Hiring may have gone global, but many businesses are now turning their attention back to local talent—and the numbers back it up.
According to new figures from Deel, domestic hiring is on the rise across the board. The platform, which has processed over 1 million hiring contracts for more than 35,000 customers in 150+ countries, reports that in 2024, local hires grew by 104%—well ahead of the 42% increase for international hires.
The pattern holds true in New Zealand. While cross-border hiring is still climbing, up 42% year-on-year, domestic hiring grew faster, with a 57% increase. The reasons? A soft NZD and a growing local pool of digital professionals, including skilled Digital Nomads arriving from overseas.
Among New Zealand workers hired through Deel, the three fastest-growing roles are Software Developers, Product Designers, and Customer Support. Globally, the top job categories remain Software Engineers, Sales, and Customer Support.
Employers aren’t turning their backs on international talent altogether—but they are setting tighter geographic parameters. In Great Britain, half of all international hires in 2024 were from the same time zone. In Germany, 41% of cross-border hires were within an hour of local time.
Shannon Karaka, Head of Deel for Australia and New Zealand, says many businesses are realising the advantages of time zone alignment—especially when remote teams are expected to collaborate in real time.
“Whether or not you’re returning to an office, workers within your time zone offer companies more options to work synchronously,” Karaka said. “By applying these strategies, managers can effectively lead remote teams that work synchronously, ensuring clear communication, productivity, and team cohesion.”
His advice for managing teams spread across locations but working in sync:
- Schedule with intent: Plan key meetings during overlapping hours for everyone.
- Use flexible tools: Platforms like Slack allow for both real-time and async communication.
- Set expectations: Clear policies around messaging, availability, and response times help teams stay on the same page.
- Use video where it counts: Zoom and Google Meet remain useful for check-ins and detailed discussions.
- Encourage contribution: Regular check-ins and shout-outs help keep team members engaged.
- Make calendars visible: Shared calendars help teams find time that works for all.
- Agree on norms: Set up team-wide guidelines for communication and availability.
- Hire smart: Look for strong communicators who thrive in a remote setup.
- Trust your team: Assign goals, delegate, and empower people to own their work.
- Track what matters: Use the right tools to keep tabs on progress and productivity.
Deel was founded in 2019 and is a Y Combinator graduate. It has since grown to become the largest fully remote company in the world, with more than 5,000 employees.