Using technology, teams are working remotely in a different time zone smoothly and it’s opening all kinds of doors for businesses. If you have found yourself part of a global team or even just one spread across the United States recently, we’ve got some ideas to help you work more effectively and be a great team player. On-the-fly collaboration tends to occur less frequently when working across time zones, but the right tools can change that. For example, implementing a virtual project management platform can help teams coordinate assignments, track individuals’ progress on tasks, and boost overall efficiency.

Undoubtedly, one of the trickiest parts of working across time zones is scheduling meetings. If all meeting participants aren’t on the same page in terms of when the meeting will occur, some people could miss or be late to the meeting, wasting everyone’s time (and the company’s money). It’s important to understand the cultural norms and traditions of the countries in which your company has remote workers. They may work different hours, celebrate different holidays, or communicate differently due to these cultural differences.

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A remote worker must be a self-starter who can continue working without someone watching them. They must manage their time and energy wisely, which can be challenging when working from home. The best way to work remotely is by trying to replicate most of the things you’d do in an office job.

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The Best Way to Work with a Global Team

When it comes to working remotely with teams across different time zones, the most important thing is to be mindful, empathetic, and respectful. Even the most introverted remote workers need social interaction, humans just aren’t designed for solitude. The only way it can work is if you keep team meetings to a minimum, record them for those that can’t attend, and make attendance optional. If you really do need to have everyone there, try to pick a time that works for most people and then ask the remaining few if they can attend.

• Calendar searches the open time slots in your connected calendars when you need to schedule a meeting.
• Of course, for organizations working across time zones, this type of effort would involve coming up with creative ways to have everyone on board and involved in the conversation.
• The software can follow the speaker to make it easier to follow along with a conversation.
• The managing partner explained that his company’s teams frequently need to collaborate across “adjacent” time zones, as well as internationally with clients in the United States and elsewhere.
• Relationships foster trust, increase collaboration and boost productivity in any work environment.
• We have put a lit of our best pointers and practices to help you get through your intercontinental workday by working remotely in different time zones.
• “There may also be questions that are sent in a private channel that could receive a faster response in a public thread,” Hoffbauer said.