The Benefits of Working Across Timezones
The Benefits of Working Across Timezones
As the sun sets and another workday comes to an end in a one-time zone, coffee or tea is being brewed to welcome the sun and the start of a new day in another.
Time zones provide tremendous benefits to organizations that operate across them but not without their share of challenges that must first be overcome. It takes certain levels of communication and organization to operate in multiple time zones but when done correctly, companies can operate at astonishing levels of productivity. Let's take a look at the benefits and challenges associated with working across time zones.
Benefits
Wider Talent Pool
Working across time zones means that you aren't limited to the local talent market. This usually also results in more bang for your buck. Companies often get highly specialized talent for less than what the local market dictates.
Positive Impacts on Company Culture
Teams that span different time zones will likely span different cultures as well. Not only does this automatically encourage a more inclusive company culture, but it also benefits the company by bringing together different perspectives, aesthetics, values, and ideals so that teams are building well-rounded, awesome products that can be appreciated more by a wider, more global audience.
Improves Collaboration
Team members understand that finding the most efficient and effective methods of collaboration are necessary. At Upstack, we use tools that aid us with collaboration and asynchronous communication.
Improves Communication
With individual members being in different locations, it is vital to communicate or even over-communicate. This greatly impacts workflow and the success of any software project.
Work Can Happen 24/7
When teams work in different time zones, someone can always be ready to tackle issues or make progress, meaning less downtime. As the idiom goes, "Make hay while the sun shines," and in this case, the sun is always shining somewhere.
Deepens the Thought Pool
New ideas will naturally flow with an expanded collection of minds. Problem-solving and creative thinking thrives well in this type of environment and the organization benefits as a whole.
Challenges
Language and cultural barriers
Overcoming language and cultural barriers is paramount to successfully implement teams that are distributed across a different time zone. These are elements that have to be considered during the hiring process. Is there a certain language minimum requirement you'll have for new recruits? It would be difficult to hire a python developer who speaks a different language. You also want to make sure potential candidates demonstrate personalities that are empathetic and open, this will make it much easier to overcome differences when they arise.
Building A Well Oiled Machine Takes Time
It does take time to recruit and develop the infrastructure necessary to get the most out of a team that is distributed across time zones but the time invested is worthwhile when compared to the benefits. Once systems and processes have been established, however, it can actually result in hacking the team building and hiring process.
Meetings and Time Management
With different team members in different time zones, it can be challenging to bring everyone together to meet and discuss ideas, progress, or problems. The challenge is finding compromises and overlaps that facilitate the necessary interaction. At Upstack, we rely on technology and daily stand-ups to make sure team members stay on the same page.
