Since much of the world’s interaction has moved online for practical purposes, it’s not surprising that business communication application use has surged. Among others, Skype, Google Meet, Microsoft Teams, and especially Zoom have all seen an exponential rise in downloads and usage over the last few weeks.
The growth in teleconferencing and other types of online meetings has also presented a new challenge to the newly “virtual” globally mobile: dealing with time zones while scheduling meetings, and setting up one’s own daily schedule. A simple oversight in determining where and when a meeting takes place can mean being late for it, or even missing it entirely. Fortunately, there’s a website for that!
World Time Buddy provides a handy visual graphic that allows you to enter your own time zone, and then compare your days and times to others around the globe. When I receive an invitation to Zoom with a destination service provider in Johannesburg on Thursday at 1pm, I can simply use the search field and then add Johannesburg as the next row…and know it will not be a lunch meeting for me!
And if I need to schedule a meeting this Friday with colleagues in Paris and Santiago, some quick additions to my entry let me share our options with everyone:
World Time Buddy is just one of countless resources that Living Abroad’s International Relocation Center suggests for doing business and communicating globally. Whether you’re in person or on a webcam, we help you maximize your business relationships, opportunities, experiences, and development.
Written by Erin Fitzgerald, GMS, Content Manager
