# Talent Acquisition in a Global Market

> A NachoTuesday interview — the C-Suite Insights series from NachoNacho, the B2B SaaS and AI
> marketplace. In conversation with Ryan Freeman, Head of Partnerships, Deel.

- **Page:** https://nachonacho.com/nachotuesday/video/Talent-Acquisition-in-a-Global-Market
- **Guest:** Ryan Freeman, Head of Partnerships, Deel
- **Guest on LinkedIn:** https://www.linkedin.com/in/ryan-j-freeman/
- **Recorded:** 2024-09-10
- **Watch:** https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XCODHA6-DNk

## Summary

In this NachoTuesday webinar, Ryan Freeman from Deel discusses their comprehensive HR platform designed for businesses with global or multinational teams, emphasizing the ability to compliantly hire, onboard, pay, and manage employees and contractors worldwide. He highlights the evolution of global hiring, the benefits and potential pitfalls of accessing international talent, and the crucial role of compliance and technology in simplifying the process. Ryan also touches on the impact of AI on the job market and provides practical tips for HR managers to attract and retain talent globally, underscoring the importance of a strong global infrastructure and embracing remote work trends. Key Talking Points: Global Hiring Offers Access to Diverse Skills, Time Zone Advantages, and Cost Efficiencies : Expanding the talent pool internationally allows companies to find the right skills, maintain 24/7 productivity, and potentially achieve cost savings. Compliance and Infrastructure are Critical for Successful Global Teams : Navigating varying labor laws, tax regulations, and ensuring proper onboarding and payment processes require specialized tools and a deep understanding of global employment practices. Remote Work is a Growing Trend with Both Opportunities and Challenges : While offering flexibility and access to a wider talent pool, remote work necessitates strong digital collaboration tools, clear communication, and strategies to foster team camaraderie.

## Full transcript

(00:02) Good afternoon, everybody, and welcome to another Nacho Tuesday. Today I have Ryan Freeman, the Global Head of Partnerships over at Deel. Without further ado, we'd love for you to introduce what you do over there and tell us more about Deel. Sure, thanks, Andy. Deel is an all-in-one HR platform for global or multinational teams. Our philosophy is that teams should be able to hire and manage the best talent regardless of where they're located in the world. With Deel, you can compliantly hire, onboard, and pay full-time employees or independent contractors in minutes. We offer everything from global payroll to employer-of-record services, a global HRIS, mobility services, and more recently, equipment management and IT services. We do this across more than 40,000 customers, from SMBs all the way up to publicly traded businesses, helping hundreds of thousands of workers get paid, pretty much from anywhere in the world. (01:10) Great, yeah, everybody wants to get paid on time, right? Exactly! Paid on time, paid compliantly, and in the currency or format of their choice. Super important. (01:18) So, tell us how you got to where you're at in your career. From what I understand, you have kind of a global background yourself? Yeah, I'm relatively new to the payroll, HCM, and broader HR tech world, but I started my career, as many do, in management consulting and private equity, originally based in Toronto. I spent some time living in Europe, working in Amsterdam for a few years before returning to North America. I worked in a really early-stage startup, which was my first exposure to partnerships. I joined with the idea that an indirect go-to-market model through channel partners would be a more efficient way to scale, given the nature of that business. I built out that go-to-market model and ended up selling that business to Yelp. Afterward, I moved to San Francisco and spent a couple of years in corporate development at Yelp before returning to Toronto when my wife and I decided to settle down and start a family. I then spent a few years at DoorDash in their enterprise partnerships group, initially focused on Canada and later overseeing the group for all of DoorDash's international business, especially during the pandemic when the need for food delivery surged. I was there for about four years, had a brief stint at an electric logistics and fulfillment business called Bolt before joining Deel at the start of this year, where I lead the global partnerships organization. (03:30) Great! So, with all your travels and global experience working in different countries, what are some takeaways you've seen from the hiring environment? I think back to the start of my career when I first moved to Amsterdam, the challenges around mobility—from getting management comfortable with moving someone cross-border to the logistics and administrative side—were significant. Setting up an account and figuring out the mobility and integration side of things took months. Fast forward to today, and those processes are so much smoother, thanks to companies like Deel and others that have applied technology to solve these historically complex problems. Looking at business trends, companies increasingly want to and need to go global, both for market expansion and, more importantly, for talent acquisition. Being able to access a global talent pool gives businesses access to the right skills in the right time zones, and at the right price. (05:18) What are some benefits of hiring globally, and what are the potential pitfalls? From a benefits perspective, the main one is access to skills and capabilities. The more specific your job requirements are, the less likely it is that the right talent is available in your domestic market. The larger the talent pool you can access, the better your chances of finding the right candidate. Another benefit is the continuity of work. When you have teams working across different time zones, you can keep projects moving 24/7, which we've found incredibly helpful at Deel from a productivity standpoint. As for the pitfalls, remote work is still a relatively new format compared to traditional office environments. It requires new tools and digital forms of collaboration. The push during the pandemic to embrace remote work has helped, but it still takes some adjustment at the individual and team levels. However, the value is clear—from both an output and employee retention perspective. (07:26) Definitely. And I see the workspace becoming a lot more flexible lately, especially with remote work. Some people might take evening meetings to connect with someone halfway around the world, but during the day, they can take their kids to school. That work-life balance is appealing to many. I also like your point about continuity of work—if you can have your company... (07:53) Working 24 hours without, obviously, burning anyone out can make you a lot more effective and help you keep up with the speed of business today, which is extremely fast. For instance, at our company, we have a design team in Europe. We'll work with them throughout the day, catch them at the end of their day, and they'll work on things while we're sleeping. When we wake up the next morning, we have brand new designs, and we can work with our engineering team to start implementing them right away. So, it's constantly moving 24/7 for us, and I think a lot of other businesses are moving in that direction. If you're not, you're going to get left behind pretty quickly. (08:49) Yeah, absolutely. One other consideration, though, that often gets overlooked in the early stages of accessing international talent is the compliance implications of doing so. That's an area where we at Deel spend a lot of time investing—building the underlying infrastructure to make it as simple and almost mindless as possible for employers. As they onboard people cross-border, they need to ensure compliance because providing parental leave in Sweden is very different than in the U.S., and remitting taxes in Kenya is very different than in Canada. So, making sure employers don’t have to worry about those differences and can hire the best talent, regardless of location, is a big focus for us. (09:25) That's a great point because they'd rather spend their time growing their business and let you guys take care of the details and the back-office work. That's why Deel is such a great platform for that. Exactly! (09:55) What are your thoughts on AI and how it might either improve or cause issues for the job market? How can the job market coexist with the evolution of AI over the next few years? That's a great question and a massive topic. I think AI will most definitely have a large impact on the talent market, just as it will in other professional areas. We can make some educated hypotheses today, but we're still in the early stages of truly harnessing AI's capabilities. One of the most talked-about areas is job displacement. There are certainly jobs that AI will be able to replace, particularly those involving repetitive tasks that can be easily automated. With AI's intelligence, that becomes even more pronounced. But beyond that, the more nuanced opportunities get less attention. For instance, there's job creation. While some jobs may be lost, AI opens up an entirely new segment of the market, spanning industries and functions. We're going to need AI-specific skills in areas like development, engineering, data analysis, cybersecurity, and more. Across all roles, there’s an accelerating shift in the skills required to stay competitive, and harnessing AI will be increasingly important. AI is also supporting the shift to remote and hybrid work. AI-powered tools and platforms are helping accelerate that transition, making it easier for companies to operate effectively in those formats. (12:04) Definitely, it's such a productivity hack. If you learn how to work with AI and use prompts correctly, you can really get a lot done quickly. So it definitely behooves anyone to develop at least basic AI skills, starting with prompt engineering. Yeah, I think you're right. (12:38) Great. Moving on from AI, there are a lot of HR tools out there. What are some simple tricks for HR managers and business owners to attract the right talent? There are hundreds of tricks, and every HR practitioner likely has their own approach, but a few things come to mind. One is optimizing job descriptions. The broader the global talent pool you're tapping into, the more specific you can be in outlining exactly what you're looking for. Second, leveraging trusted networks, whether employee or professional networks, can help cut through some of the noise and identify strong candidates with trusted references. Similarly, using social media effectively to tap into those first-, second-, or third-degree connections can also be valuable. When it comes to compensation, it’s important to offer a competitive package. But beyond traditional cash-based compensation, finding the right mix of equity and benefits can make a big difference, especially for a global workforce. Giving employees access to the upside of earning equity or options, and offering common benefits irrespective of location, can be powerful tools. Lastly, simplify the application process. As employers gain access to global talent pools, candidates also have access to a world of opportunities. Making it easy for candidates to apply gives you a big advantage. Another key point is to have a passive candidate engagement strategy. The most successful hires often come from long-term engagement with candidates who may not have been the right fit initially but are a great match later when the right opportunity arises. (16:36) So you're saying to keep notes on potential candidates, even if they aren’t the right fit at the time, so you have a talent pool ready for future needs? Exactly. (16:47) Nice! What other benefits do you see trending right now that really attract talent? Obviously, remote work is a big one, but are there any other benefits on the rise that employers should consider offering? (17:02) Yeah, I think talent-wise, remote work, as you mentioned, is a big one. A subset of that are the kinds of benefits that speak to the remote workforce in a different way than what may have been traditionally offered for an in-office role. The kinds of health benefits or subscription services that may be really helpful to someone working from home might not have historically been the case if you were in an office. So, I think that's one aspect—the ancillary benefits. I'm not talking about core health benefits, but secondary, ancillary benefits specific to remote work or a multinational environment. (17:34) A good example of that is at Deel. We provide travel credits to our remote employees (the entire company is remote) so they can, at their discretion, travel to co-work with other employees at certain times throughout the year. That's just one example. I also mentioned equity—traditionally, that's been a mainstay in the startup and tech communities, but we're seeing that increasingly shift outside of startups as a way to provide long-term incentives and align those incentives between the company and its workforce. (18:08) Those are some of the big trends that come to mind. (18:37) Especially for earlier-stage companies, if you can hire people who are really motivated by equity, they're more likely to believe in the company’s mission, stick around longer, and not churn. (19:09) Great. What are your thoughts on hybrid and remote work? Do you see it continuing to grow? Are there more opportunities or pitfalls you foresee? (19:09) I think the data speaks for itself. We saw a huge boost in the trend as a result of COVID. Of course, some more traditional industries have started to move back into the office, either full-time or in a hybrid capacity. The ultimate answer depends on the company, industry, and maybe even geography a bit, but overall, the gains made from remote work—and the overall comfort with remote work—are very much here to stay. The data has shown improvements in attracting talent, retaining talent, and productivity when you can eliminate the commute and allow people to work from the most comfortable and conducive location for them. (19:48) That might be home, which is the traditional view of remote work, but it doesn't have to be. It could be a co-working space, an office you rent near your home, or even somewhere close to your kids' school—whatever works best for the individual. The idea is to let people work from the environment that's most conducive to their productivity and collaboration. I think that's here to stay, especially as digital tools and platforms continue to emerge, evolve, and get adopted, making collaboration smoother from a remote perspective. (20:55) Where we still see challenges, though, is in hybrid work—where some people are in the office and others are remote. Facilitating a meeting or a collaboration process that involves both can be tricky. Hybrid usually refers to an individual splitting time between the office and remote work, but the same challenge exists for teams and meetings with a mix of in-office and remote participants. (21:34) Some people are going to be in the office, and that complexity hasn't been fully solved yet. So, we’re going to have to keep working on that. Definitely. Accountability is a big part of it, but I feel like you can trust most people to get the work done. However, there's always a risk because you never really know what they’re doing throughout the day. I also feel like there might be a missing component. I'm a big fan of remote work too, by the way, but there’s also the aspect of maybe missing camaraderie. Being in the office and having that face-to-face interaction is sometimes beneficial in helping the team feel like they’re really part of a group. (21:59) So, what workarounds would you suggest for companies with a remote workforce that might be missing that camaraderie? (22:32) Yeah, it’s a big topic. I think it starts with onboarding—a structured process with clear steps to help individuals ramp up into an organization, both from an industry/content perspective and a cultural one. It’s important for them to understand the culture they’re joining. It also comes down to some basic tactics, like assigning a buddy or mentor to help remove the sense of anonymity that can come with a remote onboarding process. (23:05) You can also schedule regular check-ins to ensure that engagement and conversation are being forced in the early days before it becomes more organic and natural. Proactively facilitating key introductions throughout the organization is also crucial, so you don’t wait too long for things to become natural. (23:38) Another important factor is how managers facilitate conversations, run meetings, and push for collaboration asynchronously. It’s about creating opportunities for those new hires to engage without feeling intimidated or overwhelmed. Lastly, you mentioned accountability earlier—it's essential to have clear, measurable success metrics and provide regular feedback, especially when expectations aren't being met or are being exceeded. Keeping open, candid, and regular feedback around those metrics can remove any sense of uncertainty or lack of clarity for the new joiner. (24:13) Those are all great points. I think onboarding is key for anyone, especially in a remote environment. If people feel like they don’t fit in or don’t know what they’re supposed to be doing, it’s almost destined for failure at that point. So, what are your thoughts on general market trends for hiring? It’s extremely competitive now in tech. What job opportunities do you see opening up over the next few years, and where do you see the general job market going? (24:42) Great question. I’m not necessarily the oracle for the overall job market, but I think you're right—it’s a bit of a tight market right now, likely driven by the funding environment and interest rate changes over the last year or two. Hopefully, we’ll see things open up now as the economic landscape eases slightly and access to capital improves. (25:16) In terms of trends, roles and industries related to increasing digitization are ones we continue to see pop up more frequently, such as data privacy and compliance, AI and machine learning, cybersecurity, cloud computing, e-commerce, and digital marketing. And, of course, remote work solutions are essential to support that. So, within those sectors, anything supporting the move toward digitization is a huge area of growth. (25:52) Great. Are there any other global hiring strategies employers should keep in mind as they continue to grow? You shared some great ideas earlier—anything else they should focus on? (26:28) Do more of it! The global talent pool is your most potent weapon. You gain access to a diverse talent pool, the cost-effectiveness that comes with that, and 24/7 productivity. It also enables more natural expansion into new markets. The upsides are endless. Thanks to companies like Deel and others, the infrastructure needed to do this is becoming simpler, easier, and more accessible. (27:03) Don't learn the hard way—use the right tools for it! (27:03) Exactly! Covered there. So, are there any other bottlenecks that teams should be aware of when trying to scale, especially when competing globally? (27:34) Make sure you have the right infrastructure. Outdated systems built for a domestic workforce can really get in the way and lead to adding unnecessary staff and manual processes that could be fully digital and automated. We talked about onboarding and strong communication earlier, but finding the right talent to support that scaling is key too. The biggest learning for me has been the need for global-specific infrastructure and tooling. Whether we’re talking about hiring, onboarding, managing, or paying a multinational workforce, you need tools that focus on the nuances of each. (28:15) Specifically, things like job marketplaces that give you access to global talent, tools that handle the complexities of onboarding and managing people from different countries, and compliance systems to ensure you’re managing payments and taxes across multiple markets. Lastly, you need engagement tools to ensure that people can collaborate effectively with their teams. (28:50) Absolutely. If companies can tap into that 24-hour work cycle, as you said, it’s a huge advantage. You’re getting three times the normal working hours of a hyper-local team. And international talent is also key when expanding, because they know their local market best. (29:18) Exactly. What’s next for Deel? We’d love to hear more about where people can learn about Deel and why they should pick your platform today. (29:18) What’s next for Deel? We’re continuing the long journey of solving the challenges of hiring, managing, and paying a global workforce. While we’re proud of the progress we've made over the last five years and have a really robust platform, we know we're just scratching the surface. This is a long, horizontal journey across more countries, services, products, and pain points. (29:51) Our plan is to accelerate product development and ensure we’re truly covering every market we can, with a clear focus on the multinational workforce. To learn more about us, visit Deel.com or connect with us through platforms like NachoNacho. The best advice? Get on a call with us. Our team is built to help problem-solve with you in a bespoke way, ensuring you have the right toolset to meet your needs—whether it's on Deel’s platform or through our ecosystem of partners. (30:56) Great! Ryan, it’s been fantastic having you today. For anyone looking to grow their team internationally, Deel is one of the best in the HR tech space. You can check them out at Deel.com—that’s D-E-E-L.com. And you can pick it up on our marketplace, NachoNacho, with 15% cashback. Ryan, we appreciate you coming on, and we look forward to growing our businesses together. (31:15) Thanks for having me, Andy! Take care. (31:18) Thank you, take care!

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