When your team spans multiple timezones, every scheduled interaction becomes a negotiation. Someone is always outside their normal working hours. The question is whether that burden is distributed fairly and communicated clearly.
The Three Rules
1. Always Include the Timezone
Never send a meeting invite or deadline that says “3pm” without specifying whose 3pm. The sender's timezone is not implied — it must be explicit.
Better: “3pm London time (GMT)” or “3pm ET (UTC-5).”
2. Rotate the Sacrifice
If a recurring meeting is scheduled at a time convenient for one timezone, rotate it periodically so that no single region is permanently disadvantaged.
A weekly standup at 9am New York is 2pm London, 11pm Sydney. Over time, this creates resentment and burnout for the Sydney team. Rotate the slot quarterly.
3. Default to Async
Many meetings can be replaced with asynchronous communication. A recorded video update, a shared document, or a threaded discussion often achieves the same outcome without requiring simultaneous attendance.
Reserve synchronous meetings for decisions that genuinely require real-time dialogue.
Communication Templates
When scheduling across zones, use this format:
“Let's meet on Tuesday 11 February at 15:00 UTC (10am New York / 3pm London / midnight Sydney). If this doesn't work for your timezone, please suggest an alternative.”
This template:
- Uses an unambiguous reference time (UTC)
- Shows the conversion for key locations
- Invites feedback from those who may be disadvantaged
Key Advice
The goal is not to find a time that works for everyone — that often does not exist. The goal is to make the trade-offs visible and rotate the burden fairly.