How to overcome time zone differences<\/strong><\/h2>\n\n\n\nIf your company is dealing with time zone differences, you\u2019re not alone. One survey found that 98% of remote workers<\/a> have coworkers in different time zones. All of these people have needed to overcome the two main challenges posed by dispersed remote work: disrupted collaboration and disconnected culture. <\/p>\n\n\n\nWe\u2019ll tackle both of these issues below. Let\u2019s start with collaboration, a widely recognized challenge of remote work. In this remote work survey<\/a>, 20% of respondents cited difficulties with collaboration and communication as their biggest struggle with working remotely \u2013 and 10% specifically listed being in a different timezone than teammates. <\/p>\n\n\n\nHere are some best practices for improving collaboration within your dispersed workforce:<\/p>\n\n\n\n
\n- Harness the power of asynchronous communication<\/strong> – not everything needs to happen live. Sometimes it\u2019s more convenient and time-effective to send an email than to schedule a meeting. You can even schedule emails or Slack messages to send during colleagues\u2019 active hours \u2013 this shows you respect their personal time and trust work to happen when they\u2019re on.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n
\n- Learn to adapt <\/strong>– different solutions work for different teams, and sometimes you need to try multiple strategies to see what fits for yours. Embrace flexibility. After all, that\u2019s one of the main benefits of remote work, and it drives everything from innovation to job satisfaction.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n
For instance, one team may solve problems best by communicating over chat, while others might thrive with quick off-the-cuff meetings.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
\n- Communicate clear guidelines <\/strong>– establish expectations about response times and preferred communication methods with supervisors, across teams, and company-wide. Maybe you use a high-priority Slack channel for time-sensitive requests. For less urgent communication, you could update workflow tickets and tag people when a project is ready for review or handoff.\u00a0<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n
For related tips, check out this article on ways to make communicating at work<\/a> way easier.<\/p>\n\n\n\n\n- Create structured check-ins <\/strong>– balance async and sync communication by scheduling regular, spaced-out meetings. A weekly one-on-one with your supervisor allows you to knock out several days\u2019 worth of questions, and a biweekly or monthly all-hands meeting gives space for progress updates, demos, and feedback.\u00a0<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n
\n- Embrace cross-cultural sensitivity <\/strong>– global teams should be mindful of different cultural practices and holidays. Maybe you create an org-wide calendar where anyone can call out celebrations like Lunar New Year and Diwali, or your company could institute a flexible PTO policy for religious holidays.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n
Tools for effective remote collaboration<\/strong><\/h2>\n\n\n\nBuilding and maintaining a collaborative team culture is hard, especially in a virtual environment. And if your team\u2019s preferred work hours overlap only slightly, it\u2019s even harder. <\/p>\n\n\n\n
We\u2019ve got general tips on creating a collaborative office space<\/a>, but when working across time zones, you might need more unique solutions. Here\u2019s what we recommend:<\/p>\n\n\n\n\n- Solutions for time zone clarity<\/li>\n<\/ol>\n\n\n\n
The first step to remote team success is understanding when and where your team works. This basic information creates transparency, facilitates scheduling, and manages expectations. Once you recognize time zone differences, working around them is easier.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Various digital tools help simplify the math around time zone calculations<\/strong>. Input your teams\u2019 different cities, compare time zones, and get recommendations for optimal meeting times. <\/p>\n\n\n\n\n- Tools:<\/strong> World Time Buddy, Time and Date, Every Time Zone<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n
Use your daily digital tools to clarify your online hours<\/strong>. For example, online calendars like Google Calendar list team members\u2019 time zones and automatically update your time zone if you\u2019re traveling. Or, communication platforms like Slack can show your in-office hours, meal and rest breaks, and OOO schedule. <\/p>\n\n\n\n\n- Tools: <\/strong>Google Calendar, Slack, Microsoft Teams<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n
Another good source of locations and time zones is an employee directory <\/strong>or employee map<\/strong>. Options like GoProfiles<\/a> help you easily find time zones on employees’ profiles \u2013 so you don\u2019t have to ask them in Slack every time. Plus, its map feature visualizes your distributed team.<\/p>\n\n\n\n\n- Tools:<\/strong> GoProfiles, StaffBase, InstaPeople<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n
![\"\"](\"https:\/\/images.goprofiles.io\/blog\/content\/uploads\/2023\/11\/17044906\/image-1024x618.png\")
<\/figure>\n\n\n\n\n- Knowledge management solutions<\/li>\n<\/ol>\n\n\n\n
In any company, effective collaboration requires accessible information. This is especially true in companies working across time zones, since information silos and workflow bottlenecks can waste days at a time. Streamline information access with knowledge management solutions, which can be broken down into these categories:<\/p>\n\n\n\n
\n- Knowledge base<\/strong>\n
\n- What it is: a self-service repository of information with distinct creators and users<\/li>\n\n\n\n
- SaaS options: Bloomfire, Stack Overflow for Teams, Slite<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/li>\n\n\n\n
- Corporate wiki<\/strong>\n
\n- What it is: a central database that lets any employee create and edit content<\/li>\n\n\n\n
- SaaS options: Confluence, MediaWiki, Tettra<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/li>\n\n\n\n
- Enterprise search<\/strong>\n
\n- What it is: a search platform that combs through and retrieves internal data\u00a0<\/li>\n\n\n\n
- SaaS options: GoSearch, SearchStax, Elastic Enterprise Search<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/li>\n\n\n\n
- Link management<\/strong>\n
\n- What it is: a way to organize, create, and share short links for navigational ease<\/li>\n\n\n\n
- SaaS options: GoLinks, BL.INK, OSlash<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n
Internal Link Management apps provide simple, scalable knowledge management. They\u2019re more than just URL shorteners \u2013 they\u2019re both aesthetic and functional. For instance, GoLinks<\/a> allows you to create memorable, shareable go links that surface internal resources. This enhances asynchronous work by empowering self-service and connecting every employee to the resources they need. <\/p>\n\n\n\nLearn more about how you can benefit from an internal link management app<\/a> like GoLinks.<\/p>\n\n\n\n![\"\"](\"https:\/\/images.goprofiles.io\/blog\/content\/uploads\/2023\/11\/17044906\/image-1024x176.png\")
<\/figure>\n\n\n\n<\/a><\/p>\n\n\n\nTools for building remote culture<\/strong> <\/h2>\n\n\n\nEmployees work better with people they know. The trust and camaraderie built in interpersonal relationships can boost productivity, creativity, and output across all aspects of work. But when you\u2019re working with a dispersed team, it can be harder to form those connections. <\/p>\n\n\n\n
The following tools help overcome the challenge of a disconnected culture. With these ideas, your remote team members can build working relationships with people who live half a world away.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
\n- GoProfiles<\/li>\n<\/ol>\n\n\n\n
This people platform is all about building a culture of genuine connection. It\u2019s 50% employee directory, 50% peer recognition platform, and 100% focused on the people at the heart of your company. <\/p>\n\n\n\n
It\u2019s especially useful for people working across time zones. As mentioned above, it lists time zone information clearly in each employee\u2019s profile. Their physical location appears in the org map, which lets you visualize your dispersed workforce and arrange meetups by location. <\/p>\n\n\n\n
Our company loves to use the map for \u201cgolinking.\u201d We meet up with people in our general area for breakfast, drinks, or even axe-throwing (yes, our Bay Area employees actually did that<\/a>). <\/p>\n\n\n\nAnother way GoProfiles promotes a positive culture is through peer recognition<\/a> awards, called Bravos. These appear publicly on profiles, surface in designated Slack channels, and accumulate over time to show how much teammates appreciate each other.<\/p>\n\n\n\n\n- Virtual game platforms\u00a0<\/li>\n<\/ol>\n\n\n\n
There are countless fun games to help build relationships across distributed teams. The only drawback is that these often require synchronous interaction, so you\u2019ll have to plan ahead. Here are some ideas:<\/p>\n\n\n\n
\n- Create timezone cohorts<\/strong> to connect people who are within three hours of each other. So, the Beijing contingent could challenge coworkers based in Melbourne to a fun game. Try Gartic Phone<\/a> (think telephone plus pictionary).<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n
\n- Plan synchronous interactions at regular intervals <\/strong>and far in advance<\/strong>. Ask people to hold time on their calendars for a quarterly virtual retreat \u2013 then it’s a built-in expectation. Give yourself time to plan something exciting. Our Culture Committee recently entertained us with an hour of live mini-games on Luna Park<\/a>.\u00a0<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n
\n- Invest in the best experience<\/strong>. This usually means paying for a virtual game platform with better support, a wider variety of games, and a more engaging UI. Some paid solutions are Jackbox Games, Confetti, and Team Building. If you\u2019re a smaller, cost-conscious team, you can still have fun with free team-building games<\/a>.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n
We\u2019ll tackle both of these issues below. Let\u2019s start with collaboration, a widely recognized challenge of remote work. In this remote work survey<\/a>, 20% of respondents cited difficulties with collaboration and communication as their biggest struggle with working remotely \u2013 and 10% specifically listed being in a different timezone than teammates. <\/p>\n\n\n\n Here are some best practices for improving collaboration within your dispersed workforce:<\/p>\n\n\n\n For instance, one team may solve problems best by communicating over chat, while others might thrive with quick off-the-cuff meetings.<\/p>\n\n\n\n For related tips, check out this article on ways to make communicating at work<\/a> way easier.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Building and maintaining a collaborative team culture is hard, especially in a virtual environment. And if your team\u2019s preferred work hours overlap only slightly, it\u2019s even harder. <\/p>\n\n\n\n We\u2019ve got general tips on creating a collaborative office space<\/a>, but when working across time zones, you might need more unique solutions. Here\u2019s what we recommend:<\/p>\n\n\n\n The first step to remote team success is understanding when and where your team works. This basic information creates transparency, facilitates scheduling, and manages expectations. Once you recognize time zone differences, working around them is easier.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Various digital tools help simplify the math around time zone calculations<\/strong>. Input your teams\u2019 different cities, compare time zones, and get recommendations for optimal meeting times. <\/p>\n\n\n\n Use your daily digital tools to clarify your online hours<\/strong>. For example, online calendars like Google Calendar list team members\u2019 time zones and automatically update your time zone if you\u2019re traveling. Or, communication platforms like Slack can show your in-office hours, meal and rest breaks, and OOO schedule. <\/p>\n\n\n\n Another good source of locations and time zones is an employee directory <\/strong>or employee map<\/strong>. Options like GoProfiles<\/a> help you easily find time zones on employees’ profiles \u2013 so you don\u2019t have to ask them in Slack every time. Plus, its map feature visualizes your distributed team.<\/p>\n\n\n\n In any company, effective collaboration requires accessible information. This is especially true in companies working across time zones, since information silos and workflow bottlenecks can waste days at a time. Streamline information access with knowledge management solutions, which can be broken down into these categories:<\/p>\n\n\n\n Internal Link Management apps provide simple, scalable knowledge management. They\u2019re more than just URL shorteners \u2013 they\u2019re both aesthetic and functional. For instance, GoLinks<\/a> allows you to create memorable, shareable go links that surface internal resources. This enhances asynchronous work by empowering self-service and connecting every employee to the resources they need. <\/p>\n\n\n\n Learn more about how you can benefit from an internal link management app<\/a> like GoLinks.<\/p>\n\n\n\n <\/a><\/p>\n\n\n\n Employees work better with people they know. The trust and camaraderie built in interpersonal relationships can boost productivity, creativity, and output across all aspects of work. But when you\u2019re working with a dispersed team, it can be harder to form those connections. <\/p>\n\n\n\n The following tools help overcome the challenge of a disconnected culture. With these ideas, your remote team members can build working relationships with people who live half a world away.<\/p>\n\n\n\n This people platform is all about building a culture of genuine connection. It\u2019s 50% employee directory, 50% peer recognition platform, and 100% focused on the people at the heart of your company. <\/p>\n\n\n\n It\u2019s especially useful for people working across time zones. As mentioned above, it lists time zone information clearly in each employee\u2019s profile. Their physical location appears in the org map, which lets you visualize your dispersed workforce and arrange meetups by location. <\/p>\n\n\n\n Our company loves to use the map for \u201cgolinking.\u201d We meet up with people in our general area for breakfast, drinks, or even axe-throwing (yes, our Bay Area employees actually did that<\/a>). <\/p>\n\n\n\n Another way GoProfiles promotes a positive culture is through peer recognition<\/a> awards, called Bravos. These appear publicly on profiles, surface in designated Slack channels, and accumulate over time to show how much teammates appreciate each other.<\/p>\n\n\n\n There are countless fun games to help build relationships across distributed teams. The only drawback is that these often require synchronous interaction, so you\u2019ll have to plan ahead. Here are some ideas:<\/p>\n\n\n\n\n
\n
\n
\n
\n
Tools for effective remote collaboration<\/strong><\/h2>\n\n\n\n
\n
\n
\n
\n
<\/figure>\n\n\n\n\n
\n
\n
\n
\n
\n
<\/figure>\n\n\n\nTools for building remote culture<\/strong> <\/h2>\n\n\n\n
\n
\n
\n
\n
\n