The Positive and Negative Effects of Working in Different Time Zones

This means that if one team member works while another is sleeping, it does not mean they can’t communicate or collaborate with each other effectively (unless this pattern repeats itself for several weeks). Nurture and grow your business with customer relationship management software. “That feeling of inclusion can make such a difference to employee retention, happiness, and performance — so the little things actually matter quite a lot,” McGinty said. “There’s a give and take. So long as you check with the person on their preferences, it’s fine to ask. Some might even prefer to work a non-standard shift anyway,” Kelly explains. The digital age brought with it the ability to receive immediate responses.

• GitLab’s handbook is one of the most famous (and best executed) examples of how to build a fantastic employee manual and distributed workplace culture.
• After years of working remotely—for companies in India, Canada, Australia, and the U.S.—I’ve learned a lot.
• In a physical office setting, personalities, idiosyncrasies, and preferences come into play for both productivity and atmosphere.
• Always, always, send a calendar invite to clients when working across time zones.
• If you work in different time zones, we suggest choosing a program that already comes with time zone converters, instant messaging technology, and appointment scheduling.
• For starters, flexible work hours have been scientifically proven to reduce burnout, stress levels, and psychological distress while increasing job satisfaction.

This means people who were offline can dive into documentation to catch up, rather than having to wait for answers. When you don’t need to consider time zones, you can attract and hire the best talent regardless of location. 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.

Set one official time zone.

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. Make sure to always assess each document, guide, or message for clarity. Also, ensure every person involved has the right admin access to avoid late-night calls, hold-ups, and rescheduling. If each of your international teams keeps a 9-to-5 schedule in their own time zone, it could be impossible to communicate directly with some of them.

You might even find time to visit some of the incredible cities on Nomad List while still contributing your all to your team. If you search for the current time in most major cities around the world, you’ll get the answer right at the top of your results. More recently, https://remotemode.net/blog/10-tips-on-working-in-different-time-zones/ Google added a time calculator to search so you can look up what time it will be in a certain place. Here are some popular ways to use Slack with app automation tool Zapier to automatically share activity in your channels so everyone knows what’s going on.

ways to manage a remote team across different time zones

Additionally, team members can find it harder to collaborate in an asynchronous environment, and it can take a while for them to adjust. Moreover, scheduling meetings can be difficult, inconveniencing those who have to attend, especially early in the morning or late in the evening. When working with a distributed team, it’s important to understand the differences between sync and async communication, and the extreme importance of asynchronous communication. When working with a distributed team, you don’t have to limit yourself to hiring locally. Instead of settling for local talent, remote workers give your company access to the best people in the world no matter where they are located. Time zones are geographical locations where people experience similar daylight hours at any given time throughout the year.