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. An overwhelming amount of research has been conducted over the past year to analyze the effects of the pandemic-mandated remote work.
- Learn effective strategies for managing cross-cultural remote teams across different time zones, and find out how Insightful’s software can help facilitate better communication, collaboration, and productivity.
- Ideally, your company will set up Google Drive, Dropbox, or whatever file-sharing system you use so files are automatically accessible to the entire company.
- Ultimately, most important things to embrace and keep in mind when working with team members in different timezones are respect, empathy, and inclusion.
- For example, the time of peak athletic performance differs among individuals with early chronotypes and individuals with late chronotypes, also known as morning larks and night owls.
This issue can be compounded when you employ a diverse team who come from different locations and cultural backgrounds, many of whom may be communicating in their second (or third) language. But the biggest benefit might be how much it cuts off onboarding new employees who can working remotely in a different time zone simply read the archives and get up to speed on key decisions, culture, and work styles. However, it’s becoming increasingly hard to argue against the benefits of remote work. There has never been a more interesting and challenging time for human resources (HR) professionals.
Encourage virtual watercooler chats
Cultural values have a significant impact on hiring approach, attracting individuals who share similar beliefs and rejecting those who do not. One of the reasons a remote company like Turing’s culture is robust and our team members are so united is due to the clear nature of our principles. But if you find your own circadian rhythms don’t quite allow you to give your best performance at the times you have available, exercise may also help to “reset” your muscle clock.
People have different work rhythms, energy levels, and personal commitments that can impact their productivity at different times of the day. However, they also pose a challenge when it comes to scheduling meetings across borders. Our virtual leadership training builds the skills you need to lead effective and inclusive digital-first teams. By being able to see who is working, people can save time not reaching out to those who aren’t available and adding more to inboxes. There are lots of color options, so you can assign each employee or team a certain color on the calendar. For collaboration, you can share your screen with just the click of a button and also share control of the mouse.
Common Mistakes When Working With a Dispersed Team
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. While remote work has its benefits, time zone differences can make the employee management difficult without the right tools and processes in place. Therefore, team members working across borders and time zones may become the norm soon.
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. Let’s outline all the key steps companies can take to better manage working across time zones within the asynchronous collaboration framework. Although it can get challenging at times to manage a geographically dispersed team, there are still many more benefits to the approach. And this is particularly why we’re seeing a consistent increase in the number of companies employing globally. Let’s break down all the benefits of working across time zones to get a better understanding of the trend. Between different time zones, dentist appointments, and vacations, people within your team will need to play catch up using your instant messaging platform every day, making it an important tool to use wisely.
Greenwich Mean Time
As a hardworking employee located farther away from your company’s office, you might find feel pressure to say yes to every meeting you’re invited to. Additionally, you might also find it hard to say no to meetings — or suggest other times — for meetings scheduled outside of your regular working hours. When you have a successful game plan, you’re regularly able to video chat with colleagues, hear their thoughts, and gain insight into what the workplace is like on the other side of the world. These benefits allow your team to work better together and can lead your international teammates to feel more included in your team’s day-to-day work.
