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Dealing with Tardiness in the Workplace

PrideStaff Las Vegas

Managers everywhere struggle with employee tardiness.

While we’ve all been late for work on occasion, a widespread lack of punctuality can really take its toll on a work environment. An employee who regularly shows up late sends the message that he/she doesn’t value their role in the company. And as a manager, if you’re not careful, this kind of attitude can spread like wildfire through your team.

So how do you deal with tardiness before it gets out of hand?

Here are a few ways to address the issue and/or approach your repeat offenders.

Communicate Your Policy on Tardiness From Day 1.
Make sure that you have a tardiness policy written in your employee handbook so that every new employee is familiar with the company’s expectations for punctuality.

Post Schedules in Advance.
If your workplace operates on a schedule system where employees check their hours each week, make sure to always post a week in advance. That way there will never be any confusion about what time an employee is expected to be on the job.

Don’t Let it Slide. Not Even the First Time.
If any employee on your team is late for work, don’t forget to ask them why. Even if it’s one of your best workers who has never been late before, still ask them to explain their tardiness. You don’t need to approach a first-time offence sternly, but you should always ask for an explanation. This sets the tone for the rest of your team. Specifically, it makes them realize that if they are late without a just cause, they are going to have to answer to you immediately.

One-on-One Time.
Once you’ve observed repeated tardiness from one of your employees, it’s time to sit down and have a conference with them. Try to avoid getting angry and instead approach the issue from a problem-solving standpoint. Ask them to identify what’s been preventing them from arriving at work on time. If they are having family or transportation issues, perhaps there’s something that you could do to better accommodate their schedule. By speaking with them one-on-one, you will quickly get a sense of the problem and whether or not it can be solved.

Lay Down the Law.
When “You want us, We want You”! It’s important for your team to understand that there are consequences if tardiness becomes a regular occurrence. After you’ve met with a tardy employee and explained that the behavior needs to change, monitor their punctuality in the following weeks as much as possible. Issue a written warning if matters haven’t improved. And if they continue to arrive late without a reasonable explanation, it might be time to let them go.

 

For more help on how to deal with tardiness in the workplace, Contact the staffing experts at PrideStaff Las Vegas.

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