4 Strategies for Managing a Multi-Cultural Working Crew [Infographic]

Alan Rita — March 18, 2017

Entrepreneurs these days are focusing more in forging teams with people from different places in the world alongside with various areas of expertise prior putting all efforts in building a reliable brand. We may wonder then, why is so important to rely on the services of people that, most probably, you haven’t got the chance to meet face-to-face rather than using Skype or other video chat services. The answer relies on the opportunities HR managers come across platforms like Freelancer, Upwork and so on, where tonnes of talented people from different places of the globe fill their curriculums and apply for job proposals while looking for a chance to showcase their expertise.

Then, and as many people would say, cultural differences – not to mention time zone gaps – can lead to multiple scenarios in which we need to set clear action plans for succeeding in our path towards crafting a well-respected brand worldwide. Let’s put in practice some easy-to-follow strategies to get the most of this cultural mix of hard working people!

1. Use tracking apps for boosting productivity

There is a notorious inconvenience with time zone gaps, and that relies on the fact that for some companies we are speaking of nearly 12-hour time difference, where it is almost impossible to coordinate simultaneous working shifts without altering sleeping habits from one of the affected parts.

Instead, you can always assign tasks to be done via apps like Meistertask, where multiple projects can be managed, projects can host several users with different tasks assigned at the same time, and mostly because of two key features of Meistertask:

1. Smartphone integration: for setting up notifications and reminders
   
2. Tracking time-span for completing each task

2. Avoid losing data by implementing Cloud services

Another important element to consider when looking for working optimisation is to acquire the services of Cloud storage providers like Dropbox or similar services. The reason behind such choice is directly linked to the possible scenario in which data might be needed in a hurry and that employee who happens to have it is unavailable at the moment. Whereas you can say this kind of events can occur in common office setups, it is more likely prone to happen if we speak of working teams made of people belonging to up to 4 different time zones.

Avoid data loss by setting a simple workflow: every single file has to be synced to the cloud by the end of the working day. By doing so, data will always be updated and accessible whenever needed. We can analyse the impact in audience engaging with several Cloud service providers for businesses in this infographic by Ooma :

Infographic courtesy of Ooma

3. Consider communication styles

Not everyone engages in conversations the same way as you do; therefore, it is important to acknowledge the best way to approach your employees. For some people is easier to host video conferences or phone calls; others, maybe because English is not their native language or just because they are shy, prefer written communication, and that is not a proof of not being able to accomplish tasks proficiently.

Managing a successful team is all about finding the right balance in which work and personal relationships are considered in the same regard, hence the importance of not making people feel awkward because they cannot cope with your preferred communication style for the job: you could be missing some great talent out there!

4. Create a space for your staff to engage in conversational mood

Many people can agree in the fact that it won’t be easy to make your employees feel part of a brand if there isn’t a physical space in which they can interact with their co-workers. Isolation doesn’t help the teamwork mindset, mostly tuning people to work under freelance mode where what happens with the brand doesn’t exactly affects them as long as the paycheck is cleared by the end of the month.

Photo courtesy of Phil Coffman

Play your cards wisely and give your crew a place in which they can interact with weekly video chats, WhatsApp groups or Skype chat groups. Not only this proves to be helpful for boosting business productivity, as many inconveniences can be solved among peers without needing you to interact, but also this can help you to analyse whether you should put more effort in making their working conditions even better, or letting them know that managerial decisions aren’t made just by CEOs, and that they play a key role in business growth.

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