Scheduling checklist

How to avoid time zone scheduling mistakes

Most time-zone scheduling mistakes come from four predictable failure modes. This checklist removes them so global meetings stop quietly drifting an hour twice a year.

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Mistake 1 — Confusing a fixed offset with a time zone

‘UTC+1’ is an offset, not a time zone. A calendar entry set to ‘UTC+1’ won't follow DST. Always store recurring meetings against a named time zone like ‘Europe/London’ so the offset moves with the season.

Mistake 2 — Forgetting the 2-week DST gap

The US shifts to DST on the 2nd Sunday of March; the EU/UK shift on the last Sunday. For roughly two weeks the gap is one hour shorter than usual. Re-confirm cross-region recurring meetings the week of every DST switch.

Mistake 3 — Ambiguous AM/PM

‘3pm’ in a multi-region invite is ambiguous. Use 24-hour format, include UTC and at least two attendee zones in the description. The meeting planner exports a ready-to-paste block.

Mistake 4 — Always inviting the same region late

If the same teammates keep taking the 22:00 slot, they'll burn out and leave. Rotate inconvenient hours and document the rotation in a shared workspace so nobody has to remember whose turn it is.

Frequently asked

Why does Outlook/Google sometimes show the wrong time?

Almost always because the meeting was created against a fixed offset rather than a named time zone, or because one attendee's calendar time zone is set incorrectly.

How far in advance should I confirm a global meeting after DST?

Re-confirm the same week the change happens. Even one mis-aligned attendee can derail a recurring meeting cadence.

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