Best Meeting Time Across Time Zones

Scheduling meetings across time zones can be challenging. This guide helps you find the optimal meeting time when team members are spread across the globe.

The Golden Rule: Find the Overlap

The key to scheduling global meetings is finding the overlap window - the time when everyone's working hours intersect. For most time zone combinations, this window is typically 2-4 hours.

Common Meeting Scenarios

Tips for Scheduling Global Meetings

1. Rotate Meeting Times

If you have regular recurring meetings, rotate the time so the inconvenience is shared. Don't always make the same people wake up early or stay late.

2. Use a Meeting Planner Tool

Tools like our Meeting Planner automatically show you the overlapping business hours across multiple time zones.

3. Consider "Core Hours"

Establish "core hours" when everyone is expected to be available. For US + Europe teams, this is typically 9:00 AM - 12:00 PM EST (2:00 PM - 5:00 PM GMT).

4. Record Important Meetings

For team members who can't attend due to extreme time differences, record the meeting so they can watch asynchronously.

5. Be Mindful of Daylight Saving Time

Remember that DST changes happen on different dates in different countries. The US and Europe change clocks on different weekends, which can temporarily shift your usual meeting times.

Work Hours by Region