Tips for Remote Collaboration with a 15-hour Time Difference
My tips and tricks to boost efficiency when working with remote teams across different time zones.
Throughout my career, I've worked in Japan while collaborating with colleagues in the US (Pacific and Central time). While global teamwork has its challenges, it also offers benefits. To help you excel in this environment, I'm sharing my personal tips and tricks for effective remote team collaboration.
Create Overlap Time for Your Team
No single time frame will suit every team. Each team should hold a meeting or poll to determine a suitable time block when all members can meet synchronously. This overlap time is crucial for scheduling regular meetings and providing a window for real-time communication. The more overlap, the better. Ideally, aim for 2-3 hours a day, if possible. In practice, some members may need to rise earlier, while others may need to adjust their schedules later. Be reasonable in these adjustments, as the goal is to establish a consistent schedule rather than a one-time overlap.
Use worldtimebuddy.com to find the most suitable overlap time for your team.
Master the Art of Meetings
Schedule regular meetings during overlapping times, but be mindful not to fill up all available time slots. Keep these meetings concise and cover multiple topics efficiently.
When scheduling one-off meetings, aim to plan them within the overlap time as well. However, if a meeting must be scheduled outside of normal working hours, the affected individual should have the right to request a rescheduling.
Punctuality is essential; always start and end meetings on time. Preventing meetings from running over time shows respect for everyone's schedules.
Aim for consistency in scheduling. While rotating meeting times across different time zones may seem thoughtful, it can disrupt attendees' day-to-day routines.
How to Have Effective Meetings
Team meetings can be categorized into two types: process-oriented and mission-oriented. Process-oriented meetings occur regularly, serving as a platform to share information, gather feedback, and make quick decisions. In contrast, mission-oriented meetings are more sporadic, tailored for discussions needed to achieve specific goals. Teams should prioritize holding more process-oriented meetings than mission-oriented ones.
For example, I run a standup 3 times week where members spend 20 minutes offline updating a shared doc on that they have done, what they will do, and any questions they have for others in the team. Then we meet for 40 minutes to walk through every item, giving answers and making quick decisions as we move through the list. Anything that requires more discussion will be done in a follow-up call. This approach effectively aligns a team of 5-7 from multiple disciplines, often wrapping up with 10 minutes to spare.
Aim to over-communicate in writing in both cases. Since not all your colleagues can always attend meetings, their best method for catching up on shared information and decisions made is by reviewing meeting documents. Assign a note-taker and utilize AI tools like Fireflies.ai or Otter.ai, or Zoom's meeting recording feature to acquire a transcript of the conversation.
How to excel at asynchronous communication
Post status updates on public channels and maintain discussions on public channels. If your team has an internal channel, I recommend keeping it public so non-members can still access important threads. If an external member monopolizes the channel, kindly request them to continue the conversation elsewhere.
Stay in the Loop with Weekly Status Updates
Consider sending out weekly status updates to keep the skip-level organization informed. Share these updates via email and Slack to reach individuals who may not have 1-1 meetings with your team due to work function or timezone differences.
Respond Efficiently to Questions
When responding to questions, keep in mind that the asker might have logged off by the time you reply. Along with any clarifying questions, include a partial answer based on your understanding of their inquiry. It's better to provide some information than to leave them waiting another day for your response.
When Scheduling Large Meetings Across Time Zones
If a large meeting with everyone is necessary, consider scheduling it twice to accommodate key time zones. It can be challenging to gather everyone without disrupting regular work, so try to keep such meetings infrequent to maintain productivity.
Making the Most of Non-Overlap Hours
Use the time outside of overlap hours to focus on your work. With meetings packed into the designated overlap period, you'll have a solid 3-5 hours of uninterrupted deep work, as many of your colleagues won't be around to ask for help. This setup can be highly effective for delivering work efficiently.
- Revised with Henshu.ai