Bridging Time Zones: Navigating Time Zone Resentment in Global Teams
Unlocking Collaboration Across Borders and Clocks!
Are you familiar with the feeling of time zone resentment?
If you’re part of an international virtual team, chances are you’ve encountered this phenomenon known as “time zone resentment.”
Decoding Time Zone Resentment
Coined by Campaign, a website specializing in industry insights, time zone resentment arises from the frustration experienced by individuals who have to attend meetings during the early morning or late evening due to operating within the “middle” time zone.
Drawing from my own experience collaborating with international teams, I’d like to offer my own interpretation:
Time zone resentment, or perhaps even “time zone fatigue” emerges from the constant need to work extended and unconventional hours to accommodate meetings with colleagues, clients, or stakeholders in different time zones. This prolonged schedule can lead to stress, fatigue, and a growing sense of resentment.
Have you ever found yourself pondering these questions? If so, you may have experienced time zone resentment:
- Can’t I find a job where everyone operates within the same time zone?
- Why do I always have to work late, early, or long hours simply because I’m not in the “preferred time zone”?
- Don’t my colleagues in other time zones respect my time? Why do they always schedule meetings outside of my regular working hours?
- Why do I feel like I’m working nonstop, day and night?
- Is it truly worth having an international team when we all have to work odd hours?
Common Scenarios that Lead to Time Zone Resentment
Before delving into the situations that contribute to time zone resentment, it’s important to note that remote, satellite, and international team structures vary widely.
Drawing from my personal and collective experiences, particularly those of my consulting peers and friends, a significant portion of our professional encounters involved international and offshore teams. These teams predominantly consisted of members from the United States and India, forming the basis for the scenarios described below.
Scenario 1: Working Night Shifts to Align with U.S. Office Hours
In certain Indian companies, there is a practice of adhering to “U.S. office hours.” Consequently, if the U.S. clients or team operates between 9 am and 5 pm EST, the Indian team would work from 7:30 pm to 3:30 am IST during standard time (early November to early March) or 6:30 pm to 2:30 am IST during Daylight Saving Time (early March to early November).
Scenario 2: Dominance of the Client’s Time Zone
In many Indian consulting companies, the U.S. office or client base happened to be primarily located in the Eastern Time Zone. This meant that professionals in India not only had to work in EST but also adhered to the American annual schedule. Consequently, they observed American holidays like Thanksgiving, Memorial Day, and Labor Day, instead of their Indian holidays, creating a cultural dissonance.
Scenario 3: Displeasure with Time Change, Particularly Daylight Saving Time
In India, where the clocks remain unchanged, individuals working with global team members residing in countries that observe daylight saving time often prefer standard time over daylight saving time. When the clocks shift forward during daylight saving time, people in India either work later or adjust their schedule to start and end their workday one hour later.
Scenario 4: Remote Team Members Scheduling Meetings Without Prior Consent
Some individuals take the liberty of checking the calendars of all stakeholders they want to invite to a meeting. They then schedule the meeting based on finding a common opening, without actually consulting those they are inviting.
In these cases, the meeting organizer might see that a colleague is available at 4 pm EST, which falls within the standard working hours of 9 am to 5 pm. Consequently, they schedule the meeting for that time. However, they may be unaware that the colleague actually starts their day at 5 or 6 am to accommodate meetings with international team members in other time zones. As a result, scheduling the meeting at that time extends the colleague’s workday from 5 am to 5 pm.
From another perspective, individuals can establish their own availability settings on their calendars, including defining normal working hours and blocking off time for lunch or breaks. Some calendars even offer a feature that allows for a buffer of 15 minutes between meetings.
Scenario 5: Round-the-Clock Work (All Day, All Night)
Building on the previous scenario, many individuals, particularly those in middle to upper management positions, feel like they are working nonstop. While not everyone necessarily works around the clock, some professionals find themselves meeting with various teams or groups worldwide from the moment they wake up until they go to sleep. These individuals end up working throughout the day, hoping for short breaks between meetings to catch up on other tasks.
Many find themselves constantly playing catch-up, lacking the time and energy to even read an article like this!
Potential Solutions to Overcome Time Zone Resentment
Rotating Meeting Times: Addressing Preference for a Specific Time Zone
To tackle time zone resentment in relation to this issue, a widely adopted solution entailed collective collaboration, where teams would compile and share their respective availability for weekly meetings. Each week, on a rotating basis, a team would select their preferred meeting time, thereby establishing standardized meeting times. Here’s an example:
- Week 1 (IST preference): 7 pm IST, 8:30 am EST, 5:30 am PST
- Week 2 (EST preference): 8:30 pm IST, 10 am EST, 7 am PST
- Week 3 (PST preference): 7:30 am IST, 9 pm EST, 6 pm PST
It’s important to note that this scheduling method may not work well for all teams, especially those with highly flexible schedules. Additionally, the more time zones involved, the more challenging it becomes to maintain such an arrangement. While this scheduling approach may not be feasible for all global teams, I have worked with teams that successfully implemented it.
Clear Communication and Planning
Establish effective communication channels and encourage open dialogue among team members. Prioritize proactive planning, sharing schedules in advance, and seeking consensus when scheduling meetings to avoid surprises or inconveniences.
Consider Hybrid Meeting Formats
Incorporate a hybrid approach to meetings, combining synchronous and asynchronous methods. Leverage recorded meetings or asynchronous communication channels to share updates and insights, reducing the dependency on real-time interactions across time zones.
Establish Core Overlapping Hours
Identify core overlapping hours when team members from different time zones are available simultaneously. These hours can be designated for essential collaborative activities, discussions, or decision-making processes to maximize productivity and minimize disruption.
Cultural Sensitivity and Awareness
Foster a culture of understanding and respect for diverse time zones and cultural differences. Encourage team members to learn about each other’s traditions, holidays, and time zone challenges, fostering empathy and accommodating individual needs.
Regular Feedback and Adaptation
Continuously seek feedback from team members regarding the effectiveness of existing time zone management strategies. Adapt and refine approaches based on evolving needs and feedback to ensure a more inclusive and harmonious work environment.
Side Remark
Keep in mind that team members in India or any Eastern country may not express their thoughts or feelings as openly as their American or Western counterparts. Directly discussing matters can be considered rude in many parts of Asia, and the higher one’s perceived position, the more rudely one may feel they are coming across when requesting a change. They may not always make direct requests, so it’s important to be attentive and read between the lines.
Final Reflections on Time Zone Resentment
Navigating the challenges of time zone resentment within global teams is an ongoing journey. As we conclude our exploration of this topic, it is crucial to reflect on the significance of fostering understanding, adaptability, and open communication among team members across different time zones. Time zone resentment can hinder collaboration, productivity, and overall team morale. However, by implementing potential solutions and embracing a mindset of empathy and flexibility, we can overcome these obstacles and cultivate a more harmonious and inclusive work environment.
As the world becomes increasingly interconnected, time zone differences will continue to shape the way we collaborate. By adopting proactive approaches, valuing individual needs, and continuously refining our strategies, we can transform time zone resentment into an opportunity for innovation, cross-cultural learning, and enhanced teamwork!
I hope you find this article useful. Thank you for reading and do follow for more such content on Productivity Strategies, Leadership, Data Engineering, ML & AI!
