As companies grow, lab operations often expand across multiple sites, countries, and time zones. This type of expansion is essential to scale scientific work and meet the demands of a global economy. Unlike many other industries, labs typically can’t be centralized; scientific needs, regulatory requirements, and regional specializations often demand multiple locations. 

This introduces a new layer of complexity: aligning teams, systems, and standards across distance. Fostering collaboration in this environment isn’t just a logistical challenge, it requires a human-centered approach grounded in intentionality, empathy, and clearly defined systems. Success depends not only on infrastructure and communication tools, but on leadership that bridges teams and builds a cohesive, shared culture across locations.

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This article explores the common challenges faced by multi-site lab teams and offers practical, people-centered strategies to foster stronger collaboration that highlight the critical role of empowered site-level champions in driving alignment and communication across locations.

The added layer of difficulty

Managing a single lab is complex; managing multiple labs across time zones and cultural contexts significantly amplifies the difficulty. 

Challenges include:

• Navigating time zone differences for meetings, project timelines, and real-time communication
• Ensuring all sites, especially smaller or newer ones, feel seen and heard by central leadership
• Maintaining consistency in workflows, safety protocols, and standards while accounting for local differences
• Striking the right balance between top-down leadership and local ownership to ensure initiatives resonate across regions and have local buy in
• Handling access to varying resources across sites

These challenges can leave teams feeling isolated or undervalued, and leaders feeling stretched thin. 

The good news: with the right strategies, it is possible to create strong connections across distances.

Practical strategies to build connection

To help teams feel more connected, heard, and productive, lab managers can take a proactive and inclusive approach:

Prioritize cross-site travel and visibility

Whenever possible, prioritize in-person visits. A leader’s physical presence, especially one who engages in the day-to-day, signals commitment and builds credibility. These visits deepen understanding of local contexts, foster trust, and lead to more informed decision-making. Once you’ve met with team members face to face, they are more likely to reach out proactively with wins, needs, or issues.

Hold regular cross-site meetings

Establish a consistent cadence of check-ins that include representatives from all locations. If full participation isn't feasible due to time zone differences, create overlapping groups where possible (e.g., US–EU, EU–Asia, etc.). Rotate facilitators and vary meeting times to ensure inclusivity. These meetings build shared momentum, provide space to celebrate wins, surface issues early, and foster unity across sites.

Use clear, consistent communication channels

Support alignment by streamlining communication. Replace isolated conversations and scattered updates with consistent, widely shared messaging across platforms. When cascading communication through site leads or managers, make sure the expectations and messaging are clearly defined and delivered directly. Consistent communication helps every team member stay informed, engaged, and aligned with organizational goals.

Site champions—Why they matter

One of the most effective ways to bridge geographic distance in multi-site lab operations is to identify and empower site champions. These individuals serve as trusted connectors between central leadership and local teams, helping ensure alignment while advocating for their site’s unique needs. Site champions:

• Serve as a communication bridge between local teams and central leadership. They translate high-level strategy into day-to-day relevance and bring on-the-ground insights to decision-makers, ensuring alignment across all levels. 
• Represent the voice of their site with credibility and care. They champion local needs, explain the “why” behind changes, and promote team ownership by involving others in the process. 
• Proactively flag challenges (operational, interpersonal, or systemic) before they grow into bigger problems. Their early intervention helps maintain trust and continuity.
• Translate organizational priorities into site-specific actions. They lead the charge on initiatives, rallying teams and adapting efforts to fit local context while staying connected to the overall mission.

Site champions maintain cohesion, drive local execution, and cultivate a shared purpose across sites.

What to look for in a champion

Not every high performer is the right fit. An effective site champion combines operational knowledge with trust and influence at their site. Key traits include:

• Deep understanding of site operations
   Has hands-on knowledge of daily workflows, safety protocols, and space usage. Understands how decisions impact lab productivity and team dynamics on the ground. 
• Respected by both peers and leadership
   Earned trust through consistency, fairness, and professionalism. Viewed as a reliable voice by their colleagues and is someone that leadership turns to for honest, grounded input.
• Strong communication and collaboration skills
   Can clearly articulate issues, ideas, and goals to diverse audiences. Actively listens, builds alignment across teams, and bridges gaps between departments and leadership.
• Proven ability to get things done and influence others
   Follows through on tasks and initiatives, even without formal authority. Motivates others through action, leading by example, and driving adoption of shared goals and processes.

Support your champions with clear expectations, regular check-ins, and visible recognition. Treat them as strategic partners in driving alignment and execution across sites.

Final thoughts: Connection is a leadership skill

Fostering collaboration across lab sites goes beyond sending meeting invites or sharing updates. It’s about cultivating meaningful connection through consistent visibility, clear communication, and shared ownership.

Effective leaders take the time to understand what each site needs to thrive and actively elevate local voices in shaping broader strategy and reaching company goals.

By building strong communication habits, designing intentional systems, and empowering site champions, multi-site lab teams can overcome distance and complexity to create a truly cohesive, high-functioning network. But this is not a one-time solution. Leaders must continuously invest in maintaining these systems to foster collaboration and keep sites meaningfully connected.

Cross-site collaboration is not optional; it is essential for labs looking to scale with integrity and purpose.