American employers are increasingly hiring beyond borders as part of a broader push to diversify and optimize their global talent base. Highly remote-suitable roles have grown 42% faster outside the U.S. than within since 2019, according to Revelio Labs, a workforce intelligence provider. Tech-development roles are leading this shift, driven by the twin imperatives of cost efficiency and access to specialized talent. The result is an almost complete relocation of development work to offshore hubs, where deep technical expertise meets significant labor savings. TalentBurst CEO Bharat Talwar has witnessed this transformation up close, particularly among Bay Area technology giants that now rely heavily on Indian vendors to sustain their growth and innovation. TalentBurst, a total talent-workforce management solutions provider, sits at the center of this global shift. Want to learn more? Join us on Wed., Oct. 15, for our half-day virtual conference, “Building and Managing a Global Workforce: Smart Strategies for Collaborating Across Borders.” Here’s where to register.“What has accelerated is the cost arbitrage around technology development work with India,” says Talwar. “Take Meta or Google or any major tech company—whether it’s pre-IPO or post-IPO—most are now moving the majority of their development work to India.” While the trend isn’t new, he notes, what was once a hybrid model—splitting development between U.S. and Indian teams—has evolved into near-total relocation. “Almost 100% of software development has now shifted to India,” he adds. Joel Leege, president and chief operating officer at Red Oak Technologies, agrees that India remains attractive due to cost arbitrage, but points to rising turnover and salary pressures, with recruiters offering 20% pay hikes to lure talent. “Agile project management with two- to three-week sprints can create challenges when key developers leave suddenly,” he says. “Some companies are shifting to deliverable-based contracts or exploring higher-retention regions with real-time U.S. overlap.” Hubs like Brazil, Mexico, and Central America are emerging, though they have yet to see double-digit growth in demand.Cost arbitrage aside, companies headquartered in the U.S. are increasingly going where the talent is. Pratik Patel, a workforce specialist for a global financial network that processes electronic payments, says that his company has built its hiring strategy around an internal, program-centric model, placing workers near key business program locations to strengthen capability, improve time-zone alignment, and enhance cost efficiency. “We manage over 110 programs globally,” Patel adds, “and our approach ensures that talent is positioned where it can have the greatest impact.” These program locations have developed around the firm’s tech hubs, which have grown both organically and through acquisitions. “Our major hubs are in Vancouver, St. Louis, New York City, Washington, D.C., London, Ireland, Denmark, India, and Australia,” Patel notes. (As is common with HR and workforce specialists, he asked that his firm not be mentioned by name.)And then there’s the AI hype. The idea that AI is replacing coders doesn’t tell the full story. What’s really happening is a reshuffling of tech resources worldwide. As Leege points out, AI-assisted coding is on the rise, but only about 30–40% of coding is actually done by AI today—which means demand for human developers remains strong. Worker Expectations Around the WorldIt also comes down to what talent wants—and it’s not just tech workers. “Post-Covid, many workers don’t want to move from their home countries,” says Carol MacKinlay, CHRO of Pebl, an Employer of Record (EOR) platform. “They want to be employed the way they want to be employed. Add to that the U.S. immigration uncertainty—with H-1B rules and fees in flux—and many companies can’t recruit the best and brightest globally.” Enter the rise of EOR and payroll models. The shift toward remote contractor structures is being fueled by demand for global talent, simpler compliance, and faster hiring. This isn’t theoretical—it’s already changing how companies operate. Talwar, for instance, has expanded his high-hazard EOR business into Canada and Poland. By focusing on specialized markets, he’s built a segment that delivers strong EBITDA and long-term contracts—defying the low-margin expectations often tied to EORs. Carol MacKinlay, CHRO of Pebl, an Employer of Record (EOR) platform (Company photo)Talwar’s story isn’t unique. Industry leaders are seeing the same momentum worldwide, with EORs proving faster and more flexible than traditional entity setups. MacKinlay notes that establishing an entity in a new country can take up to a year, while an EOR can employ workers within weeks—enabling rapid talent acquisition. “The rise of remote work and digital nomads is driving demand,” she says, “with countries like Mexico and Canada simplifying visa processes to attract tech workers.” EORs remove the burden of managing local compliance, payroll, and immigration—functions that are critical to hiring globally but not core to most businesses, MacKinlay adds. Red Oak Technologies manages workers across five countries and 20 U.S. states, even filling roles in markets like France without setting up local entities. “If we identify the right talent, we can bring them on through a partner,” says Leege. “We don’t have to set up an entity or pay them in local currency.” As companies embrace a global-first mindset, they’re turning to platforms like LinkedIn and Indeed to tap into massive, specialized talent pools. These tools make it easier than ever for workers to discover opportunities and for companies to connect with the right talent—fueling an ecosystem that benefits both sides. Beyond filling roles, global teams are driving innovation, bringing fresh perspectives and local insights that help companies compete and grow across markets. Creating a Unified Culture, While Recognizing DifferencesHybrid engagement models are also taking shape. Instead of relying solely on staff augmentation, companies are building dedicated offshore teams that plug directly into their products and services—often led locally. The result isn’t just efficiency; it’s the creation of shared culture across borders.As globally integrated teams expand, companies are becoming more deliberate about maintaining a unified culture that transcends geography. They’re blending real-time and asynchronous communication through tools like Slack, Teams, and Notion to keep projects flowing across time zones. Virtual coffee breaks, online team-building, and global onboarding sessions maintain human connection, while periodic in-person meetups reinforce trust. Managers are being trained to lead with cultural empathy and clarity, supported by secure, collaborative tech stacks. Patel agrees. “The only consistency we can have is our culture—how we do the work,” he says. “That doesn’t change, whether it’s a contingent worker or an employee.” Suppliers and contingent workers receive orientation on company values as part of “day-one readiness.” At the same time, companies are tightening compliance—navigating labor laws, data privacy, and tax regulations—to keep this new era of global work both connected and compliant. This cultural alignment supports cohesion across borders and employment types. Global reporting structures are becoming more flexible and boundary-less, designed to promote opportunity and integration. Culture keeps teams connected today—but the bigger shift is how a truly global labor pool is reshaping demand and supply. A new world of work is taking shape—one where the most successful organizations will tap into multiple hubs, balancing specialization, cost, and retention. Wage normalization across countries is becoming the new reality as global unemployment and tech hiring trends evolve. The companies that adapt fastest will be the ones best positioned to thrive in this redefined global talent marketplace.The Hotspots for Hiring 1.) India: Remains a powerhouse, especially for IT services, software development, back-office operations, and increasingly, R&D. The sheer volume of skilled, English-speaking talent and established infrastructure makes it a go-to. 2.) Latin America: Nearshore countries including Mexico, Brazil, Colombia and Argentina offer time-zone proximity to the U.S., growing tech talent pools, cultural affinity (especially Mexico for the U.S. Southwest), and often lower attrition rates compared to some Asian markets. The region is being tapped for software development, IT support, call centers, BPO (Business Process Outsourcing), and product development roles. 3.) Eastern Europe: Poland and Romania offer strong STEM education, high English proficiency, cultural alignment with the West overall, and a deep pool of engineering talent. This region is being tapped for high-end software development, R&D, cybersecurity, data science, and specialized IT consulting. 4.) Southeast Asia: Countries including Vietnam, the Philippines and Malaysia have growing economies, large young populations, competitive costs, and strong English proficiency (notably, the Philippines for BPO). The focus here is on BPO, customer service, software development (especially Vietnam), and manufacturing support. 5.) Canada: While technically overseas, its proximity, similar cultural context, and strong tech hubs in Toronto, Vancouver and Montreal make it a popular nearshore option, particularly for companies seeking to mitigate U.S. immigration challenges. In-Demand Jobs: The demand is heavily skewed towards roles that support digital transformation and technological advancement: ● Software Developers/Engineers: Full-stack, front-end, back-end, mobile (iOS/Android) ● Cloud Architects and Engineers: AWS, Azure, Google Cloud Platform specialists ● Data Scientists and Analysts: Machine learning engineers, AI specialists● Cybersecurity Professionals: Analysts, engineers, architects ● DevOps Engineers: Site reliability engineers ● Product Managers: Increasingly, companies are building product teams offshore. ● UI/UX Designers: Crucial for digital product development ● Technical Support and IT Helpdesk: Often the entry point for offshore expansion● Customer Service Representatives: Especially for multilingual support● Finance  and Accounting Professionals: For shared service centers Subadhra Sriram is the founder of Workforce Observer, a new online community of staffing industry professionals. Previously, Subadhra was publisher and editor at Staffing Industry Analysts (SIA), the staffing industry’s leading research and advisory firm. She also had years of experience at leading financial publications including Money magazine and Fortune Small Business.(Featured image by Igor Suka/iStock by Getty Images)Want to learn more? Join us on Wed., Oct. 15, for our half-day virtual conference, “Building and Managing a Global Workforce: Smart Strategies for Collaborating Across Borders.” Here’s where to register.