Growing a business overseas can be very exciting. It increases market reach and enhances profitability. But these advantages can only be achieved if you can successfully manage a team across different time zones. So, if your business has attained global reach and you have employees from other parts of the world, you need to develop best practices for working across time zones.
So, how can you effectively manage a remote team across different time zones? Here are a few tips:
How to Overcome Time Zone Differences
Take Advantage of Time Zone Management Tools
Time zone management tools come in handy when managing a remote team across varying time zones. Besides, you do not want to waste time doing time zone math and conversions. These tools are a great way of determining available employees and ones whose active hours have elapsed. The most common time zone management tools include Spacetime.am, Timezone.io, Slack, Every Time Zone, and Google Calendar.
Be Mindful of Time Zones When Planning Work Hours and Scheduling Meetings
One of the best ways to manage a remote team across different time zones is by learning the team members’ active and preferred work hours and respecting them. Also, you need to always be mindful of employees’ time zones when planning meetings, be it official or unofficial meetings such as co-workers’ birthdays. Ensure that they fall at a time that makes sense for all employees. Also, set meetings to a time when all employees can be included. This greatly helps in ensuring inclusivity and encouraging employee retention.
Asynchronous and Synchronous Communications
The digital age has brought about the development of various tools that aid smooth communication between teams. Take advantage of tools such as Slack and Asana. The asynchronous communication tools will help you track which employees are working on a particular project and at what time. On the other hand, tools such as Zoom are ideal for synchronous communication, where real-time conversations and responses are required.
Schedule Days for the Team’s Virtual Socializing
When employees work in different offices and different time zones, getting to know each other can be pretty hard. Despite meeting maybe once a year during the annual conferences, this may not be enough for solid team bonding. So, to increase team socialization, it is vital that you come up with team-building ideas that the remote workers can engage in regularly.
Be Flexible
Working in different time zones requires a lot of effort and sacrifice. In essence, some employees will have to wake up early or stay up late for meetings. Thus, to avoid burnout in some employees, you may have to switch up meeting hours. Else you can have two different meeting sessions on any given day to accommodate employees from different time zones.
Final Thoughts
Managing a virtual team operating from different time zones does not have to be complicated. Following the above tips can help reduce frustration and stress. Also, it can significantly help enhance employee satisfaction and ensure their retention. This can contribute to your overall growth as a company.