For companies with workforces that span oceans and time zones, overcoming logistical hurdles and maintaining team cohesion requires a special set of strategies. xero— a company that makes accounting software and has more than 4,500 employees in 19 offices in eight countries — knows a thing or two about bringing a team together across borders.
“The hardest part of managing people in different places is maintaining the human connection,” says Tony Ward, president of Xero Americas. It’s particularly difficult when it comes to large meetings where some participants are in person and others are on Zoom. “It’s a second-class meeting experience for remote team members,” says Ward. “They may have a hard time getting into the conversation or feel like they don’t know what’s going on.” As people began to return to the office this spring, Xero implemented a new meeting policy. Now everyone in the meeting, even those attending in person, logs in on a laptop with a headset. The goal is a more equitable experience.
Lack of physical proximity can also introduce bias into everyday business practices. Workers tend to form relationships with the people who are physically closest to them, which can inadvertently leave others out. Being aware of proximity bias is half the battle because it makes team members more likely to combat it consciously.
That’s why Xero’s inclusive leadership training covers strategies like reaching out to people in different regions to make sure they’re up to date on projects, sending detailed notes to employees who couldn’t make it to a meeting, and giving everyone the opportunity to speak in video discussions. .
Cross-border identity-based employee resource groups, or ERGs, can also mitigate proximity bias by helping employees connect based on identity rather than geography. Fifty percent of Xero’s North American staff are in one or more ERGs, including groups for women, LGBTQ+, or Black employees. ERG staff hold informal meetings to offer support and bond through shared experiences; for example, an ERG for Pacific Islanders held a virtual Lunar New Year celebration.
Navigating time zones is another challenge for borderless businesses. “You have to be mindful of not asking people to give up their evenings or early mornings to be part of a meeting,” says Faye Pang, Xero’s Canadian country manager. Xero gives your employees a playbook on “time zone mastery.” One of its most important principles: Not everything has to be a meeting. Employees are encouraged to use asynchronous communication whenever possible, such as Google Docs, pre-recorded videos, and scheduled Slack messages and emails. According to Xero leadership, the key to success is building flexibility and consideration into the corporate culture. That means encouraging people to use the tools that make life easier.
Xero also hosts cross-border events like trivia nights to bridge the gap between workers in different countries. Building in informal social time is key to creating a strong sense of togetherness. One way to do this is a Slack feature called Donut, which randomly connects employees for a digital version of the water cooler chat. “You get to talk to people you wouldn’t normally talk to,” says Ward. “People appreciate being asked how their day is going.”