Scheduling Across Borders and Time Zones
Distributed remote teams and global clients require precise coordination. The single biggest cause of missed international video calls is misunderstanding Daylight Saving Time shifts or local AM/PM designations.
The Golden Overlap Hours
When scheduling across time zones, aim for the sweet spot where business hours (9:00 AM – 5:00 PM local) overlap:
- London and New York: 5-hour difference. 2:00 PM – 5:00 PM London corresponds to 9:00 AM – 12:00 PM New York.
- San Francisco and Tokyo: 16-17 hour difference across the International Date Line. 4:00 PM San Francisco corresponds to 8:00 AM the following morning in Tokyo.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is Coordinated Universal Time (UTC)?
Coordinated Universal Time (UTC) is the primary time standard by which the world regulates clocks and time. It is not adjusted for daylight saving time, providing a constant reference point for international communication, aviation, and computing.
Why do timezone offsets change throughout the year?
Many countries observe Daylight Saving Time (DST), advancing clocks forward by 1 hour in spring and back 1 hour in autumn. Because different countries switch DST on different dates (or not at all), the time difference between two cities often changes during the year.