Tips for teams that work across multiple time zones

Having a team full of digital nomads is not so rare nowadays, but it was nearly unthinkable just a couple of years ago. With the members of your team scattered across the continents, some difficulties are bound to arise from time to time, and it’s important to know how to deal with them quickly and efficiently.

Different time zones create a lot of problems for people trying to monitor the overall progress. However, with a few strategies and some smart software tools, there are several tricks that can make the job a hell of a lot easier.

Clearly define your company goals

Just because thousands of miles separate you from your coworkers, it doesn’t mean that you should completely abandon communication. On the contrary, teams that work across multiple time zones have to be extra careful here, as the slightest misunderstandings can send the entire project on a downward spiral. When working hours are completely out of whack, a clearly defined plan of action needs to exist more than ever. In case you are an employee, don’t be afraid to ask questions immediately, as you might not get a chance to do so afterwards.

Hold meetings from time to time

Find a time that works for each member of your team, and make sure you get together on frequent basis. In isolation, workers can quickly lose their motivation, and start slacking off, which can destroy the team morale in a manner of days.

Nowadays, there are a ton of available software options that are more than adequate for this task, and you’ll be able to find them with just a few clicks and a quick search.

Don’t be afraid to show appreciation for the people you work with

Is there anything cooler than working for a company that recognizes the importance of happiness with the employees? By allowing us to travel as much as we like, and having the trust in us to always get the work done on time, the employers showcase the willingness to embrace new technologies and the evolve with time.

As a sign of appreciation, you can send an unexpected little gift to your coworkers and bosses from time to time, just to boost their mood a bit more. There is no need to get crazy expensive here either. You’d be surprised with how powerful just a little postcard and a thank you note can be.

Plan a get together trip

Online communication is one thing, but there’s nothing that can truly change live human interaction. Now, we know how challenging this task can be, as it’s extremely difficult to honor everyone’s schedule, but in our humble opinion, team getaways are events of utmost importance.

We all love to travel, so why not do it together for a couple of days and get to know each other on a personal basis? Additionally, events like these strengthen the bonds between the management and team members, which are necessary to make everything run as smoothly as possible.

Every member of the team needs to have an input

Because it’s difficult and sometimes downright impossible to hold meetings with the entire team assembled, the need to take everyone’s opinion into account cannot be understated. However, employers need to develop a specific plan on how to do so, because otherwise, these meetings can drag on into eternity.

A bunch of apps and web programs have been developed to fit such needs, so there is plenty of contenders to choose from. While most of the good ones aren’t necessarily free of charge, it’s a smart investment to make, as you cannot put a price tag on good teamwork.

Divide the chat into smaller groups

Group communication is the key, but if you don’t want to clog up the main chat, you might want to create a few separate rooms, to maintain the workflow. This is especially true in cases when the team consists of 10+ members, where the chat can go off the rails in no time. Additionally, some tasks don’t have to be public, and are best served as part of these smaller groups.