Any passages that could not be categorised within the initial coding theme were given new codes. Further coding was then conducted and this iteration was reviewed and updated. After coding was completed, initial notes from the focus groups were revisited to ensure all reflective notes were incorporated where relevant.

• Workplaceless is committed to helping multi-time zone teams through learning and facilitation through our remote work training programs.
• Of course, for companies that work across time zones, this sort of endeavor would include devising clever ways to get everyone on board and participate in the dialogue.
• Any team looking to boost remote cooperation while working should invest in one.

Teams that operate remotely and across time zones miss out on the spontaneous conversations that co-workers in the office are accustomed to. The social separation can result in various productivity and personal challenges that can wreak havoc on your business over time. As more businesses go remote, a new wave of businesses is focusing on honing the art of working as a globally distributed workforce. If you’re already working remotely, why not tap into the vast global talent pool to locate the top candidates? Some people’s answer is that they don’t know how to work across many time zones in spite of having a time zone manager.

Prioritize effective communication

For countries where an EF EPI score is not available but where the English language is an official language, the highest EF EPI score of 652 was applied. All sources have been accessed and data retrieved between 1 September – 20 October 2021. See which countries ranked the highest based on their working conditions and travel opportunities. Get the time at any given coordinate on Earth, calculate time zone conversions. The Event Time Announcer shows the local time in cities all over the world at a given time in the past or future. Try GoProfiles, a people platform that shows you who’s working – when, where, and on what.

• Here are a few favorites of the teams that have been successfully working across time zones for a while.
• Similarly, if the access point has FTM capabilities but the feature isn’t turned on, then you would not enjoy the benefits.
• This means people who were offline can dive into documentation to catch up, rather than having to wait for answers.
• Even a three-hour difference between remote workers can affect their sense of community and introduce productivity bottlenecks.

To work more efficiently with distributed teams, you need to treat your team like they are all working together in one office building. While this may not be possible, it is the mindset working remotely in a different time zone you need to adopt to organize your time and responsibilities. Time zones are geographical locations where people experience similar daylight hours at any given time throughout the year.

Collaborating Across Different Time Zones? Easy Peasy.

Just make sure that the timing for these activities works for the schedules of everyone involved. A common drawback to managing a team that operates across time zones is the lack of space for sharing insight about work progress. The already limited communication opportunities leave no room for staff to share what they’re working on, talk about ideas, or future plans. This can leave employees feeling their work is being overlooked, and potentially affect their career advancement as it doesn’t allow enough insight into their effort and contribution. A complete remote organisation cannot rely on many of these shared experiences and physical venues to help create our culture as a totally distributed organisation. It is necessary to create a culture that prioritises your values and requires every team member to understand and uphold them.

Asynchronous communication (“async”) is when information is sent at separate times with a delay in between. For example, writing an email, sending a Loom video, or leaving a voice message for someone so they can respond to it whenever works best with their schedule (and yours). When you are looking for employees or business partners, it can be tough to find the right person in an industry where ‘who you know’ is just as important as what you know. By hiring remote workers, you’ll never have to worry about geographical limitations again.

What’s your team up to?

To work effectively with a remote team, you’ll need to put in the effort and build strong relationships across time zones. I know personally, I sometimes like to get stuck in at various points in my day for focused work without too many distractions. Scheduled synchronous communication like planned video calls/syncups allow me to better mentally prepare. In addition to confounding my brain, time zones also provide some fun and interesting challenges when it comes to how we all work together at Buffer as a fully remote, distributed team. Moreover, companies should rethink the overall effectiveness of each meeting.

Similarly, if the access point has FTM capabilities but the feature isn’t turned on, then you would not enjoy the benefits. Again, once you have the right devices and network equipment, there’s no additional cost to use FTM. Along with trust, the compass for guiding remote work culture will be the mutual goals of the teams and company. Company goals should be referenced in a shared mission statement, an accessible company or team handbook, and a yearly roadmap. These agreed-upon goals remind team members they are contributing with others for an outcome and group purpose that benefits everyone together, even when separated. Developing a shared vision allows for a stronger foundation and creates a more positive work atmosphere, both of which are essential for success.