Scenario: Remote collaboration across space and time
Functions: AI translation, multi-timezone setup, and global backstage management system
More and more companies are going global these days. While there are some exciting benefits, including new revenue potential and greater access to talent, there are also a lot of challenges such as:
1. Inefficient communication due to language barriers
A plan which can be well-explained in just 10 minutes using a single language often needs more time to be presented in multilingual settings.
2. Challenging remote collaboration due to timezone differences
Time differences make communication much more complex, slowing down the efficient response of messages and emails. Similarly, coordinating phone calls and video conferences with a global team requires lots of effort and patience.
3. Low overseas employee engagement and sense of belonging
People from different cultures and backgrounds sometimes find it hard to move in sync with each other due to several barriers, which might lead to misunderstandings and larger information gaps. What's even worse is low employee engagement and a lost sense of belonging.
Since Day 1, Lark has focused on global collaboration and continues to improve the way your team collaborates across locations and timezones.
🌿 AI Translation allows everyone to speak in their native language
| Speak more with less effort
Global teams find it hard to smoothly communicate in English. But why can't they simply use their native language?
With Lark, you can accomplish this by turning on automatic translation, a feature embedded in Lark Messenger. Simply type your native language and it'll be automatically translated into English, and vice versa. Original text and translation can be displayed at the same time.
Lark's automatic translation is powered by AI and machine learning, and its quality is being improved constantly. Here is an example:
Minor typos wouldn't be a problem to AI translation:
Even colloquial expressions can be properly translated:
Currently, Lark translation supports Chinese, English and Japanese. If you want to translate from or into more languages, you can use Lark Translator bot.
Another situation which is quite common in a global team is that, members can speak another language well, but can't write or read well. In this case, it's better to use audio and convert voice to text.
📆 Set Calendar's timezone to facilitate synchronized communication
| Wait no more for a reply
The biggest headache of time difference is less time for synchronized communication. If it's between Beijing and Tokyo, where there's only one hour's difference, then colleagues can still communicate with slight adjustment to their work schedule. But it would be very hard if there's a significant time difference.
Here's one solution: Create a single view of multiple timezones and teammates' calendars to find the right time slot for your global team.
Lark Calendar supports multiple timezones to enable you to quickly find a time slot that works for all of your team members.
You can easily change your timezone if you're traveling overseas. You can also add additional timezones in Settings when working with overseas colleagues.
In addition, you can import your Google and Outlook calendar, as well as consolidate your work calendar, clients' business calendar and your personal calendar for more convenience.
👫 Use applications for more convenience for overseas colleagues
| Global mindset before global business
A common issue facing local enterprises is a lack of in-house tools and platforms which are globally applicable, as it rarely occurs to them that their own backstage management system should support multiple languages at the outset. It's only when they start to explore overseas markets they realize that they need to change their infrastructure.
The concept and practice of globalization is fully embraced throughout Lark's whole engineering process and across all of Lark's applications. It's a way to ensure all Lark users, wherever they're, can have excellent user experience. This is the English interface of Lark's Qoll:
Moreover, we believe everyone's schedule should be respected and they shouldn't be disturbed during non-working hours, especially when they are working in different timezones. That's the reason why Lark Calendar introduces My Working Hours feature. People will be reminded of these when they try to invite you to a meeting outside of your working hours.