As businesses continue to operate in an ever-growing global economy, it’s becoming more common to hire talent from abroad. Alongside giving you access to a larger talent pool, a workforce with multiple overseas employees increases diversity, offers you round-the-clock support, and expands your brand on a global scale. 

At the same time, on account of the rapid growth of the tech industry and the ongoing digital transformation of businesses, it is clear that there is a particular skills shortage in the technology sector across the UK. With this in mind, hiring remote talent is not just something to demonstrate your commitment to diversity and inclusion, but actually a must-have tool to grow your business. 

According to a report by the UK’s Digital Economy Council, there are currently around 600,000 tech vacancies in the country, and the demand for these skills is not likely to subside in the next few years. 

Software development in particular is quickly transforming into one of the most in-demand roles in the UK, demonstrating that companies need to look further afield to fill these vacancies. 

This blog post will identify two principal options to hiring talent from overseas to ensure operations can continue seamlessly, as well as ways in which you can manage your team. 

1. Work with External Providers

It can be tricky to navigate hiring overseas, and it is a process that requires careful management. Nevertheless, working with outsourcing providers offers several advantages when working through this process:

Expertise in Remote Hiring

Outsourcing providers will have experience in remote hiring and will have the skills required to make the onboarding process as easy as possible. Working with an external partner who is already hiring engineers remotely means you don’t have to reinvent the wheel and can focus your resources on the actual work.

Access to talent

Without using external providers, you could be limiting your access to talent in countries with a large pool of skilled workers. The cost of going through the red tape to hire someone in a tricky location can be the decisive factor for hiring someone. With an established outsourcing partner, companies are less likely to miss out on strong candidates.

Flexibility

Outsourcing providers can accommodate your needs in terms of the length of the engagement, and can easily tailor to your needs whether it be scaling or descaling over time. This allows companies a greater flexibility, which is not available to them when hiring full-time employees in-house. European countries like Germany, for example, make it relatively hard to let go of an employee after 1.5 years of continued employment.

Become a Remote-First Company

In a world where the long-lasting impacts of the pandemic still inform our day-to-day lives, a remote-first approach is an enticing option for companies looking to improve their operations without worrying about the location of their employees. Equally, embracing this remote-first way of working grants increased flexibility to employees, and increases productivity. 

The following are some ways to facilitate this transition to a remote-focussed business:

Developing a Remote Work Policy

Create a clear policy that outlines guidelines, expectations, and good practices for online work. Covering areas such as work hours, communication channels, and cybersecurity would be key. A good remote work policy would also cover things like culture, communication style, code of conduct during meetings, etc. With a few strategic decisions, you can create a collaborative remote work culture. 

Choose the Correct Technologies

Ensure that employees have access to the necessary tools and resources so that productivity is not impeded. This could include video conferencing systems, messaging platforms, project management software, CRMs, and productivity tools. Nowadays, it is not uncommon for companies to provide extracurricular support to their employees through gamified tokens, wellness programmes, and online guidance systems to name a few. 

Evaluate and Adapt

Regularly assess the effectiveness of your remote work policy and make adjustments as necessary. This may involve gathering feedback from employees, reviewing productivity metrics, and addressing any issues that arise.

Team Management: Providing Support and Cultural Awareness

With employees spread across an eclectic range of countries, a steadfast support system and generalized intercultural sensibility are important steps to effectively manage overseas talent.  

Fostering an inclusive work environment that welcomes and values diversity is made up of various components. These include: 

Strong communication: When working with teams that span numerous countries and time zones, communication is of utmost importance. Establish when and how you will be communicating, and set expectations for the frequency of contact. 

Offer resources to employees: Hiring talent from abroad can be a significant adjustment for both them and your company. Helping the employee acclimate through such things as language courses and online training is a great way to bridge this gap. 

Understand cultural differences: Distinct cultures have distinct communication styles, so it’s crucial for you to be culturally sensitive, and provide training to other team members to help them appreciate differences and avoid misunderstandings. 

Key Takeaways

• Hiring overseas is becoming a must-have for companies looking for experts in software development. 
• In doing so, your business becomes more diverse, and offers you the means to expand on a global stage.
• Using external providers allows you to carefully manage the hiring process and ensure that any talent directed to you is of the highest quality. 
• Becoming a remote-first business offers the chance to hire the best talent, irrespective of their global location.
• Remote work grants employees greater flexibility and can improve work-life balance and employee retention, and increase productivity. 
• It is essential to provide support and develop intercultural skills to ensure that all employees are content and working to the best of their abilities.

Final Verdict

Taking the step to hire abroad is one that ultimately depends on your business model, budget, and personal preferences. Yet, it is evidently apparent that switching to a more remote model and using outsourcing providers to look further afield is a desired solution to the high-demand of vacancies in the tech sector. Moreover, providing it is managed efficiently, hiring overseas can be advantageous for your business in all areas, whether it’s improving productivity, transferring knowledge, or increasing employee retention amongst many others. 

Zartis can help you tap into a global talent pool and find the right people for your team. 

Zartis is a software development company that specializes in bespoke software development through dedicated development teams. They work with clients to understand their unique needs and requirements, and then use their experience to design and develop custom software solutions that meet those needs. 

They offer a range of services, including product management, QA, DevOps and automation, security, and more. With Zartis, you can trust that you will receive high-quality software development services that are tailored to your specific needs and requirements.