Coordinating with individuals in different time zones is tough. To help you manage your workday, we’ll share eight tips for seamless collaboration with overseas partners.
1. Inform Third Parties About Your Location Right From the Get-Go
Immediately disclose your time zone. Mention your schedule and preferred communication channels while introducing yourself so that your coworkers know how to reach you. Also, take this chance to set boundaries. Explain the rare instances wherein it would be acceptable to message even after your shift has ended.
To communicate your schedule more effectively, indicate it on your online profiles. Not everyone will remember it, after all. Including your office hours in your email signature, work chat profile, LinkedIn account, and Google profile will prevent misunderstandings.
Just make sure to update them whenever necessary. Whether you’re working different shifts or clocking out early, sharing changes with your schedule is your responsibility.
2. Download an Accurate Time Zone Converter
Setting appointments with remote teams is tricky. Not only do they follow uncoordinated work schedules, but some forget to compute time zone differences. Meeting hosts can’t just provide the same schedule in 24 time zones.
To ensure that everyone follows the same schedule, your team should use time zone converters. There are several options available. You could even integrate them with team-wide work tools like project management systems and calendar apps.
3. Use Military Times and Specify Time Zones When Scheduling Plans
Make a habit of using military time and specifying time zones when scheduling meetings. Leave no room for guesswork. You could even include a reminder telling recipients to convert the indicated time to their local time zones. That way, no one overlooks the time zone abbreviations.
To avoid confusion, follow the most commonly used time zone across your team. Let’s say you’re from New York. Although it would be convenient to use your local time zone, your teammates from another state or country might find frequent conversions a hassle.
As for freelancers, follow time zones that benefit your clients. Making adjustments on your end will make you look professional and gracious, leaving your partners with a positive impression of you.
4. Automate Appointment Booking With Scheduling Tools
When booking appointments with remote workers, you’ll notice that much time is wasted waiting for confirmation. Time zone differences make it challenging to get real-time responses. If the other parties live on the opposite side of the world, you likely won’t hear from them until the next business day. Even a few back-and-forth emails could take a week.
To streamline the process, use a reliable appointment scheduling tool. Widely used options like Google Calendar and Calendly automatically display available dates for all parties involved. Users simply select their preferred slots. Once everyone has chosen a date, the app will tally the results so that the host can decide whether to push through with the meeting.
5. Outsource or Automate Certain Business Processes
If you frequently change schedules for time-sensitive yet repetitive tasks, consider offloading them to AI instead. Free up your time for more complex projects. Automated systems can handle tedious matters like appointment scheduling, time recording, email sorting, and project tracking.
For tasks that AI can’t automate, hire freelancers. Look for skilled, trusted professionals who can take your place during your off-hours. But once your team’s workload increases, ask your HR department or supervisor to get a permanent employee.
6. Use an Organized Project Management Platform for Your Team
While crucial, approval processes impede task completion. Even reviewing sales pitches or business proposals could waste several days if the parties take hours to reply.
To speed up the process, simplify task tracking. Use project management software programs as a central location for team-wide projects wherein users can assign, tick off, cancel, and approve tasks at their own pace. Here, remote workers can complete tasks without communicating away from the platform.
7. Familiarize Yourself With the Holidays Observed in Different Countries
Since you work with remote teams worldwide, you should familiarize yourself with the holidays observed in other countries. Religions and cultures have differing beliefs. It’s disrespectful to downplay another country’s major holiday just because you don’t follow it.
Let’s say you work with Indians. Although Thanksgiving is a minor holiday for most Indians, they place much importance on Diwali, a festival of lights celebrated around October or November. It would be inconsiderate to assign critical assignments during this period.
Also, keep track of countries that observe daylight saving time (DST). People who use DST turn their clocks ahead by an hour during summertime to save electricity. It’s not a holiday. However, it could cause confusion when setting appointments.
8. Try Out Different Work Schedules
While remote work offers time flexibility, it also comes with erratic schedules that require routine adjustments. Remote teams must find time slots that work for everyone. You’ll likely work shifts that you didn’t as an office employee, so prepare a few tricks to stay awake at work.
Keep an open mind to different schedules. If you’ve been working the same shift throughout your career, take this chance to overhaul your routine. For instance, you could do your chores and workouts earlier in the day. Who knows? You might discover that you’re more efficient and productive when working outside standard office hours.
Work Efficiently in Different Time Zones
Efficiently working with overseas partners requires careful planning. The person on the other end of the screen doesn’t live in the same time zone as you, so you shouldn’t force prompt turnarounds and urgent requests. Likewise, manage your workload accordingly. Offload time-consuming, critical tasks like setting meetings, sorting emails, and making announcements to AI systems.
If your daily tasks involve managing a remote team, consider creating a team-wide schedule to follow. Yes, people have differing shift preferences. As much as you’d want to accommodate them, your workers might not get much done if they rarely work the same schedule.
