Online expansion becoming talent pipeline for employers

MORE COMPANIES are struggling to meet growth targets as hiring and payroll challenges weigh on expansion, according to global HR platform Remote.

“In the past 12 months, 72% of businesses missed a key business goal because they could not find the right people,” Remote said in a statement on Thursday.

Citing findings from its Global Workforce Report, the company said talent shortages remain a major constraint on business performance across markets.

The report, based on a survey of 3,650 HR officials worldwide, showed firms are increasingly expanding internationally to address hiring gaps.

Remote said the average white-collar company now employs talent in four or more countries, with expectations of further growth in 2026 as businesses enter new markets.

However, it said hiring alone is not enough, noting that only 62% of business and HR leaders rated their company’s performance and development processes as excellent in supporting employee retention.

Remote said rising cost-of-living pressures have led to higher pay demands, with 82% of HR leaders reporting requests for salary increases over the past year. It added that 77% of business leaders believe pay transparency helps build trust and supports a fairer workplace culture.

Despite these efforts, the company said operational challenges continue to hinder global hiring, particularly in payroll management.

Remote said complex payroll setups forced 46% of businesses to block overseas hires, while about 30% of firms view their current payroll systems as an active risk.

It added that 33% of companies face strict security and data protection requirements, while another 30% struggle to comply with regulations across multiple jurisdictions, and 31% cited fragmented payroll tools as a key difficulty.

Barry Flanagan, vice-president of payroll at Remote, said fragmented and manual international payroll systems expose companies to risks and slow growth, adding that automated payroll tools can support cross-border expansion.

“Automated payroll tools provide the support businesses need to scale sustainably across borders,” Mr. Flanagan was quoted as saying in the statement.

“When you combine reliable payroll with a genuine commitment to pay transparency, you build a strong foundation of trust. Employees who know they will be paid accurately and on time stay longer and drive the business forward,” he added. — Erika Mae P. Sinaking