The ROI of Hiring Global Talent

In today’s fast-paced landscape, companies are under great pressure to scale leaner, smarter, and faster. That ushers in an increasingly complex accounting function that demands attention. But the demand for financial expertise is outpacing domestic supply. Although about 124,200 openings for accountants and auditors are projected each year, there are only roughly 340,000 fewer accountants in the US workforce now compared to five years ago, driving up salaries and stretching hiring timelines. In this competitive environment, hiring locally has become unsustainable. Companies that embrace global hiring get an edge. The return-on-investment (ROI) of hiring global talent isn’t just about trimming budgets – it’s about unlocking productivity, scalability, and long-term strategic value.

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Why Traditional Hiring Isn’t Enough

Traditional hiring practices are no longer adequate for the modern developmental needs of expanding finance teams. In fact, there is simply not enough talent to spread around. Fewer students major in accounting degrees; experienced CPAs have left the profession altogether; and mid-level talent has been stolen by the Big Four. Higher salaries, benefits, and hiring costs add pressure to company budgets and often result in a choice to pay people or fund other critical business needs that support growth. Even if companies are willing to pay, extended hiring times can push back projects and deadlines for period-end close. Turnover also impacts the situation, with lost first-week onboarding training costs and then company knowledge, driving down performance and morale. 

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What Companies Gain From Hiring Global Talent

Global hiring allows companies to tap into an extended pool of high-skilled talent at a more cost-efficient price, promising high talent ROI. For instance, MAVI places the top 2% of global accounting talent into scaling US companies at less cost than other hiring alternatives, helping build in-house teams without compromising on quality. As a continuous partner, MAVI handles all the admin, reducing overhead and ensuring that teams never have to deal with any gaps. Here’s what companies gain from hiring abroad.

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Direct Cost Savings

Organizations have the opportunity to engage talented workers in regions such as APAC and Latin America for well below U.S. salaries – and maintain comparable quality. Not only do organizations save on salaries, but hiring remotely also drastically reduces overhead related to an office location, equipment, and employee benefits. This translates into serious cost savings remote finance teams can utilize for cost reallocation toward growth or innovation.

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Access to Specialized Skills

When companies expand their talent search globally, they are exposed to a vastly larger array of expertise. For example, a company may need to hire a Senior Accountant to address complexity in a SaaS model, or an A/P Specialist to help with cross-border compliance issues, but hiring from a global talent pool greatly diminishes the time and effectiveness of finding the right person. Immediately connecting finance team members to candidates who are eager to begin working helps shorten the downtime that the team would otherwise deal with if hiring domestically.

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Increased Scalability & Flexibility

Global hiring allows companies to quickly staff up the number of team members to support a new set of objectives, or following an acquisition, and then quickly adjust to changes in the condition of the decision-making process, without the long-term commitment that the traditional full-time employee process imposes. This also allows for the agility needed for scaling finance teams globally, as being nimble gives them a chance to establish a key competitive advantage.

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Productivity & Round-the-Clock Operations

Hiring across time zones offers a hidden productivity boost. While US teams are finishing their day, global accountants in other regions can continue advancing reconciliations, preparing reports, or addressing other urgent tasks. This creates a continuous workflow, accelerates month-end close processes, and ensures that leaders always have timely data. 

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Reduced Turnover Risk

A considerable number of global professionals appreciate the ability to be stable and well-respected while working with organizations headquartered in the US, which generally leads to lower turnover. A lower turnover rate leads to lower turnover-related costs associated with rehiring and retraining talent, as well as improved continuity of processes and institutional knowledge. When reliable staff members are in roles longer, it allows for the development of stronger relationships with clients and stakeholders over time. 

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Beyond the Numbers: Strategic ROI

The ROI of hiring global talent is about more than just reducing costs – it helps reclaim and strengthen the company’s strategic position. By eliminating staffing matters, the finance leader will be able to spend their time focused on higher-value organizational matters, such as growth planning, process improvement, and digital transformation initiatives, rather than getting buried in the books or in weeks of interviewing potential candidates to fill open positions. Using global hires in addition to AI and automation tools will enhance accounting functions and position the organization for the future. By incorporating a global talent model, organizations will also benefit from access to diverse skillsets and perspectives, which contribute to building resilience and agility against unexpected changes in technology and regulations.

Companies that leverage global accounting talent will take advantage of short-term cost savings and long-term strategic benefits. The companies that are open to remotely hiring and building a global finance team will be able to innovate faster, serve their customers better, and get ahead of their competition.

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MAVI is an AI-driven solution that matches fast-growing US companies with high-skilled, US-caliber global accounting talent at a cost-effective price. We can help you build an in-house accounting team with part-time or full-time talent in as fast as five days – without the overhead. Book a call today to know more.