Workers worldwide are changing their perspectives about how, when, and why they work.
Employees are willing to walk away if their needs aren’t met, resulting in a global workforce
exodus across industries. Employers must rise to the challenge of keeping their workforce intact
while facing fierce competition for talent.
To retain top talent, employers must evolve with the world of work and meet talent’s changing
expectations. Learn about what employees want and how to create a desirable workplace that
attracts and retains worldwide talent.
What Do Employees Want?
Despite the trending turnover, workers are showing a willingness to pursue new opportunities
that better meet their needs. Data shows that workers are looking for jobs that offer the
following:
Life-Work Balance
Talent is increasingly less willing to let work define their lives. Employees now seek
opportunities that allow them to fit work into their lives, rather than revolving their life around
work. Life-work balance priorities include flexible vacation time, caregiving leave benefits, or the
ability to choose when and where to work.
Work From Anywhere Policies
Remote work quickly became the new normal during the global COVID-19 pandemic, and
workers have made it loud and clear that working outside the office is here to stay. Talent wants
the freedom to choose where they work, whether at home, in a hybrid office, or on the other side
of the world. Allowing your workforce to save time on their commutes, work abroad, or
permanently relocate to a new city enriches their lives and ensures you retain the best talent.
Comprehensive Benefits
While employers provide statutory benefits for their employees, talent wants to work with
companies that go above and beyond with supplemental benefits. Employees desire benefits
that specifically cater to their location and circumstance, from full medical coverage and wellness
perks to robust pension and life insurance plans. Employees are more engaged when they feel
valued and have benefits that support their lives and their family.
Flexible Schedules
Workers want to control when and how they work, which might not look like the typical
deskbound eight-hour workday. Life happens–from doctor’s appointments to picking up kids
from school to needing a break to exercise–and flexible schedules allow talent to plan their
days without facing roadblocks. Flexible schedules empower talent to do their best work in
a timeline that best suits their life.
How to Retain Top Talent: Build a Distributed Workforce
The above expectations of talent are closely tied together, so how can employers deliver and
keep employees happy? Attract and retain top talent with one seamless solution: build a
distributed workforce.
The Benefits of Building a Distributed Workforce
Building a distributed workforce allows employers to work with talent across state and country
lines. A distributed workforce model meets your talent’s demands for life-work balance, remote
work, comprehensive benefits, and flexible schedules. But this strategy also benefits you as the
employer. Building a distributed workforce results in:
A more productive workforce. Providing flexible options builds trust, morale, and
commitment.
- A more competitive workforce. Access the best talent from anywhere in the world.
- A more stable workforce. Reduce turnover and retain talent even if they want to temporarily or indefinitely relocate.
- Consistent coverage. Growing your presence across time zones and countries serves
- more clients across the globe.
- Empowered talent. Giving talent more control increases their investment in their role
- and your business.
- A future-proofed workforce model. Adapting to new work models better positions your company in the ever-changing world of work.
How to Build a Distributed Workforce
There are three methods to build a distributed workforce and engage talent in new markets:
- Establish an entity. Set up a local branch to legally hire, pay, and offer benefits to
employees. This method is ideal for companies hiring a large team or looking to maintain
a long-term presence in a new location. However, setting up an entity requires time and
financial investment and should only be pursued if your business is ready for a significant
commitment. - Engage contractors. Save onboarding time and money on benefits and statutory
requirements. Engaging contractors allows companies to quickly build teams and test out
new markets with lower commitment. Nevertheless, ensure that you classify your
contractors correctly, or else you could face fines, legal fees, and reputational damage. - Partner with an employer of record. Build teams without establishing an entity and
work with a global hiring expert well-versed in your target market’s labor laws. An
employer of record navigates country regulations and streamlines payroll to help you
compliantly hire, pay, and manage your distributed workforce. Still, choosing the right
partner is a challenge. You must vet providers to determine a partner that will best help
you maintain compliance and support your distributed workforce.
Give Your Employees What They Want
Adjusting your workforce model to better serve talent is the key to keeping employees happy.
Building a distributed workforce helps you stay competitive in today’s global market. A trusted
partner like Velocity Global can help you navigate what employees want and support you in the
future of work.
As the world leader in distributed workforce management, Velocity Global’s technology, global
reach, and personalized support ensure your talent receives complaint pay, benefits, and
support, wherever they are in the world. Our full suite of solutions includes global Employer of
Record (EoR), Contractor Management, Contractor Payments, and Multi-Country Payroll.
Reach out today to build a distributed team and gain the support you need.