World's Workforce Transformation Unveiled in Oyster's 2025 Global Employment Forecast: The Expertise Economy's Impact
In a significant shift in the employment landscape, Oyster's 2025 Global Hiring and Impact Report has highlighted a sustained transition towards flexible, globally distributed workforce models. The report, which covers trends and key findings in the hiring sector, underscores the growing preference for remote work and contract roles, as well as increased confidence and investment in emerging markets as key talent pools.
One of the report's most notable findings is the rise of contract work. As hybrid work becomes the norm, the adoption of global hiring strategies is increasing, particularly in technology-related roles such as software engineering, marketing, and sales. This shift is reflected in Oyster's contractor management service, which saw a growth of 46% year-over-year (YoY), indicating a growing market for managing contract and consulting workers globally.
Emerging economies are also seeing substantial growth in hiring confidence and activity on Oyster’s platform. In 2024, nearly half (47%) of new hires were from emerging markets, a 3-point rise from the previous year. Payment volume to workers in these regions surpassed $137 million in 2024, marking a 29% increase YoY, demonstrating rising investment and trust in talent from these regions.
The report also reveals geographic trends in global hiring. Europe leads in remote global hiring with 43% of placements in 2024, followed by Asia (including the Middle East) at 24%, and North America at 20%. The top countries for global hires include the Philippines, the United States, India, Canada, and the United Kingdom.
The report further emphasizes the demand for digital skills in the evolving global workforce. Technology jobs account for 35% of the highest demand, followed by sales & marketing (12%) and administrative support (6%).
As companies build fluid, specialized teams that can adapt quickly to changing market demands, 57% of surveyed companies plan to hire international talent in the next 12 months. This new symbiotic relationship between companies and global talent is underscored by the fact that 67% of HR leaders are equipped to manage distributed teams.
Marina Farthouat, VP of People at Oyster, stated that we are witnessing the emergence of an 'Expertise Economy'. The report's findings suggest a broadening of global hiring beyond traditional markets, fueled by digital transformation and the search for diverse skill sets worldwide.
Oyster, a B Corp-certified global employment platform, enables people-centric hiring anywhere in the world. The company's mission is to make it easy for businesses to hire the best talent, regardless of location, and in doing so, foster a more equitable global economy.
- The growth in technology-related roles, such as software engineering, marketing, and sales, is driving the adoption of global hiring strategies, particularly in response to the increasing trend towards remote work and contract roles.
- Companies are showing increased confidence and investment in emerging markets, as demonstrated by the 29% year-over-year increase in payment volume to workers in these regions in 2024.
