Remote work isn't going anywhere, and keeping your team engaged can sometimes feel like a balancing...
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Employees in different time zones are missing out on at least half of the real-time peer recognition they could otherwise enjoy. Use async recognition methods like milestone celebrations, rituals, personalized perks, and knowledge sharing to repay that recognition debt.
The goal is to help build connections and make company culture a lived experience, no matter where an employee is located.
TL;DR:
- Time zones interfere with getting adequate real-time recognition.
- Async recognition is effective because it occurs when and where work happens.
- Gratitude channels and tailored rewards are just two examples of async strategies to fill the recognition void left by time zones.
How do time zones affect traditional employee recognition?
If you’ve ever finally gotten a real-time shoutout at 3 am, you know precisely how time zones impact employee recognition. Rotating zones for meetings is a common practice on remote-first, globally distributed teams. It’s nice to have this consideration, but it creates blind spots. Public praise at work cannot exist solely during a livestream you can barely see through sleepy eyes.
Remote employee engagement depends on small, daily observations and interactions.
5 Async recognition strategies with global appeal
Don’t save it all up for meetings. Try a few of these async recognition ideas to create a remote culture that makes people feel seen and valued from afar.
1. Make public channels the place to be.
Passively checking (and leaving) empty shoutout channels doesn’t help morale and connection. Create channels centered on qualities such as gratitude, share memes, and post quick wins. Everyone who logs on can see and sense that recognition happens on this screen every day and carry it forth.
2. Tailor and personalize rewards.
Many team rewards aren’t relevant across all time zones or people. Round out your reward offerings with things like extra PTO and gift cards that work everywhere. Customize rewards even further based on a team member’s location and preferences.
3. Ritualize passing the baton.
Don’t stuff overlap hours with meetings and to-dos. Allow for more peer interaction with rituals that help half wind down, and the other set up. You can even tie these into gratitude celebrations. Letting peers run the changing of the guard might be the only time they have to form bonds.
4. Create clips sharing knowledge.
Getting and being grateful for help is a huge slice of daily peer recognition. Remote teams on different clocks can enjoy their own version of this by sharing tips and hands-on solutions via short video clips.
5. Celebrate milestones.
Equity and balance across shifts are something to strive for. Automating milestone messages for birthdays and work anniversaries gives everyone some real-time shine. It helps maintain culture during times when chats are slower or emptier.
Remote employee engagement that never says goodnight.
Not every tool is designed for async recognition, but HeyTaco is. It’s easy, light, and helps global teams create a cultural identity. Deputy, a global workforce management company, uses it to connect employees in five different countries.
"HeyTaco democratizes recognition. It's not top-down — it's everyone, every day. That's what boosts morale. That's what makes people feel good."
- Luis, Senior Software Engineering Manager at Deputy
Learn how it works and get your free trial today.
FAQ: Async recognition across time zones
Does async recognition feel less personal than real-time shoutouts?
It can, but it doesn’t have to. Real-time recognition is off-the-cuff and can therefore be more flippant or generic. With async recognition, you have more time to craft specific messages of gratitude. Posting nuanced compliments publicly lets the next people who log on review and add to them.
How do you prevent duplicate praise across time zones?
Some overlap is fine; genuine praise can’t be overstated! However, it helps to keep just one public channel for this. That way, your EU-based team can share a positive reaction to the win your APAC-based team already posted, building on recognition instead of repackaging it.
What if the team isn’t using the public channel?
This is leadership’s real recognition job, not finding money or training everyone to use it. First, team leaders should model the behavior they want to see. Add one small ritual at a time to see what everyone naturally adopts. Finally, always be sure to praise the people who do participate.
What’s the biggest sign a remote employee engagement strategy is working?
Better morale and more frequent interactions are two big ones. The best sign it’s working is when employees start praising one another without any prodding from leadership. Use analytics to spot trends and measure participation. Always review the channel when you log on to see how it’s going.
