Local Time

Managing can be hard when you’re in close proximity and international teams present their own challenges and rewards. Maria, our Customer Service Supervisor has trained our Sydney and LA teams and runs us down on the all the big questions about travelling for work and managing teams internationally.
Tell us about your recent work trip to the US.
My recent work trip to sunny California was amazing to say the least. It was nice to get out of my usual routine in Sydney and have the challenge of adapting to the LA lifestyle and new work environment for an entire month. It really gave me the opportunity to be hands on and understand the Hello Molly U.S processes a lot better. I also welcomed 2 new girls to our team and worked closely with them which was really important.
How do you deal with the timezone differences and managing deadlines?
Being in a different time zone definitely can be a challenge but I made sure to have the world clock option on my phone displaying Sydney’s time so I knew when the team in Australia were in the office. To be exact — 4pm in LA means it’s 9am in Sydney!
Managing deadlines with the workload was surprisingly a breeze as I had plenty of alone time in the office without any distractions so I was able to pace myself. After the first few days I got into my new routine and figured out what days were busier and organised my time accordingly.
What are the most challenging things about managing international teams?
Time difference is definitely a huge factor and not being able to physically work with the teams altogether.
It makes a huge difference when you’re able to see the daily tasks/challenges in real time so you know what needs to be improved. The AU and U.S team also have different tasks to take care of so making sure we are all on the same page is vital. Despite being in other parts of the world, it’s all manageable with the help of frequent emailing, Skype video calls (at least once a week) and of course the convenience of Slack (Instant Messaging). Communication is key!!
What’s been the most rewarding thing?
It’s so rewarding when you see both teams happy and working well together! It’s also incredible to be part of Hello Molly’s growth in Australia and internationally! Team work really does make the dream work. :smile:
Any tips for employees travelling for work?
Make sure you have all your paperwork and documents that are required with you! Also make sure to email anything important to yourself beforehand — always have a digital copy of everything!
… and of course making the most of your time!! Even though you’re travelling for work, use your free time to explore the city and treat yourself to the local foods! It’s a win win situation. Work and leisure (when possible)!
