Hiring and Keeping Digital Talent in Syrian Companies

Hiring and Retaining Digital Talent in Syrian Companies

Programmers, designers, data specialists and digital marketers are in demand inside and outside Syria, and many of them can work remotely for organisations anywhere. That makes hiring and keeping them a real challenge for local companies.

Skills and change management 5 min read

By Nour Aldein Tleti. Updated 7 October 2026.

How do I hire and keep digital talent in my company?

Define the role and the results you need precisely, and test skills with a practical task, not certificates alone. To keep them, offer fair pay within your means, flexibility in how they work, meaningful work, and opportunities to learn and grow, and treat them as experts rather than just implementers. At the same time, document their work so the company does not stall if one of them leaves.

Before hiring

Define what you actually need: Do you need a full-time employee, a freelancer for a specific project, or an outside company? Each option has different costs and risks.
A job description based on results: Instead of a long list of software, write what the person must achieve in their first months.
A practical test: A small paid task or short exercise reveals the real level better than a CV.
Where to look: Universities and institutes, developer and designer communities, recommendations from trusted staff, and job platforms.
An interview that reveals how they think: Ask the candidate how they solved a real problem they faced, and what they would do if the system failed on a busy working day.

Why do they leave?

Offers from abroad: Remote work for organisations abroad can pay more, and that is competition you cannot ignore.
Routine work with no development: An ambitious technical person gets bored repeating the same tasks without learning anything new.
Lack of recognition: When technical decisions are made without consulting them, or they are treated as just a repair technician.
A rigid work environment: Strict attendance hours for work that could be done at any time and from anywhere.
Poor tools and working conditions: A slow computer and patchy internet with no backup in the office make daily work exhausting and push the employee to look elsewhere.

How do you keep them?

Fair, clear pay: Review salaries regularly in light of exchange-rate swings, and be frank about what you can offer.
Real flexibility: Hybrid work or flexible hours where the nature of the work allows.
A growth path: Training and courses, greater responsibility over time, and a chance to lead projects.
Projects with impact: Involve them in real transformation projects whose results they can see in the organisation.
Organised side work: Some companies accept limited freelance work under clear conditions rather than losing the employee entirely.

A short, effective hiring process

01
Write the role in terms of results
What must be achieved in the first months, and which tools are truly essential.
02
Advertise in the right places
Specialist communities, universities and recommendations, alongside job platforms.
03
Filter with a practical test
A short, defined task assessed against criteria written in advance.
04
Interview the finalists
Focus on how they think, how they communicate and their ability to learn.
05
Plan the first months
An internal buddy, clear tasks and regular reviews after the probation period.

Employee, freelancer or outside company?

Option	Suits	Risk
Full-time employee	Ongoing work that needs deep knowledge of the company	Fixed cost and dependence on one person
Freelancer	A specific task with a clear scope	Availability not guaranteed and harder to follow up
Outside company	Complete projects or multiple specialisms	Less knowledge of daily details if the work is not documented
Trainee developed in-house	A company willing to invest in teaching and supervision	Longer before full productivity

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Frequently asked questions

Can I compete with the income from remote work for organisations abroad?

Usually not on salary alone. But stability, flexibility, a good working relationship and opportunities to learn and lead are things many employees value.

How do I protect the company if its only programmer leaves?

Make the code, accounts and passwords the company’s property, ask for ongoing documentation, and consider a second person or an outside company that knows the systems.

Does a university degree matter in digital hiring?

It helps but is not enough. Many skilled people are self-taught, and a practical test and past work samples are more accurate for assessment.

How do I handle currency swings in salaries?

Set a clear, announced review mechanism and stick to it, and consult a specialist on current local legal requirements for employment contracts and wages.

Should I hire or bring in a company?

If the work is ongoing and daily, hiring usually fits better. If it is a specific project or needs several specialisms, bringing in a specialist company such as ONE DIGITAL may be a practical option.