Que faites-vous si votre équipe à distance s’étend sur plusieurs fuseaux horaires et horaires de travail ?

Few tips to manage effectively when your remote team spans multiple time zones and work schedules, ~Make Proper Communication. ~Get Precise with Deadlines and Dates. ~Be Aware of the Other Team Members Working Hours. ~Try Out Split Shifts and Working Days. ~Make Use of Virtual Tools and Techniques. ~Send Less Important Emails When Team Members are Active. ~Schedule Meetings at a Time that is Convenient for Everyone ~Be Flexible when You Need ~Understand the Limitations

If your remote team spans multiple time zones and work schedules, establish flexible communication methods, utilize project management tools for asynchronous collaboration, and implement overlapping hours for essential meetings or discussions to accommodate different time zones.

Establish Clear Communication Guidelines: Define which methods of communication should be used for different types of updates, questions, or emergencies. Also, set expectations for response times based on different time zones.

Use the technology you share to maximise your knowledge of when staff are operating. The benefit of MS Teams for our network of people helps us plan for coverage for clients but also makes us aware of the pressures on staff to be available in the remote world. We need to ensure that all have a quality of life so being aware without overstepping boundaries is important. We aim to use diary management to ensure people have space in their day and that all are respected for the time they start and finish. We have found that remote working means that increased pressure comes on "always on" so we need to balance business needs with wellbeing considerations.

Flexible Working Hours: Allow team members to work during hours that suit them best, as long as they can fulfill their duties and attend key meetings. This accommodates individual preferences and maximizes productivity.

MS Teams is a valuable tool for us but data is only as good as its entry so encourage teams to discuss and agree availability and share it so there is the space to plan and respect!

The optimal approach for ensuring everyone feels included and empowered as decision-makers is to collaborate on crafting solutions together. This could involve rotating meeting times or other strategies. Such inclusive practices foster a sense of value and belonging within the team.

Core Hours: Implement core hours during which everyone is expected to be available. This helps in scheduling meetings and collaborative work when all team members are online.

We encourage people to mark their beginning- and end-of-day on their work calendars since we know that staff have different beginning and end of day commitments. We encourage people to work diligently to find meeting times that fit within those times and to reach out to individuals personally if they need to schedule a meeting outside of a person's regular workday. This simple act of outreach helps people feel seen and included in the culture.

Rotate Meeting Times: If regular meetings are necessary, rotate meeting times to accommodate different time zones. This prevents always inconveniencing the same group of people.

I think there should be a personal balance established by each person (flexible work hours) and also a team balance, like moving the team meetings to different times on a regular basis, to avoid disadvantage of the same people, if the “ideal” time, convenient to everyone, doesn’t exist. And at least one „no meeting” day per week helps everybody focus on what matters most, at their convenience.

Use Asynchronous Communication: Leverage tools that support asynchronous communication, like email, shared documents, and project management software. This allows team members to contribute according to their own schedules.

Time Zone Awareness Tools: Use tools that help visualize the time zones of all team members. This can aid in scheduling and understanding availability.

Regular Updates: Encourage regular updates to keep the team informed of each member’s progress and deadlines. This helps everyone stay aligned and reduces the need for real-time communication. AND Cultural Sensitivity: Be aware of cultural differences, including national holidays and typical working hours, to foster inclusivity and respect within the team.

Be aware of the different time zones for each member of your team so that everyone feels involved and engaged especially in establishing meeting times. I've experienced it personally living on the West Coast where those that lack awareness can schedule meetings with themselves in mind by leave out the fact that there is a 3 hour difference for myself. This can cause additional stress and anxiety in being up early to engage with the team when everyone else has had time to prepare. Before you make a misstep, take everyone's time zone into account so that the level of engagement, energy, and productivity can be at it's highest potential. Our world has changed since the pandemic which require new behaviors that match the hybrid workplace.