When working within different time zones, it is very important to be mindful of your teammates’ time zone. You should avoid scheduling meetings during the times that you know everyone will not be awake, but this isn’t always possible if you work with people across multiple continents. If you do need to schedule something during off-hours, check first to make sure it is okay.

People are looking for employers with a strong and healthy company culture and a leadership effort to combat burnout and value work-life balance for the entire team. Fortunately, that flexibility can be easily accomplished through collaboration tools, such as Microsoft Teams, Google Drive, Slack, Dropbox, etc. Determine which meetings are work-related and mandatory and which are more cultural or social.

Challenges of globally distributed teams

Perhaps you can have two different meetings on one day at two different times so everybody can get a chance to participate. Developers and teams should choose a version control system based on their specific needs, project requirements, and collaboration preferences. Efficient document sharing and version control are the cornerstones of seamless collaboration in a remote work setting. There is no silver bullet here — just lean more into the tools that your team already uses. First and foremost, it’s a team effort and needs some adjustments from everyone, not just yourself.

  • Using project management tools can help offer higher team accountability and enable a smooth flow of information to the extent that the time zone and physical differences become irrelevant.
  • Whether adjusting meeting times, project deadlines, or promoting asynchronous communication, let understanding be the guiding star that leads your team to unity.
  • But simply learning how to identify key variables that affect your productivity within a certain time zone and region will allow you to create a strategy to enjoy your remote position fully.
  • 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.
  • Team members will be aware of their responsibilities, effortlessly pick up duties, and leave comments/updates for their teammates to address throughout their shifts.
  • If colleagues are close by, try asking them to work together at one desk so they can easily collaborate on projects as necessary.

Managing teams across different time zones don’t have to be difficult, even though it may look frightening and complicated. Virtual teams have increased in popularity in the past few years because of their capability to offer variety, specialization, and better production. Meeting scheduler tools are valuable resources for efficiently organizing and scheduling meetings with individuals or groups. Since your overlap time in such a situation is limited, effective communication and delegation are the key for any sort of progress to be made.

Prioritize overlap time

Culture, weather, internet speed and safety are important as well when determining where to live, and subsequently the time zone you’ll work from. You’re not alone, the experience of leading a remote team can be tough when not approached properly from the get-go. Without experience, the ability to successfully work with a global team in different formats and complex ways can be intimidating. Luckily, our step-by-step guide is here to help you navigate these challenges.

working remotely in a different time zone

The following challenges are common among new remote managers facing the uncertainty of remote work. If you recognize your experience in any of these, don’t worry, we have solutions for you. Some of the most well-known apps https://remotemode.net/ are Asana, ClickUp, Monday.com, Trello, Zoho, and Teamwork. To see which one has options that are appealing to you and your team, compare the pricing structures, the number of users allowed, and available features.

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