10 Tips For Those Who Want To Work Across Time Zones
10 Tips For Those Who Want To Work Across Time Zones
The world has become much smaller thanks to new technologies, so it is no longer surprising that employees and customers perform their work in different parts of the world. Here are ten essential tips for collaborating across time zones.
1- Use asynchronous means of communication:
Most people use simultaneous communication when they need to communicate in a group and at the same time. But if the time zones are far apart for some clients or colleagues, then perhaps you should consider using asynchronous means of communication, through which you will be able to do many things independently and at different times. For example, someone in Tokyo can upload files to any file-sharing site (such as Google Docs), so that a person in the United States can access the data when this is possible.
2- Use Clock Time Zones:
Although it may seem intuitive to use the watch, people sometimes forget about time zones. It’s hard to remember the timezone of every team member if they are scattered around the world, but by using the time zone clock you don’t have to remember it. There are applications that you can download for this purpose, which are special watches bearing multiple faces, and there are websites such as timeanddate.com that help you track time all over the world.
3- Create a consistent agenda:
Did the team members set regular agendas! Because it can be impossible for everyone to be connected at the same time, predicting when someone might be online is easier if their schedule is consistent. For example, if your clock in New York is eight in the morning, and you need to have a conversation with a colleague in Paris, you will know by checking his schedule that he will be online because it is now 2 pm Paris time.
4- Check out the new tools:
The tools that facilitate the collaboration process are constantly changing, as websites appear and disappear in a terrifying way. Even if you are familiar with the tools you use such as e-mail or live chat, you should always be aware of what modern technologies have to offer.
5- Create Effective Communication Strategies:
E-mail has long been an option for many employers, but as companies advance, their communication technologies must advance with them as well. Not many companies use fax machines anymore, do they? Chat services are designed to help companies communicate very quickly. Services like Slack and HipChat have dedicated themselves to helping people connect.
Avoid the 24/7 work program.
It can be difficult to stop working, but no one can work 24 hours a day, seven days a week, that’s impossible. Managing a team spread across multiple time zones will require good employees you can trust. Have everyone share responsibilities, and everyone will start working more efficiently.
7- Try to meet with team members:
Although it can be difficult to hold such encounters, teams whose members meet each other on a regular basis score higher in their productivity. These encounters also generate a sense of union, which in turn will allow the group to bond more. Every now and then try to hold conferences or meetings in easy-to-reach areas.
8- Look for Productivity:
When you have a remote team, you need to be able to effectively track the productivity of that team. Monitor the results of the work the team produces to make sure each member is doing their job. There are several programs that allow you to track productivity, such as SpectorSoft and NetVizor.
9- Trust each other:
Although you can download software that helps you monitor employees, you need to have a certain amount of trust in your team members. Never suspect that employees are not doing their jobs unless you have a good reason to think about it. When team members feel unreliable or underappreciated, they will not be happy and may also feel that you do not stick to them.
10- Pay attention to the difference in timing:
Above all, don’t expect anyone to wake up when it is not normal for them to wake up. If the hour is where you live at 2 in the afternoon, then this means that the other part of the world corresponding to you is inactive right now. Don’t be the person calling team members at 1 am to talk about business matters.
