The main project management tools include Trello, Basecamp, and Asana, which keep track of what everyone is working on as it progresses through the pipeline. Teams can use Slack for better communication, which will also working remotely in a different time zone assist you overcome the disadvantages of a remote working team. In your remote developer job, you can use the tools and practices that are the best fit and make working remotely a pleasurable experience for everybody.
That could be fostered through social meetings thanks to video chat and conference calls. Consider milestones successfully met, celebrations of team birthdays, and weekly virtual water-cooler conversations. Using this type of tool makes handling projects in various time zones simpler because each team member has access to the system from anywhere around the globe. Managing teams across different time zones don’t have to be difficult, even though it may look frightening and complicated. Virtual teams have increased in popularity in the past few years because of their capability to offer variety, specialization, and better production.
How do I know what time zone someone’s in?
If you’ve made it this far, there’s a good chance you’re either looking to find a remote job, already working remotely, or looking to hire remote employees. One of the best things about Help Scout is that they publish how they work and their post on how to build a globally remote team that really works is a great example. Ideally, your company will set up Google Drive, Dropbox, or whatever file-sharing system you use so files are automatically accessible to the entire company.
Similarly, working across time zones is beneficial to companies on a larger, operational level. Having distributed teams working across time zones essentially implies round-the-clock workflow. Companies employing diverse teams spanning multiple time zones enjoy complete time zone coverage. Having all shifts and time zones covered is especially convenient for support and customer service as people don’t need to work past the conventional work hours in their countries, in the case of an emergency. However, other departments and industries can benefit from the approach as well.
Working Across Time Zones Can Be Tough. Here’s How To Do It Right.
Similarly, if a hiring manager in California gives a Dublin-based job candidate an interview time without noting EST or PST, the job candidate might log on for a video interview at the wrong time. Even when you’re working with a colleague in the same country as you, not getting as specific as possible about dates or times can cause confusion or slow your processes. If you’re based in your office headquarters, Kelly says you should “remember that your counterparts in most international offices are accustomed to working odd shifts all the time.” In this article we’ll compare and contrast commercial time tracking software with its open source counterpart. However, it can be practical when sending non-urgent communications to overseas coworkers without taking them up early in the morning or interrupting their nightly routine. It also indicates that you can collaborate with other team members wherever you are, as it does not matter what time zone they happen to be in.
- Keeping time zone differences front of mind when creating processes and systems will go a long way to ensure collaboration, communication, and productivity.
- In addition to following those best practices, it’s good to take inventory of the tools, apps, and software programs available to the team.
- To be productive and efficient when working across time zones, you should be respectful, organized, and adaptable.
- The key to successfully working across multiple time zones is good communication and setting clear expectations is the first step.