Outsourcing your software development has a lot of benefits, such as cost savings and access to top remote talent.
However, it also comes with challenges. Time zone differences can be particularly challenging, for instance, especially if you’re working on a project that requires synchronous collaboration.
Yet, don’t let this deter you from hiring an offshore team for your IT outsourcing needs.
Here are a few strategies you can use for successful project delivery and seamless collaboration despite such challenges.
Be Clear About Communication Lines
Clear and effective communication is one way to get around time zone challenges.
So, be sure to outline the main communication channels you’ll all be using.
For example, direct messaging is good for issues that need immediate attention. You can ask your service providers to contact you via Skype or Slack for these.
However, for more in-depth discussions, move them to emails via Gmail or Microsoft.
Of course, don’t forget to include communication channels for virtual meetings. Zoom or Teams are good for those.
Try to Align Your Working Hours
Another way to overcome time zone differences is through overlapping work hours.
If you’re in the US and are working with remote workers from the Philippines, you might ask them to work the graveyard shift.
This way, your onshore and offshore teams can collaborate in real time.
However, if this isn’t possible, you can dedicate a certain time of the day when your time zones overlap to meet up with your contractors and catch up on work progress.
Establish Expectations
Set clear expectations by letting your outsourced team know all about the project requirements and deadlines from the get-go.
Doing so lets them understand the importance and consequences if your team misses the deadlines.
Further, this makes it easier to hold them accountable, especially when they have been informed from the get-go.
Take Note of Public Holidays and Other Important Dates
There are different public holidays across different countries.
You can then decide whether to honor them for your offshore team or not, but be aware that you might have to pay extra for requiring IT services during these days—depending on your arrangements.
For example, in the Philippines, asking employees to work on a regular holiday would mean paying 200% of their daily rate.
Other rules govern special non-working holidays too.
If you find it all too confusing, you might want to commission a staffing agency, like Remote Staff, to sort it all out so you won’t have to.
Take Advantage of Project Management Tools
Project management tools can bridge the gap between you and your offshore team.
Using these programs ensures transparency among your teams and makes it easier to assign tasks.
It allows you to monitor progress without micromanaging.
Document Knowledge Transfers Properly
Lastly, you can work around time zone challenges by properly documenting internal processes.
Having complete documentation provides a working reference and lessens the back-and-forth between onshore and offshore teams.
This facilitates a more seamless collaboration despite the time difference.
Don’t Let the Time Zone Difference Scare You
While hiring a team halfway across the globe is daunting, technology has made it possible to work wonders with them.
With the right strategies, like the ones above, you can ensure your project’s success despite—or even because of—a distributed team.
If you’re ready to get started, partner with a reliable staffing company, like Remote Staff. We’ve been around for 16 years (and counting!) so we know what we’re doing.
Schedule a callback with us and let’s discuss your job order needs.
Herschel Lili has years of professional writing experience. She enjoys reading anything under the sun, but in recent years, she has turned her attention to books that leave her feeling profound. At present, she looks forward to learning everything she can about remote working and sharing the knowledge through succinct write-ups.
