How do you work with a team in different time zones?
My team at Telebu consists of people working across over six different time zones. Cutting across Africa, the Middle East and Asia. I’ve learned how to manage them effectively over the years and keep everyone happy and productive.
I want to share my secrets with you.
Let’s go!
| Want to make collaborating with your remote team as simple as chatting with a friend? Use Talk Magnet’s simple but powerful team communication app. Get a free trial or schedule a demo. |
Common mistakes you can face working with teams in different time zones
Managing a distributed team is not easy, especially when you must ensure every team member is on the same page.
Don’t worry. You’ll make mistakes in the beginning. But ensure you avoid the common mistakes.
Here are 6 common mistakes to avoid with your remote team working in different time zones:
- Limiting communication to digital-only
- Providing unclear instructions
- Not arranging meetings at convenient times
- Not providing opportunities for team building
- Not providing timely feedback
- Failing to establish accountability in teams
I believe they’re self-explanatory. So, there is no need to explain each of them.
Let’s jump into the meat of this guide.
8 expert tips for working with teams in different time zones
Let’s start with what you may already have an idea about.
Check out the top tools for managing teams in different time zones.
1. Schedule daily huddles
If you want to manage your team effectively working in different time zones, you must encourage communication. One easy way to do this is with scheduled daily huddles.
How can daily huddles help you manage your team?
Simple, through daily huddles, you can stay updated on your employee’s daily tasks, engage with them, and resolve their confusion.
2. Make and share SOPs
You must develop SOPs (Standard Operational Procedures) if you want an effective and smooth workflow.
For example, our Content Team at Telebu has comprehensive documentation on Notion on how to do virtually everything.
A library of SOPs like this makes it easy for team members to push out quality work no matter the time of the day they decide to get work done.
You can make and share SOPs that contain expectations from every employee in your company. And share SOPs in a documentation form through an online platform.
3. Have common goals
Or ensure every team member knows the goal the company wants to achieve.
When you openly share your company’s goal with your team, you motivate them. They all have the same goal in their mind, and they’ll work towards the same goal.
How does working for common goals help your team?
A common goal can help create a sense of meaning and purpose among your team members. It can also keep every team member on the same page.
4. Adjust your expectations
When you have a team in different time zones working remotely, you have to prioritise productivity at some level.
Adjusting expectations for productivity can help you measure your employee’s performance. And when your employees are meeting your expectations, they’re more productive and satisfied at work.
How can you adjust your team’s productivity expectations when then work in different time zones?
Simply communicate your expectations in person and on paper with your team members. After communicating, make a realistic timeline for each project.
5. Encourage team collaboration
This one goes without any explanation.
You can utilise advanced communication tools for effective communication in your team in different time zones.
Check out our guide on how to choose the best online collaboration tool for your remote team.
6. Give work flexibility
When you give flexibility to your remote team, you build trust between your employees and yourself.
Flexibility in working hours and workload can boost your team’s creativity, loyalty, productivity, and satisfaction.
Assign weekly tasks and let your employees manage their working schedules. Also, you can list tasks in one Excel sheet and let your employees assign tasks to themselves.
7. Available at standard time
When working with teams in different time zones, you must set a standard time for everyone’s availability. And when every employee is available regularly, you can share important information.
With every team member’s availability, you can clear confusion, take feedback, and share feedback.
Let’s say your team is from America’s East and West Coast. Standardise time from 11 a.m. to 5 p.m. EST.
8. Use collaborative tools
Large organisations with teams in different time zones work asynchronously. With a simple collaboration tool like Talk Magnet, you can save time following up with your employees for updates.
Using emails consumes more time than you think. Using the best collaboration tools can help you save time and resources. The best collaboration tool can help you increase productivity and team morale.
| Want to make collaborating with your remote team as simple as chatting with a friend? Use Talk Magnet’s simple but powerful team communication app. Get a free trial or schedule a demo. |
What are the different time zones, and how do you know your team member’s time zone
The Coordinated Universal Time, or UTC, is the world’s standard for regulating clocks. However, because most of our team members work from India, we use the Indian Standard Time.
While discussing different time zones, you can use Coordinated Universal Time, or UTC, as a standard time zone for your remote team.
You must wonder, “How can you know your remote team’s time zone?”
Well, we’re in an advanced era where everything is digital. You can use digital tools to help you know your team members’ time zones, or you can just ask them.
The most straightforward tool is Google. Google allows you to search the time zone of any city or country. You’ll get confused if you plan to search the time zone for the whole team.
There’s Google Calendar, a reminder and time zone management tool.
You can keep your current time zone and set the time zone you work in. Later, you can switch between time zones at your convenience.
Check out 5 examples of remote companies to inspire how you manage your team.
Get ready to manage your team working in different time zones
There you go. You know how to work with teams in different time zones and best time management practices.
These 8 tips will make remote team management easy and effective.
For a brief comparison, read our article on the best team communication app.
By now, you know Talk Magnet is your remote team’s most suitable communication tool because Talk Magnet allows you to have 1:1 messaging with your team without hassle.
