In today’s global economy, business doesn’t just run nine-to-five—it runs twenty-four-seven. Projects don’t pause when the sun sets in one region; they simply shift to another time zone. For leaders, this nonstop reality brings not only challenges of balance and stamina, but also enormous opportunities to create efficiency, protect margins, and strengthen cash flow.
The refrain has become all too common. Anytime you ask a colleague, customer, or someone you are meeting for the first time how they are doing, the answers all seem to be the same:
- “It’s been crazy.”
- “I’m so exhausted from working extended hours.”
- “It just doesn’t stop.”
For many professionals, the days never seem to end as work bleeds from Europe to the U.S. to Asia. Colleagues I speak with, and I can personally attest to it, often log 16–18-hour days that transcend multiple time zones.
Much has been written about how to cope with this phenomenon from a health or leadership perspective. But not much has been written from a business acumen perspective: What are the operational, financial, and strategic implications of a global workforce stretched across time zones?
Here are five best practices leaders should know about working across multiple time zones.
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