How to Manage a Remote Team Across Time Zones
Time zones can be tricky when managing a remote team, but that shouldn’t stop you. | Photo by Thought Catalog on Unsplash
Working on a remote team or thinking of establishing a remote team comes with valid concerns. Keeping communication, company updates, team camaraderie, and encouraging a healthy work-life balance are a few things to keep in mind of course, but as the remote work trend continues to grow and flourish, it’s easy to see that maintaining a dispersed team is doable and comes with several benefits.
First, let’s look at those before going over a few ways to manage the concerns.
Opens Your Team to Talent Across the Globe
You can widen your net in searching for the right addition to your team when you’re remote. And if you disregard timezone (aka location around the globe), the possibilities of finding the right developer, app designer, or project manager is even greater. The right talent doesn’t have to be in your town, let alone country, and looking out from large tech cities is a good thing as more people leave urban hubs like New York and San Francisco.
Your Team’s Able to Work Around the Clock
Whether that’s having late-night or 24/7 customer service reps or a tech team at-the-ready to tackle bugs or system issues, a team spread over several time zones can ensure your company’s prepared for whatever comes your way.
Think of the 24/7 news-cycle or international markets in that way— dispersed teams enable these functionalities and the right apps, tech, and planning help capitalize on it.
Plus, as is natural with working remotely, you own and manage many of your projects before sending it off to a manager for approvals or other teammates to take on their portion. When utilized correctly, a dispersed team means that there aren’t wait times for such steps. Teams can work within their time zone, pass it along, and hear back by the time they sign in the next day or shift.
That being said, having teams in different time zones does take a bit of planning.
It’s a Benefit to Team Members
The remote working trend grew in popularity because it gave workers flexibility to mold the day to their satisfaction. Aircall points out that it’s also greener and lowers cost while increasing happiness for your teammates.
Work wherever you want. Work whenever you want. Work however you want. These characteristics gave workers freedom to work in a style that suited them individually. Early bird, night owl, new parents, digital nomads . . . the regular office-commute/9-5 model doesn’t suit everyone and the remote team work-frame allows each person to choose-their-own adventure so-to-speak.
That being said. Remote work and a dispersed team over several time zones does have difficulties, as any type of work-set-up brings. But the right planning and mindset can capitalize on the benefits over the drawbacks.
Here are some ways to manage your remote team when you’re in different time zones.
Know Your Teammates’ Time
You know those walls with all of the clocks and the tiny placard specifying several major cities? Okay, sure that sounds more like the movie set version of a newspaper office, but being aware of each teammate’s time will be sort of like that.
Browser plug-ins like FiO, which stands for Figure It Out, make it easy and much more eye-catching to track the different time zones in the team. Another favorite is Space Time.
Or at the very least, adding everyone’s city to your world clock on your phone or doing a cursory Google search before you send them a message or make an ask for the day is courteous.
To set meetings, Calendly or a Google Doodle can help managers find appropriate times to host meetings or conduct group calls. And Slack now has time zone reminders, if you happen to message a teammate in the middle of the night.
More importantly, communicate clearly to teammates at all levels the company’s policy for hours to set proper expectations. Are their certain shifts? Is it flexible? Should people let you know when they’re traveling, if they have appointments, etc.?
Keeping on top of each other’s time zones keeps you communicating and supportive of each other’s work styles. And helps you communicate often about projects, timelines, and expectations of when someone might be online.
Curate Office Culture with a Go-To Channel
Why is this important? A workplace’s culture creates a sense of community for your team. At an individual level, it encourages everyone, creates a sense of belonging, and gives everyone the space to learn from and commiserate with. Quite often a sense of community at any company is an extension of the company’s brand. And especially with remote workers, having that connectivity can help with the feeling of isolation that can come from working from home or working solo all day.
A few favorite ways to give space for non-work related chat: a Watercooler Slack channel (a classic go-to), a newsletter update on your teammates with announcements on big news, monthly video-happy hours where everyone grabs a drink wherever they are, and Skype book clubs. If you can make the time, try setting up annual trips for the team. Come together in a new city, set a few goals for the year, and actually see each other IRL.
Share Your Work
Did that sound braggy? Good. Because you should promote yourself and encourage your teammates to do the same.
Working remote does mean that your teammates are often working solo on a project. On the plus side, this means that they understand their accountability and that they can focus on producing good work. On the contrary, it does mean that those “aha” or “heck yes!” moments are also celebrated by one’s self. And sometimes throwing those hands up in the air in sheer glee that you did the thing can look pretty weird while everyone sits quietly at the local coffee shop.
Give a platform where your teammates can brag about each other’s accomplishments, either with a weekly stand-up (virtually of course) or a Slack channel. Groove HQ has a set time when everyone meets and gets on the same page for the week.
Other tools like a project management board like Asana or Trello can also show when mile markers are done. And keep work flowing.
Encourage each other at all levels when certain tasks are done too. Not only does this keep the team up-to-date on what you’re all working on, but it keeps each person feeling like their work is seen and appreciated.
Continue to Communicate Expectations
Communicate your work, timelines, and expectations clearly to your teammates or project mates. Appoint project managers when needed. Invite teammates to deadlines on a calendar. Make clear policies for what to do when traveling, flex days, around doctor appointments, holidays, vacation, or sick days. These all sound like no brainers but it’s good to clearly communicate so everyone’s on the same page and work within the limits when needed.
Finding the right teammates, the right tools, and the right flow of communication takes time, but the beauty of remote work is its flexibility. It encourages brands and companies to think past the 9-5 and single office and more fluidly. A few guidelines can set the parameters, sure, but the where, when, and how can be dictated to however your team works best.