Shiny new Global Capability Centers (GCCs) are always set up with ambitious hiring plans. The best resumes flood in. Smart, highly skilled professionals join.

Six months later? They’re already on LinkedIn looking for their next gig.

This is a structural problem. Many GCCs focus so much on getting people through the door that they forget what happens after they walk in. Attraction is one thing; retention is another. And in an era where top talent can quit via Slack and have three job offers by lunch, keeping them engaged is a whole different game.

So, what does it take to not just hire, but actually keep top talent in a GCC? Here’s the playbook.

How to Align Business and Hiring Objectives in a Global Capability Center

To align a GCC strategy with a hiring strategy, focus on business goals first, then build the right team to support them.

1. Define GCC’s Purpose Clearly

Is the GCC meant for cost savings, innovation, R&D, or operational excellence? The hiring strategy must match this. For example, an R&D-focused GCC needs top-tier problem solvers, while a support GCC needs process-driven experts.

2. Hire for Growth, Not Just Immediate Needs

Instead of hiring just for today’s tasks, recruit talent that can scale with the GCC’s long-term vision. Look for adaptability, tech skills, and leadership potential.

3. Focus on Core Capabilities, Not Just Cost Savings

Hiring shouldn’t be just about filling roles at lower costs. The goal is to build a center of excellence. Prioritize expertise that enhances the GCC’s strategic value.

4. Build Leadership Locally

Instead of relying on offshore decision-makers, invest in strong local leaders who understand global expectations but bring regional insights.

5. Retention Is as Important as Hiring

A high turnover kills stability. Offer career growth, learning opportunities, and competitive pay to keep talent engaged.

Retention is Priority Numero Uno in a good GCC.
This is how one goes about organizing it:

1. Offer Careers, not Jobs

Most GCCs sell roles like this: “Join our team, work with global brands, and gain international exposure.” That’s nice, but also generic. Every GCC offers the same thing.

What top talent really wants to hear is: “Join our team and see a clear career path for yourself.” They want to know:

  • Where will this job take them in 2-3 years?
  • What new skills will they gain?
  • Will they have the chance to lead projects, innovate, or move across functions?

If you can’t answer that for them, they’ll answer it for themselves—somewhere else.

  • How to do this: Have clear growth pathways, mentorship programs, and transparent promotion criteria. Make it obvious that sticking around is worth it.

2. Stop the “One-Size-Fits-All” Perks Mentality

A ping-pong table and free coffee don’t count as retention strategies. Perks should actually matter to employees.

The best GCCs personalize benefits based on what employees actually value. Not everyone wants the same thing:

  • Early-career professionals? They might value learning stipends and fast-tracked promotions.
  • Working parents? Flexibility, childcare support, and extended parental leave.
  • Mid-career professionals? Stock options, leadership opportunities, and international assignments.

  • How to do this: Instead of guessing, ask employees what they want and tailor perks accordingly. One-size-fits-all perks = one-size-fits-none. 

3. Pay Competitively Or Expect a Revolving Door

Let’s be brutally honest: People don’t work for passion alone. If your salaries are below market rate, you’re basically training people for their next, better-paying job.

Top talent knows their worth, and they will leave if they feel undervalued. GCCs often justify lower salaries with statements like:

  • “But we offer amazing global exposure!” (So do 50 other companies.)
  • “You’ll get to work on high-impact projects!” (That’s the bare minimum.)
  • “Our culture is amazing!” (Culture doesn’t pay rent.)

How to do this: Benchmark salaries regularly, pay what top talent deserves, and not just what’s convenient for the budget.

4. Fix the “We’re Just a Back-Office” Problem

Many GCCs struggle with this: Employees feel like they’re just the offshore support team, not strategic contributors.

If your top talent feels like they’re only handling the “boring” parts of a global operation while all the exciting, high-impact decisions happen elsewhere, they will leave. No one wants to be in a career dead-end.

How to do this:

  • Give GCC teams a seat at the table for decision-making.
  • Let them lead initiatives, not just execute global directives.
  • Encourage direct interaction with onshore teams without unnecessary hierarchy.

5. Create a Culture That’s More Than Just PowerPoint Slides

Everyone talks about “culture,” but for many GCCs, it’s just words on a careers page. A real workplace culture is something felt, not advertised.

People don’t stay because of corporate values in an onboarding deck. They stay because:

  • They feel valued and heard.
  • They actually like their managers.
  • They have meaningful work and aren’t drowning in bureaucracy.

How to do this:

  • Hire leaders, not just managers: people who inspire, not just assign tasks.
  • Encourage open feedback (and actually act on it).
  • Cut unnecessary red tape so employees can focus on meaningful work.

6. Give People a Reason to Stay That’s Not Fear

Some companies retain employees by making it hard to leave—bond agreements, restrictive policies, and guilt-tripping. But retention by fear is short-term and toxic.

The best GCCs retain talent because employees genuinely want to stay. That means:

  • A great work environment.
  • Opportunities to grow without switching companies.
  • A sense of purpose beyond daily tasks.

How to do this: Build an environment where leaving does not feel like escaping.

7. Stop Treating “Retention” as an HR Problem

Retention isn’t just HR’s job. It’s everyone’s job.

Most companies only think about retention when they see mass resignations. By then, it’s already too late.

How to do this:

  • Train managers to retain talent (because people leave bad bosses, not companies).
  • Make retention a business priority.
  • Listen to exit interviews and actually make changes.

Final Thoughts: The Best Talent Won’t Beg to Stay

GCCs that fail to attract and retain top talent lose time, knowledge, and money on constant rehiring. The best professionals won’t stick around for broken promises, underwhelming perks, or a dead-end job.

If you want to build a GCC that people don’t just join but actually stay and thrive in, the formula is simple:

  1. Offer real career growth, not just job roles.
  2. Pay what they deserve.
  3. Make them feel valued and heard.
  4. Give them meaningful, high-impact work.
  5. Stop treating retention like an afterthought.

Top talent has options. Make sure your GCC is one of them.