Is time zone bias limiting your global talent search?
As remote work becomes more common, time zone bias is quietly holding companies back from tapping into global talent.
This bias happens when recruiters favor candidates in similar time zones, overlooking top talent simply because scheduling interviews is easier.
While it may seem minor, this unconscious preference is costing businesses in missed opportunities, higher expenses, and less diversity.
What is time zone bias?
Time zone bias occurs when companies prioritize candidates from nearby locations due to the convenience of scheduling interviews.
Research from Harvard Business School shows that each hour of time zone difference decreases communication by 11%.
So, rather than hiring the best candidate for the job, many organizations end up selecting those who are easier to schedule with, leading to missed opportunities for qualified candidates in different time zones.
This bias has real consequences. Companies that limit hiring to local talent end up paying 40-50% more per hire and miss out on a much larger pool of candidates.
Despite the rise in remote work, 82% of hires in 2024 were domestic, indicating that businesses still prefer candidates in the same region, even though remote work makes geographic location less important.
The cost of time zone bias
Limiting hiring to candidates in similar time zones doesn’t just reduce the candidate pool—it also drives up hiring costs.
For example, companies face 25-30% longer time-to-fill and often pay 15-25% higher salaries for local talent.
More critically, by not considering global candidates, companies are missing out on a pool that is 10-50 times larger.
Diverse teams, which often come from broad recruitment practices, are also shown to bring in 19% higher innovation revenue.
Now, let's talk about a few strategies you can focus on to move past the bias.
How to tackle time zone bias
1️⃣ Use asynchronous communication:
One of the easiest ways to remove time zone barriers is to focus on asynchronous communication.
Companies like GitLab have thrived with this model, allowing employees to work and communicate at times that suit them best.
This eliminates scheduling conflicts and promotes flexibility, enabling businesses to hire from anywhere in the world.
2️⃣ Leverage technology for scheduling:
AI-powered scheduling tools, like GoodTime, automate the scheduling process and help eliminate time zone conflicts.
Platforms like VScreen and HireVue offer asynchronous interview options, letting candidates record their responses at their convenience.
This takes away the pressure of coordinating schedules and allows for a fairer, more flexible hiring process.
3️⃣ Expand your hiring reach:
Companies can increase their reach by embracing global hiring practices.
Organizations like Automattic and Buffer hire across multiple time zones and focus on overlapping work windows.
This approach makes it easier to hire the best talent from around the world while maintaining productivity and team collaboration.
4️⃣ Invest in cultural competency:
Overcoming time zone bias also requires understanding cultural differences.
Recruiters should undergo cultural competency training to better engage with international candidates.
Establishing local partnerships and adapting the recruitment process to different markets will ensure that hiring decisions are based on skill, not convenience.
Conclusion
Time zone bias is a hidden barrier that limits access to global talent and increases recruitment costs.
But by adopting asynchronous communication, using scheduling technology, expanding hiring practices, and embracing cultural training, companies can break down these barriers.
Moving beyond time zone preferences isn’t just a good strategy, it’s a necessary step to tap into a wider talent pool and build stronger, more diverse teams.