It’s happened to everyone a time or two. The alarm didn’t go off. Or there’s an accident that closes a lane of the highway. But when you have an employee who is perpetually late – and always full of excuses – how do you deal? Here are some tips to help you:
Stop it before it becomes a problem.
As one of the leading staffing agencies in Dade County, Future Force knows that from the beginning, it’s important to communicate to employees that you expect them to be on time. Even when your best employees show up late to work, call them on it. You don’t need to discipline them, simply let them know you noticed. That will set the tone for the rest of the office.
Set up a one-on-one meeting.
When being late is starting to become a habit for an employee – and your casual comments about their punctuality don’t seem to be making a difference – it’s time for a serious one-on-one talk. Set up a meeting or ask them to go out for coffee with you. Then let them know you’re concerned about their punctuality. You never know; there could be a serious family issue they’re facing that could be impacting their ability to get into work on time.
Whatever the case, find out the cause for their lateness and deal with it accordingly. If there’s a problem at home, then letting the employee work a more flexible schedule for the time being is one simple solution. If there isn’t a good reason – and the employee simply doesn’t think being on time is a priority – then clearly communicate the consequences of continued lateness.
Follow through on consequences.
If the employee continues to be late to work, it’s up to you to follow through on consequences. No manager – or employee for that matter – likes consequences. However, it’s critical to discipline your employee if you don’t want the rest of your staff emulating the same behavior. Make sure you document your conversation with your employee and send copies of everything to HR for their records.
Every employee is different when it comes to following the rules on the job. Some need a subtle reminder when they get off track, while others need more clearly defined consequences. Everyone is guilty of being late, so start on the gentler side of the spectrum. If the behavior continues, though, then it’s critical that you take stronger measures.
Do you need help hiring employees with a strong work ethic for your team? Call Future Force. As one of the leading staffing agencies in Dade County, we’ve helped thousands of clients find qualified and reliable talent on a short-term, seasonal, and full-time basis. And we can help you too! Contact Future Force today to learn more.