The truth is, retention starts from the very beginning. It requires an intentional strategy and consistent effort. As leaders in IT recruitment, we’ve learned through trial and error what really motivates offshore teams in the long run. Here are our tried-and-true tips for keeping your all-star hires happy, challenged, and committed for the long haul. Follow these, and you’ll turn “see ya later” into “see you tomorrow!”
Offer Competitive Compensation and Benefits
As recruiters ourselves, we know how difficult it can be to find and keep top talent. When it comes to offshore developers, retention is key. Here are a few strategies we’ve found effective for keeping your all-star developers happy and on the team long-term.
Offer Competitive Compensation and Benefits
Pay your developers well and provide good benefits. While pay may be lower offshore, aim for the higher end of the range for the region. Offer bonuses, equity, or profit-sharing when possible. Provide health insurance, retirement plans, paid time off, and other perks that show you value your employees.
Regular salary reviews and increases help ensure your developers feel financially secure and motivated to stay with your company.
Developers have many job opportunities, so keeping pay and benefits competitive is essential.
Invest in Career Growth
Developers want to expand their skills and advance their careers. Provide opportunities for mentorship, training, and skill development. Pay for conference attendance, online courses, and continued education.
Promote from within when you can. Nothing is more motivating than a clear path for career progression. Your developers will appreciate your investment in their personal and professional growth.
Build a Collaborative Work Environment
Developers thrive in environments where they can collaborate and support each other. Encourage teamwork, knowledge sharing, and an open exchange of ideas.
Social connections are key for job satisfaction and longevity. Look for opportunities to strengthen relationships between team members through team building activities, shared meals, off-site retreats, or casual get-togethers. A little bonding goes a long way!
With the right compensation and benefits, career growth opportunities, and a collaborative work environment, you'll build a team of offshore developers for the long haul. Loyal, experienced developers are invaluable, so make retention a top priority. Focus on keeping your all-stars happy, and they'll help ensure your company's success and continued innovation.
Provide Clear Career Paths and Opportunities for Growth
We know how frustrating it can be to feel stuck in a role with no clear path for career growth. That's why providing growth opportunities is key to keeping your IT talent happy and engaged.
At ABC Recruiting, we work with companies to develop structured career paths for their offshore hires. This means setting clear expectations about what it takes to advance to the next level, whether that's a title change, pay increase, or additional responsibilities. For developers, this might look like a path from Junior Developer to Developer to Senior Developer and beyond.
With each level, there should be achievable milestones and key performance indicators (KPIs) for developers to work toward. For example, to advance from Developer to Senior Developer, your requirements might include things like:
- Completing at least 2 years of experience as a Developer
- Demonstrating leadership abilities by mentoring other developers
- Expanding technical skills through continued learning and education
- Consistently meeting or exceeding productivity and quality KPIs
When developers know what they need to do to progress in their careers, they feel more motivated and valued. They see a future with your company and are willing to put in the work to get there.
Providing competitive compensation, bonuses and perks at each career level is also important. Developers need to feel that their hard work and advancement is rewarded and appreciated. If you want to retain top IT talent for the long haul, make career growth and financial rewards a priority. Your offshore developers will thank you, and your company will benefit from their increased productivity, motivation and loyalty.
Promote an Inclusive Company Culture
As offshore recruiters, we know that company culture is key to keeping top talent. Promoting an inclusive environment where developers from all backgrounds feel valued and respected is essential.
To build an inclusive culture:
- Express appreciation for your developers' unique skills, experiences and perspectives. Value them as individuals, not just as resources.
- Encourage collaboration and team bonding. Help developers form connections across borders by organizing virtual meetups, mentorship programs and team-building activities. This helps them feel part of the company community despite physical distance.
- Be transparent in communications. Share company news, updates, and objectives with offshore teams as readily as on-site staff. No one likes feeling out of the loop or that information is being withheld. Transparency fosters trust and inclusion.
- Promote work-life balance. The demanding schedules often required of offshore developers can lead to burnout if not properly managed. Encourage your team to unplug when off work and take all allotted paid time off. A healthy work-life balance will make them happier and more engaged when working.
- Provide equal opportunities. Evaluate and reward offshore developers based solely on performance and skill, not location or ethnicity. Make promotions, raises, bonuses and other perks available regardless of where someone lives. Fairness and equal treatment are key to an inclusive culture.
By prioritizing inclusiveness, you create an environment where developers feel motivated to perform their best work. Valued, engaged employees tend to stick around for the long haul, so promoting an inclusive company culture is a win-win for recruiters and clients alike. Happy, loyal developers mean lower turnover costs and higher productivity.
FAQs: Tips for Retaining Offshore Developers
Here are some of the most frequently asked questions we get from clients about retaining offshore developers, along with our best tips for keeping your team happy and motivated.
Do higher salaries really help with retention?
Money talks, but it’s not the only thing that matters. While competitive pay is important, developers also want opportunities for career growth, challenging work, and a good company culture. If you focus only on salary, your developers may jump ship for a slightly higher offer. Instead, provide clear career paths, promote from within when possible, and give your team opportunities to work on exciting new projects.
How much feedback and recognition should we provide?
Developers thrive on feedback and recognition. Meet with your offshore team regularly over video chat to provide constructive feedback, praise good work, and show you value them. Recognize their accomplishments publicly in team meetings or newsletters. Little gestures like these go a long way toward making developers feel engaged and motivated.
How can we build trust and relationships with a remote team?
Building rapport and trust with an offshore team presents challenges, but is crucial for retention. Schedule regular calls to chat, not just check-in on work. Get to know your developers personally and share details about your own life and work as well. If possible, visit them in person from time to time. An in-person visit can strengthen relationships and reaffirm your company’s commitment to the team.
What benefits and perks do offshore developers want?
Benefits like health insurance, retirement plans, and paid time off are appealing perks for offshore developers and show you care about their wellbeing. Provide opportunities for continuing education and career development. Simple things like a generous vacation policy, flexible work schedules, and sponsoring social events or team outings can also go a long way.
The key to retaining great offshore talent is remembering that they’re human too. Focus on building trust, nurturing relationships, and providing meaningful opportunities for growth. Your developers will thrive, and your team will stay intact.
Get in touch with ABC Recruiting today to hire the best offshore developer. Let's build a future of success together!
