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The 2025 Global Business Services Survey (formerly known as the Global Shared Services and Outsourcing Survey) is the 14th edition of the annual publication. Conducted during Q3-Q4 2024, the survey offers insights from leaders in more than 30 countries and data collected from more than 2,000 respondents.
The survey finds that more than half of global business services organizations are planning to expand their footprint, driven by new functions and market demands. It also highlights the human and digital priorities that are shaping the next phase of GBS development. From talent challenges to generative AI, organizations are redefining how they create value by expanding their scope, reshaping delivery models, and exploring new locations.
Skill gaps and high attrition remain top challenges globally, underscoring the importance of upskilling talent, equipping teams with the latest tools, and building a resilient culture. At the same time, GBS organizations are transforming the way they engage with their stakeholders, improving the customer experience through transparency, feedback, and innovative solutions.
Looking ahead, investment in generative AI and automation is expected to become a significant driver of growth, accelerating the evolution of GBS into a more strategic, digital-first model.
“In today’s dynamic business environment, leading companies are evolving their service delivery models with global and multifunctional approaches. These organizations are strategically prioritizing AI/Generative AI and digital initiatives for process efficiency, cost reduction, and enhanced GBS customer experiences,” the report’s authors say.
“Global capability centers are taking an increasingly prominent role with organizations, leveraging global talents to advance their GBS capability portfolio. As such, GBS organizations are continuing to expand beyond traditional functional scopes and accelerate digital capabilities.”
The five key takeaways are: Prioritizing next-gen capabilities and customer experiences; leveraging unified leadership to deliver differentiated savings; the need for GenAI investment in data and security to scale value creation; the rising popularity of Mexico and Portugal as preferred GBS locations; and the continued high demand for skilled talent.
Over the next three years, organizations will increasingly focus on developing next-gen capabilities and accelerating digital initiatives, Deloitte says. Among those prioritizing capability development, approximately 50% have GBS centers in India, where significant digital and data capabilities are deployed. Enhancing customer experience is becoming a top priority for GBS organizations to drive customer loyalty and differentiate themselves in a competitive market.
Global GBS leaders are setting strategic directions, while functional and regional leaders are focusing on operational excellence and enhancing the customer experience. Approximately 55% of organizations with a global GBS leader role have achieved average savings of more than 20%, highlighting the value of decisive leadership, governance, and effective decision-making, Deloitte finds.
Global business services organizations are prioritizing investments in process improvement and technology (such as GenAI, automation, and analytics dashboards) to achieve key objectives. These include process standardization and efficiency, cost reduction, and improved end-to-end ownership. Approximately 58% of respondents have already begun (or are planning to begin) their GenAI journey, Deloitte stresses. Finance and information technology are the lead functions where use cases such as chatbot/AI tools, invoice management, and analytics have been implemented.
India, the United States, and Poland are the top three GBS locations and have consistently remained at the summit over the years. India continues to be the preferred location across all major functions. However, Portugal has emerged as a location for global business services delivery and entered the top 10 preferred countries in the latest survey. Mexico has risen to become one of the top three preferred locations due to its technology and talent availability, scalability, and competitive costs.
Some 50% of global business services organizations plan to expand their footprint, driven by new functions and market needs, Deloitte says. GBS organizations continue to face talent challenges, including skill gaps, high turnover, and increased labor costs. Some initiatives led by GBS organizations to attract and retain talent include developing a strong culture, adjusting compensation to market benchmarks, and increasing well-being opportunities, such as hybrid work models.
In looking at the Hungarian picture, Deloitte partnered with the Association of Business Service Leaders in Hungary to produce the State of Business Services Hungary 2025 report, building on the 2025 Global Business Services Survey.
According to the authors, doing so means they can “position the Hungarian BSC sector within a broader international framework, identifying where local developments align with or diverge from global patterns. This comparative dimension is essential for understanding Hungary’s role and competitiveness in the rapidly evolving BSC landscape.”
Over the past two decades, Hungary has established itself as one of the leading destinations for BSCs in Central Europe. Multinational companies were initially drawn by the country’s multilingual talent base, central geographic position, and relatively low operating costs. These advantages enabled the creation of large multifunctional service hubs that continue to play a vital role in regional and global service delivery.
Today, however, the sector finds itself at a crossroads, according to ABSL and Deloitte. Rising wage pressures, persistent talent shortages, regulatory challenges, and the accelerating pace of technological change are reshaping operating models. BSC leaders are under increasing pressure to deliver higher value while maintaining efficiency and competitiveness. In this environment, Hungary’s future success will depend not only on sustaining its traditional advantages but also on adapting rapidly to new demands in digitalization and automation, the survey finds.
“The Hungarian business services sector has evolved into one of Europe’s most mature and strategically significant service delivery landscapes. The sector now counts over 215 centers and 110,800 employees, contributing approximately 3% of GDP. Three-quarters of these centers are captive operations of multinational firms, while a quarter are outsourced service providers, reflecting Hungary’s strong role in corporate in-house delivery networks,” according to the executive summary of the report.
The report also lays bare the structural challenges Hungary’s business services sector faces. “Talent shortages, mobility limits, and policy gaps are constraining competitiveness, while digital transformation demands and economic volatility are testing the sector’s adaptability,” it suggests.
Alongside unstable taxation and shifting trade policies, it points to “a highly unpredictable and restrictive immigration framework for non-EU white-collar professionals” that, collectively, is eroding predictability.
“With its strong talent base and digital ambitions, Hungary is poised for growth if it invests in transformation, partnerships, and policy alignment to become a leading European BSC hub,” the report concludes. That will, however, require state support in the form of transparency in immigration processes, education reform, stronger branding, and public–private collaboration, which are “critical to unlocking Hungary’s full business services potential.”
This article was first published in the Budapest Business Journal print issue of November 14, 2025.
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