Being part of a global team comes with a host of advantages—from learning from each other’s culture to numerous cross-learning opportunities. However, having colleagues in all time zones makes it difficult to keep track of the time and create boundaries. In this blog, I will talk about a few ways in which you can manage communications with colleagues in different parts of the world, making working across multiple time zones easier.
Choosing time zones is somewhat dependent on the type of remote work you do. If the issue is complex or there are dependencies involved, you might find yourself drafting a paragraph (or two) and editing your message for clarity and tone that can get lost in translation. If you want to leverage the benefits of a distributed team, you need to acknowledge each team member’s needs, preferences, and situations. There are simply too many project management apps available on the market to pick just one to feature. Each has distinct features and benefits, so you can compare a few to see what fits your needs best. If you’re looking for a virtual water-cooler, Slack can be used to chat about non-work-related topics like favorite TV shows and sharing pictures of your pets.
How Does Being In Different Time Zones Affect Work?
When you just need a quick answer on what the current time is in a different location, World Time Buddy is a great resource. You can get a quick snapshot around the world and can see the full world clock. You will know what the local time is if you’re trying to video chat with your coworker in Bali or Paris. The key to successfully working across multiple time zones is good communication and setting clear expectations is the first step. If your company doesn’t currently offer any flexibility, you may find that it’s hard to attract talent as a larger portion of the workforce is made up of these younger generations. This will only get more difficult over time if you aren’t willing to make some changes to attract and retain millennial employees.
You can also employ efficient tools and technologies, such as shared calendars and world clock applications, to ensure seamless coordination across time zones. Teams employing a globally distributed workforce should pay special attention to learning and optimizing for different cultural specifics. https://remotemode.net/ Your employees’ communication styles, collaboration methods, and work schedules are largely impacted by their cultural, religious, and ethnic backgrounds. Consider making a record of all culture-specific holidays to make sure no meetings or group work sessions are scheduled around those dates.
Ways To Build Relationships Across Different Time Zones
With all the apps and tools available, the time zone difference can create plenty of confusion among employees working across time zones. Managers and decision-makers are the ones facing the harshest challenges when working with teams who operate across time zones. Along with aligning operations, other risks could seriously disrupt major processes, if left unchecked. Let’s get a better insight into the challenges of globally distributed teams to get a clearer idea of what to look out for and how to prevent any larger issues. The actual time difference between co-workers is a significant barrier to effective real-time communication.
- Certain countries refrain from using a given scheme with its time standard unchanged.
- However, shifting assumptions and processes is essential for global teams to thrive and deliver outstanding results.
- Furthermore, some of the best practices for holding productive virtual team meetings include having a shared goal and describing what you expect to accomplish.
- By setting clear expectations, you won’t be faced with unwelcome surprises in the future.
- This is a massive benefit, even if you are located in a hub like San Francisco or New York, chances are the best person for the job doesn’t live within commuting distance of your office.
- Still, it can be effectively managed with the right strategies and best practices.
- When scheduling a meeting or call with remote team members, make sure to ask them what time zone they are in so that you can account for any time difference with their local time when you schedule.
Building relationships is vital for any thriving business, even for teams in multiple different time zones. Along with trust, the compass for guiding remote work culture will be the mutual goals of the teams and company. Company goals should be referenced in a shared mission statement, an accessible company or team handbook, and a yearly roadmap. These agreed-upon goals remind team members they are contributing with others for an outcome and group purpose that benefits everyone together, even when separated.
Document Sharing and Version Control Tools
And if your team travels frequently, know that there are flexible-term rentals you can book specifically designed for remote workers. We often assume when we’re talking to someone new that they’re in the same time zone as us. When scheduling a meeting or call with remote team members, make sure to ask them what time zone they are in so that you can account for any time difference with their local time when you schedule. Moreover, companies should rethink the overall effectiveness of each meeting. It’s a good practice to schedule the meetings only for the exchange of information that can’t be communicated over a team chat app, a document, an email, or a memo. Sure, a team brainstorming session is most effective over a video conference, however, a general weekly update doesn’t necessarily require a 5 a.m.
This not only enhances the visual appeal but also adds a touch of excitement to your shared reference. Preferred communication methods refer to the channels or modes of communication that individuals or groups prioritize or find most effective and efficient for their needs. We’re constantly sharing what’s going on with our lives and schedules, whether we’re popping out to grab some tacos at lunch or spending the next 4 months in Costa Rica.
