by Kate Proykova and Sandra Lynn
[Sandra] In any given week, I’m in a Zoom meeting with people in well over 6 countries. Business owners from Uruguay to India to Bulgaria, from Chile to Australia to the UK to Germany can easily network these days. For me, this is not a recently accepted covid-phenomena but the way I’ve conducted business globally my entire career (although not on Zoom, and not all these people at once). With my agencies, I worked remotely abroad, hired remote support from abroad, spoke at international conferences and basically always thought beyond any borders.
[Kate] The internet has facilitated international communication and led to companies doing business around the world. In 2004 I started working at a startup web hosting company from Bulgaria and we were selling hosting services to website owners globally. Then I joined several marketing agencies, again serving international customers from Europe, the US, and Australia. I’ve worked with customers who have facilitated global teams and were able to provide lower costs and faster terms because of that.
Even with remote work being more widely accepted these days, people especially from the US tend to stay confined within their own borders. But there are significant advantages to building a team around the globe.
For most companies, though, remote work means that the employee works from home and home is within roughly the same timezone as the home office or headquarters. But what would it look like if your team worked from different time zones around the world?
If you run a business that does not require frequent in-person attendance, this could be a great solution to scale up your growth.
Here are the top 4 ways in which a global team can help US companies produce better work for their clients:
#1 – More Work Hours
With a remote team that is dispersed around the world, teams working in varied time zones can tackle tasks around the clock up to 24/7 but working typical shifts and in their daytime. This can increase the speed for projects to be completed which can add revenue by taking in more projects. The increased availability makes it possible to meet tight deadlines and deliver projects faster. You can get the job ready on your desk in the morning when your day starts.
Global teams have more available hours in a day so the coverage for around-the-clock customer service and workload expands.
Therefore, global collaboration lead to increased productivity and more income.
#2 – Cost Savings
Hiring a global remote team can be a lot more cost-effective than hiring in-house staff. There would be significant cost-savings to hiring team members from lower-cost locations. There are many highly-skilled workers living in less expensive areas. In addition, new job creation at lower rates means a company can hire more help, more often and scale faster. This can be especially beneficial for startups or small businesses that have limited budgets.
#3 – Greater Efficiencies
With more work time, there is greater flexibility in scheduling meetings and managing deadlines. If you use technology to your advantage, quicker response and greater attention are possible. Tools like video meetings, CRM and project management software, and messaging apps help to stay connected with everyone in multiple ways. With greater flexibility comes more efficiencies. With more efficiencies there is a higher rate of productivity and project success.
#4 – Increased Creativity and Innovation
If you don’t share the same core office hours this could actually expand your opportunities to communicate. Fewer group meetings can lead to more specific task-focused conversations and improved communications. Strong messaging rules and great tools can ensure the process goes smoothly. The improvements in policies and processes benefit the entire company.
Cross-border conversations and with non-native speakers forces additional clarity, concise word choice, and over-communicating which benefits everyone on both sides. This can also lead to improved communication skills for everyone and a diverse and more engaged team.
Working on projects globally brings internationally diverse thoughts and concepts to the work.
Companies see a wider perspective on how to approach different work challenges. Different styles and more diverse talent bring a different work ethic, attitude, and focus, along with a fresh perspective. This can lead to new ideas and approaches that might not have been considered otherwise.
Overall, having a remote team with members from different time zones can provide US companies with a range of benefits that can help them produce better work for their clients. In global economic terms, it also leads to creating a global pool of talent with international service knowledge and to an overall reduction in income differences between countries. US companies can gain a competitive advantage in any marketplace, anytime, 24/7.
Instead of just hiring remote workers, build a global team!
Kate Proykova [LI]: Digital marketer. Strategist and implementater. Problem solver, listener, continuous learner
Sandra Lynn [LI]: Business and marketing advisor helping grow digital conversations for entrepreneurial leaders and global organizations with fresh marketing strategy that simplifies digital business and attracts more audience for growth.
Ardent Skills 