It’s Not 9 to 5 Anymore. It’s 24 Hours!
Edition 19: The Hidden Link Between Time Zones and Inclusive leadership
Welcome to Edition #019 of People Please! My mission with this newsletter is simple—but ambitious: to help 100,000 professionals shift from being people pleasers to becoming culture-builders.
In this People Please edition, we’re diving into something you probably don’t hear much about in leadership meetings or DEI sessions—Time Zones. Yes, Time Zones.
Because in today’s global, remote, hybrid world, being time-zone literate isn’t just a scheduling skill—it’s a professional necessity. In fact it’s a leadership necessity.
Whether you're a professional collaborating across borders or a leader managing multicultural teams, your ability to respect time across geographies reveals a lot: your empathy, your efficiency, and your inclusion mindset.
So before you send that “quick” 11 PM Slack message or schedule a Monday morning call, pause. This edition will show you why knowing someone’s time zone is one of the most powerful (and underrated) ways to build trust—and why inclusion begins with a clock.
Your voice has presence. Your eyes speak before you do. You’re expressive. You notice the small things. These are powerful compliments, often used as people-pleasing skills by people-pleasers. But let’s be honest: compliments alone don’t build real connection.
They’re a start, maybe even a social lubricant but they don’t create lasting bonds. And in today’s global workplace, where we’re leading multi-cultural, multi-national teams connection isn’t optional. It’s survival!
So how do you build real bonds across cultures and screens?
Start simple: Learn their time zone. Respect it.
Because no matter how well you speak, how warmly you compliment, or how great your presence is if you don’t respect someone’s time zone, you’re not really respecting them. And the moment you respect someone’s time, you do more than make them feel valued, you make inclusion visible.
Inclusion begins with knowing their time zone because time zones are not just about clocks, they are about consideration. Time zones don’t just test geography they test empathy.
(Scroll to the end of this newsletter for a list of time zone-aware compliments to help you appreciate your global colleagues more inclusively)
Why Time Zones Matter More Than You Think
1. Delayed responses hurt collaboration
When teams work in different hours, decisions and replies slow down. A 12-hour gap means missing one message can lose an entire day.
2. Flexibility is a professional skill
Remote and global teams need clear updates, tools, and communication that don’t rely on being online together. Use tools like Slack, Notion, Recorded videos, or AI assistants.
3. Time-aware professionals build trust
If meetings are always scheduled in one time zone, someone’s always staying up late or waking up early. That creates resentment.
“If you don’t respect my time zone, you don’t respect me.”
4. Business doesn’t sleep
Stock markets, customer support, sales teams - all operate on different clocks:
New York, London, Tokyo, Hong Kong - every region runs on its own time.
5. Global service needs global rhythm
Many companies use a “follow-the-sun” model: Teams in different zones keep work moving 24/7. That only works when time is respected.
6. Cultural empathy builds real bonds
Booking an 8 am meeting for your African team because it’s 12 noon in India? That’s not just bad scheduling — it sends a poor message about how much you value them.
Time zones aren't just about clocks. They're a reflection of how seriously you take inclusion, trust, and global collaboration. Respect time. Build connection. That’s real bonding at work. Thats real Inclusion!
Inclusion doesn’t begin with policies or posters — it begins with people. Real bonding, not surface-level smiles, is what makes others feel they truly belong.
Understand Time Zones and Win Hearts
UTC stands for Coordinated Universal Time. It is the primary time standard by which the world regulates clocks and time. Think of UTC as the equator for time - the central point from which all other time zones are measured. (as shown in the image above)
It does not change with Daylight Saving Time and serves as the baseline for time zones across the globe. (More about Day Light Saving below)
In simple terms:
Think of UTC as the "zero point" of time.
All other time zones are defined as an offset from UTC, like:
UTC+5:30 (India Standard Time)
UTC−8:00 (Pacific Standard Time)
Key Facts:
UTC replaced GMT (Greenwich Mean Time) as the global standard in 1960, though both are often used interchangeably in casual conversation.
It is based on atomic time (which is incredibly precise) and adjusted occasionally with leap seconds to stay in sync with Earth’s rotation.
UTC is used by airlines, military, scientists, GPS systems, and global broadcasters to keep everyone on the same page.
UTC Time Zones Range: There’s a total spread of 26 hours across the globe! Time zones range from UTC−12 to UTC+14. That’s 13 hours behind and 14 hours ahead of UTC
Earliest time zone: UTC−12:00 (Baker Island – uninhabited U.S. territory)
Latest time zone: UTC+14:00 (Line Islands in Kiribati)
Because of this wide spread, the same date doesn't exist everywhere at once. When it’s Monday morning in one part of the world, it’s still Sunday evening in another.
All You Must Know About Day Light Saving
What’s Day Light Saving?
Daylight Saving Time (DST) is the practice of moving the clock forward by one hour during the warmer months (usually spring and summer) so that there’s more daylight in the evening and less in the morning. Then, in the colder months (usually autumn/fall), the clocks are set back by one hour to return to "standard time."
Simple Way to Remember: Spring forward, fall back. (In spring, clocks move forward 1 hour. In fall, they move back 1 hour.)
When Does It Happen?
In most countries that follow DST, clocks “spring forward” by 1 hour in March or April
Clocks “fall back” by 1 hour in October or November
Not all countries use DST. India, Japan, and most of Africa and Asia do NOT observe DST. It’s common in:
North America (U.S., Canada)
Europe
Parts of the Middle East
Why Do People Use Daylight Saving Time?
Originally, DST was created to:
Save energy by reducing the need for artificial lighting in the evenings
Make better use of daylight hours when days are longer
Now, it’s also used to:
Support outdoor activities after work
Improve economic productivity in certain regions
Why Is DST Confusing?
It affects flight schedules, international meetings, and even sleep patterns.
It can lead to missed meetings if you forget to adjust your clock or calendar (especially in global teams).
Some people dislike it because of the disruption to sleep or routine.
All Time Zones (UTC Offsets)
Global work doesn’t sleep. It just shifts time zones.
While most people reading this newsletter probably live between UTC−8 and UTC+12:45 (just an assumption), it’s still fun to explore what lies beyond.
So here’s a quick look at all the UTC time zones around the world!
Interactive Time Zone Map Available Here
Negative Offsets (behind UTC)
UTC−12:00 — Baker Island Time (BIT)
UTC−11:00 — Niue Time (NUT), Samoa Standard Time (SST)
UTC−10:00 — Hawaii-Aleutian Standard Time (HAST)
UTC−09:30 — Marquesas Islands Time (MIT)
UTC−09:00 — Alaska Standard Time (AKST)
UTC−08:00 — Pacific Standard Time (PST)
UTC−07:00 — Mountain Standard Time (MST)
UTC−06:00 — Central Standard Time (CST)
UTC−05:00 — Eastern Standard Time (EST)
UTC−04:00 — Atlantic Standard Time (AST)
UTC−03:30 — Newfoundland Standard Time (NST)
UTC−03:00 — Argentina Time (ART), Brasília Time (BRT)
UTC−02:00 — South Georgia Time (GST)
UTC−01:00 — Azores Standard Time (AZOT)
Zero Offset
UTC±00:00 — Greenwich Mean Time (GMT), Western European Time (WET)
Positive Offsets (ahead of UTC)
UTC+01:00 — Central European Time (CET)
UTC+02:00 — Eastern European Time (EET), South Africa Standard Time (SAST)
UTC+03:00 — Moscow Time (MSK), East Africa Time (EAT)
UTC+03:30 — Iran Standard Time (IRST)
UTC+04:00 — Gulf Standard Time (GST)
UTC+04:30 — Afghanistan Time (AFT)
UTC+05:00 — Pakistan Standard Time (PKT)
UTC+05:30 — India Standard Time (IST)
UTC+05:45 — Nepal Time (NPT)
UTC+06:00 — Bangladesh Standard Time (BST)
UTC+06:30 — Cocos Islands Time (CCT)
UTC+07:00 — Indochina Time (ICT)
UTC+08:00 — China Standard Time (CST), Western Australia Standard Time (AWST)
UTC+08:45 — Australian Central Western Standard Time (ACWST)
UTC+09:00 — Japan Standard Time (JST), Korea Standard Time (KST)
UTC+09:30 — Australian Central Standard Time (ACST)
UTC+10:00 — Australian Eastern Standard Time (AEST)
UTC+10:30 — Lord Howe Standard Time (LHST)
UTC+11:00 — Solomon Islands Time (SBT)
UTC+12:00 — New Zealand Standard Time (NZST), Fiji Time (FJT)
UTC+12:45 — Chatham Islands Time (CHAST)
UTC+13:00 — Tonga Time (TOT)
UTC+14:00 — Line Islands Time (LINT) — the world's earliest time zone
The sun never sets on a connected team. It just rises somewhere else.
Making Inclusion Real: Time Zone-Smart Ways to Appreciate Global Teammates
I really appreciate you joining this call outside your regular work hours.
You always show up, even when the time difference makes it harder.
It’s 7 AM your time and you’re already this sharp? Truly impressive!
Thanks for being so thoughtful with scheduling , your awareness of everyone’s time zones makes a big difference.
You're bringing fresh morning energy to our day, what a great way to start a global meeting!
Your early morning dedication really sets the tone for the rest of us.
It’s late on your end, thanks for staying on. You’ve got amazing stamina and patience.
Working into your evening to help the team? I really appreciate your support.
You leave such clear updates, it makes working with you effortless inspite of our time difference.
I can always count on you to keep momentum going, even while I’m offline.
You make global teamwork feel seamless, not everyone can manages that with such grace.
Thanks for always making space for others, no matter what time it is for you.
Inclusion begins with a calendar invite that makes sense to everyone.
If You’re a Leader, Here’s Why This Matters to You
There’s a clear and practical reason why today’s leaders must have time zones at their fingertips especially in global or cross-functional roles. Here’s how it makes a difference:
1. Global Perspective = Strategic Thinking
Great leaders don’t just think locally, they think globally. Knowing where your teams, clients, and stakeholders are located helps you:
Understand key markets
Recognise cultural and regional nuances
Visualise global operations and logistics
Without this awareness, leaders risk missing critical geopolitical, economic, or demographic insights.
2. Time Zone Awareness = Empathy + Efficiency
Leading across geographies means working across time zones. A time-aware leader:
Schedules meetings thoughtfully
Prevents team burnout
Respects people’s personal and professional time
A 3 AM meeting for one team member may destroy morale even if it fits your own schedule. Respecting time zones builds trust.
3. Time Zones Boost Decision-Making
Whether it’s a product launch, crisis management, or support coordination timing is everything.
A global product launch across APAC, EMEA, and the U.S. needs timezone-smart planning
In a crisis, knowing local time ensures fast and sensitive responses
Time awareness leads to smoother operations and better business outcomes.
4. Communication That Feels Human
When you know where people are and what time it is for them your communication feels more authentic and respectful.
“Good morning” might not apply to everyone
Awareness of regional holidays and observances shows cultural intelligence
It creates rapport beyond just work tasks
Leadership in the 21st century isn’t just about KPIs or big visions, it is about being time-aware, place-aware, and people-aware. Understanding maps and time zones isn’t about geography, it’s about empathy, strategy, and inclusion.
Best | Shikha Mittal | Founder, Be.artsy
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Why Trust Me?
Over the past 15 years, I’ve collaborated with 450+ organisations across 42 industries, designing and delivering culture + learning and developing programs impacting over 500,000 professionals through my enterprise, Be.artsy. which I founded in 2010 in Delhi, India. The impact of Be.artsy’s work led to it being documented as a Harvard Business School Case Study. From small beginnings to global impact, Be.artsy has led the way in using learning programs to drive revenue. We're not just in the business of training—we’re in the business of Trainings with ROI! Today, we go beyond learning to deliver measurable impact.
For business inquiries, please reach out to Be.artsy’s Growth Manager at adarsh@be-artsy.com.
Be.artsy’s learning programs are thoughtfully designed to evolve across three transformative stages.
Stage 1 – Kickstarter (Awareness) focuses on igniting curiosity and introducing the core issue, planting the seed for change.
Stage 2 – Mindshift (Sensitisation) aims to stir emotions, build personal connections, and help individuals realise what’s at stake.
Stage 3 – Learning Journey (Consciousness/Skill-building) deepens understanding, equips participants with essential skills, and up-skill them to take meaningful, sustained action with tangible results.
Be.artsy’s work has been widely featured in national and international media outlets.
