Last Updated on April 3, 2019 by Jessica Adams
If you are looking to increase your success, you need to think “big picture”. It’s not just about your employees in the office anymore. If you are looking to expand your business to other countries, you will need to look at hiring people, literally, from all over the world.
When it comes to outsourcing, making the most of offshoring is a cheap way to get a healthy return. And contractors or freelancers are one of the most obvious ways to leverage different types of people.
If you are at the point where you are trying to expand your brand or business, freelancers can offer you the help you need. But managing freelancers all over the world can seem a bit daunting.
How will you move forward in this fashion while maintaining an effective leadership position? Let’s talk more about managing freelancers all over the world and see if we can’t come up with some ground rules!
How to Get In
The (Time) Zone:
Managing Freelancers
All Over The World
Know Your Time Zones
This is the biggest priority. You need to know exactly what time it is in whatever country you’re doing business with or where your employees live. Whether it’s Indonesia, Indiana or Iceland, you can effectively manage problems if they arise at a certain time but only if you know what time it is.
There is no point getting frustrated if you send out an email and don’t get an instant reply if it’s 3 in the morning their time! Using various calendar tools will help keep you on track and give you a structure that is essential to organize how you cascade information.
Understand If You Are Understandable
Speaking to natives of other countries comes with a lot of challenges in making sure your communication is comprehensive.
Not just in terms of how you lay out emails but also, how you come across. There is no point in using colloquialisms, it’s far better for you to use plain, straightforward language.
However, there will be times where you have to provide documents that are incredibly detailed and complex.
Perhaps you’ll have concerns with regards to the language barrier? If so, you should take advantage of companies like Lighthouse Translations so that you can make sure your point comes across correctly.
Communication should be simple yet effective, regardless of who you’re speaking too. It’s not just about the language barrier; it’s something that we should all embody, regardless of who we are managing.
Set Limits For Yourself
If you are working 12 to 15 hours a day and you’re hanging on for an email from someone on the other side of the world, you need to ask yourself, “is this something that can wait until I wake up tomorrow morning?”
There is no point in managing people on the other side of the world if you don’t have clarity and focus. If you are unhealthy and working yourself to the bone, it will get to the point where you will curse this job.
Instead, set limits for yourself and know when something can wait until the morning. You will feel better for it and you will be able to tackle your work far more efficiently.
This has been a guest contribution from Hannah Baker, in the Small Biz “Mini-Post” Series. 1K words or less & open for Guest Posting!
Edited by Jessica Rose Adams
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