Six Strategies for How to Hire and Retain Talent in a GCC

Establishing a Global Capability Center (GCC) is just the beginning of a much larger journey. While setting up operations is a significant milestone, ensuring that the GCC thrives and delivers long-term value requires a thoughtful approach to hiring and retaining top talent. This is incredibly challenging in regions like India, where cities like Bangalore host over 800 GCCs, making the job market highly competitive.

Over the years, I’ve set up and led successful GCCs and seen firsthand what works—and what doesn’t—when it comes to attracting and keeping the best talent. Here are six key strategies I’ve found to be most effective.

One: Offer Competitive Compensation and Benefits

While this may seem obvious, many companies still underestimate the importance of aligning their salary structures with industry standards. Conduct thorough research on salary benchmarks, role-specific expectations, and overall market trends. A well-designed compensation package—including salary and performance incentives, bonuses, and benefits—signals your commitment to valuing employees. Offering stock options or retention bonuses can further reinforce long-term commitment.

Two: Provide Engaging and Impactful Projects

Beyond a paycheck, today’s workforce seeks meaningful and challenging work. A common mistake companies make is relegating GCC teams to support or maintenance tasks while keeping high-impact projects at headquarters. GCCs must integrate their teams into core product development, innovation, and decision-making processes to retain top talent. Employees who see their contributions making a tangible difference in the company’s success are more engaged and less likely to seek opportunities elsewhere.

Three: Foster a Strong Cultural Fit

GCCs operate as extensions of their parent companies, but cultural alignment is key to making them feel like a seamless part of the organization. The GCC leader is crucial in bridging the operational and cultural gaps between global teams. Encouraging open communication, recognizing local customs and festivals, and fostering cross-cultural collaboration make employees feel valued and connected to the organization’s mission.

Four: Support Women in Engineering and Leadership

Diversity and inclusion are essential for building a sustainable workforce. A great way to support female engineers is by creating structured mentorship programs, professional networks, and family-friendly policies such as childcare benefits and flexible work schedules. Establishing a culture that prioritizes work-life balance significantly impacts retention and helps ensure that the best talent remains and thrives in leadership roles within the GCC.

Five: Implement an Internship and Training Pipeline

A well-structured internship program can serve as a steady pipeline of skilled talent. Partnering with training institutes specializing in in-demand technologies—such as Java, Python, AI, and software testing—ensures new hires have the right technical expertise. Designing company-specific training curricula further accelerates their onboarding process, allowing them to contribute immediately upon joining. GCCs that actively invest in developing early-career professionals gain a significant edge in talent retention.

Six: Offer Opportunities for International Exposure

For many engineers, the chance to work abroad is a significant career incentive. Providing short-term international assignments or long-term rotational programs to work at company headquarters fosters loyalty, enhances professional development, and strengthens global teams’ bonds. Employees who gain international experience are likelier to bring back valuable insights and remain invested in the company’s long-term success.

Conclusion

Hiring and retaining top talent is one of the most important factors in a GCC’s long-term success. Compensation matters, but beyond that, offering challenging work, fostering cultural alignment, supporting diversity, investing in training, and providing international exposure all play a vital role in building a high-performing, motivated workforce.

For companies looking to establish or optimize their GCCs, getting the talent strategy right from the start is critical. I’ve helped companies build, scale, and refine their GCC operations, and I know that with the right approach, these centers can drive lasting innovation and business impact.

Would love to connect with others navigating similar challenges—let’s discuss best practices and insights. Reach out to me on LinkedIn and visit my portfolio. It’s a work in progress, but I’d love your feedback.