The Positive and Negative Effects of Working in Different Time Zones
Almost by definition, remote work tends to facilitate isolation among team members, and the matter only gets worse once we add the time zone dimension to the equation. Companies employing smaller internationally distributed teams are more likely to have staff members experience feelings of isolation and being left out from the company culture and general social interactions. Similarly, working across time zones is beneficial to companies on a larger, operational level. Having distributed teams working across time zones essentially implies round-the-clock workflow.
- Remote companies that embrace multiple time zones must rely on asynchronous communication.
- For example, if a manager detects an employee’s tone and body language have shifted negatively, they can politely and privately ask if the worker is okay and if there’s anything they can do to help.
- These are also useful when your teammates don’t all speak the same language.
- To allow more space for effective communication to happen, companies working across time zones need to rethink traditional channels of communication, such as email, and adopt more flexible solutions and methods.
If you really do need to have everyone there, try to pick a time that works for most people and then ask the remaining few if they can attend. Then the next time you organize a meeting, share the burden and make it easy for them and harder for everyone else. By embracing different time zones, you can build a more diverse and inclusive workplace.
Time Management Tips When Working in Different Time Zones
Companies employing diverse teams spanning multiple time zones enjoy complete time zone coverage. Having all shifts and time zones covered is especially convenient for support and customer service as people don’t need to work past the conventional work hours in their countries, in the case of an emergency. However, other departments and industries can benefit from the approach as well. Coordinating across time zones might be tough, but it’s worth making the effort not just for work-related conversations but for fun.
They can also unlock more productivity by allowing team members to work when they’re most productive whether that be in the morning, afternoon, night, or a mix. Remind remote team members that social interaction doesn’t have to come from co-workers or consider offering a co-working space stipend as a remote employee benefit. This is why study after study after study has shown remote workers to be more productive than their in-office colleagues. Traditionally companies have relegated themselves to hiring people who live within commuting distance of their offices or at most, the same time zone. Attempts to reinvent time zones to make them easier for everyone have failed, we just can’t come to a universal agreement. Being able to select the best talent regardless of the location is one of the main factors that impacted the entire movement in the first place.
Companies successfully working across time zones
In any work environment building relationships fosters trust, increases collaboration, and raises productivity—but it’s especially important for remote teams. Social relationships with colleagues not only combats isolation, but it decreases barriers to asking questions, getting help, and taking risks that are crucial to growth. Empower your team with an asynchronous communication style by using tools like Slack. This will allow you to communicate with each other in real time, and enable you to message colleagues in different time zones to make sure everyone’s on the same page.
For example, if you have a few messages you want to send, but notice it’s 9 p.m. In another employee’s timezone, you might either want to avoid sending til the morning or schedule an email. Aside from specifically discussing timezone-related needs and boundaries as needed, you can also mark your standard work hours on a team calendar — while encouraging colleagues to do the same. Zapier are on a mission to make automation easy and accessible to everyone at work. With over 400 remote employees spread across 30 countries, Zapier is one of the largest fully remote companies. They know what they’re doing and write great guides on how to get the most out of remote work.
How to work effectively across time zones.
Building relationships is vital for any thriving business, even for teams in multiple different time zones. Running a small business means you have a lot on your plate – especially when you’re trying to figure out the best way to hire a dispersed workforce and work across time zones. Handing the headache working remotely in a different time zone over to a professional employer organization (PEO), like ExtensisHR, can help. SMB leaders should be mindful about choosing the communication methods that work best for their company overall, and managers should do the same when it comes to how best to communicate with their individual teams.
These ensure the entire team gets a face to face every two weeks, and blocks in some time for synchronous communication. We often use this space to give updates on what’s been going on, introduce new members of the team and get some bonding time. Along with trust, the compass for guiding remote work culture will be the mutual goals of the teams and company.
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- It will also ensure that you’re available to your international department without needing to stay up all hours of the day.
- I know personally, I sometimes like to get stuck in at various points in my day for focused work without too many distractions.
- If there are different time zones represented within the discussion, try to be as precise as possible regarding times and dates.
- Even with your primary time zone in place, it’s important to be aware of everyone’s individual time zones and schedules.
- Creating a virtual team spanning borders will help if you want to teach every team member about cultural communication difficulties.
- When assessing team chat and collaboration apps for your distributed team, look for features that allow flexibility, autonomy, seamless collaboration, and transparent availability status options.
There are certain disadvantages or challenges that come with having a team across time zones. To successfully utilize key principles of asynchronous communication to their advantage, distributed teams need to prioritize efficient, written communication. When working on a report, for example, globally distributed teammates won’t necessarily have the opportunity to ping a coworker and get the missing info right away. This is why it’s paramount to keep detailed written records of all the processes and projects. Also, ensure every person involved has the right admin access to avoid late-night calls, hold-ups, and rescheduling.
Almost by definition, remote work tends to facilitate isolation among team members, and the matter only gets worse once we add the time zone dimension to the equation. Companies employing smaller internationally distributed teams are more likely to have staff members experience feelings of isolation and being left out from the company culture and general…