This July, I had the chance to join the WeAreDevelopers World Congress 2025 in my hood in Berlin — a city that’s not just Europe’s tech capital, but also where global talent meets local grit.
The panel I joined was titled “Tech-Enabled, People-First: The Future of Global Hiring” — and that tension between technology and human connection shaped the whole conversation.
Berlin, IT and Global Talent: A Local Perspective with Global Stakes
Berlin has always been a magnet for creative thinkers, builders, and founders. But it’s also a city where you can feel the tension of Germany’s wider labour challenges, especially in tech.
On one hand, we have an incredible pool of global IT professionals, many of whom are ready to work remotely, relocate or join hybrid teams. On the other, Germany’s systems aren’t always built to enable that — from immigration processes to fragmented recruitment ecosystems.
As I shared during the panel:
“We face a labour shortage in much of the Western world — particularly in sectors like care, transport, and skilled trades. But in tech, global employability is higher. That means we have the tools to solve some of these shortages — if we’re willing to use them.”
It’s Not Just About HR Tech — It’s About PeopleTech
What struck me most in our discussion was the evolution we’re seeing in how we use technology in hiring:
- HRTech was about structure and scale — automating systems
- WorkTech moved us toward collaboration — between humans and machines
- But now, we’re entering the PeopleTech era — where we build tools that support human connection, not just replace it
In global mobility, this matters deeply. Whether someone’s applying from Brazil, relocating from Vietnam, or onboarding from Turkey — we need systems that feel intuitive, inclusive, and supportive.
That’s why I stressed:
“Technology shouldn’t just digitise processes. It should create shared understanding across cultures, time zones, and expectations.”
Where AI Can Help — And Where It Must Not Replace Trust
Of course, we talked about AI in hiring. Everyone’s talking about it. And rightly so — AI can speed up recruitment, improve matching, and make relocation smoother. But it can also create distance, confusion, or even bias if it’s not applied with care.
From a global mobility perspective, AI can support international collaboration, but trust has to lead:
- Trust in the people we hire
- Trust in the systems we build
- Trust in the tech we introduce
In practice? That means things like a buddy system, culture-specific onboarding, clear communication, and real-time support — not just automated forms and dashboards.
What Companies Should Do Now — Not Later
The WAD panel ended with a simple but powerful challenge:
What’s one thing you would tell a company struggling to get this balance right?
My answer was clear:
“Start with what’s already possible. Don’t wait for perfect systems. Whether you’re a company, a service provider or an individual — global collaboration is possible today. That’s our #MissionPossible.”
And in my #MissionPossible journey, we go one step further. Through the PMA Academy, we help corporations adopt AI — training teams to use AI to make daily work faster, smarter, and more strategic.
Because when we stop thinking in silos — and start thinking in ecosystems — then companies can hire globally, individuals can work across borders, and providers can create seamless experiences that actually work.
Global Mobility Isn’t About Movement — It’s About Mindset
Berlin was the perfect place for this conversation. It’s my home base — and the home of “Berliner Zinner”, my creative and innovation space in the heart of the city. It’s where I work, connect, and see firsthand how tech and people collide in beautiful, messy, and inspiring ways.
But the message from the WAD Conference is universal:
Solving labour shortages — especially in tech — isn’t just about opening job ads to other countries. It’s about reimagining how we build trust, support mobility, and use AI not to replace people, but to enabling them.
We’re not waiting for the future. We’re building it now — one hire, one move, one mindset shift at a time.
Author: Daniel Zinner
International HR expert, entrepreneur, and communications consultant.
Co-Founder People Mobility Alliance
