Getting to work on time can sometimes be a challenge. Whether it’s busy traffic, disappearing keys or snoozed alarms, sometimes being late is unavoidable.
However, if lateness has become a regular pattern for one of your employees, you need to take action. An employee who is constantly late can cause adverse effects on your business including disrupted productivity and workflow.
To avoid these problems, you need to tackle the problem quickly to avoid things getting worse.
Here is a guide to what to do when an employee is always late for work.
Have a lateness policy in place
If you do not have a proper lateness policy in place, employees will deliberately choose to work late because they think they can. If you want employees to be more serious about the time they get to work, document some rules concerning lateness.
As part of the lateness policy, including the exact time an employee’s shift is supposed to start and end, the consequences of getting to work late and the reporting procedure for employees if they are going to be late for work.
Ensure that each employee is made aware of the lateness policy, either by having the policy posted on the office bulletin board or by having it sent to each employee’s email.
Start the conversation about lateness
There are many reasons why an employee might be late. If something is going on in their personal life, this could be affecting their ability to get to work on time.
This is why it’s important to start with a judgment-free conversation in private. Ask them straightforwardly why they aren’t getting to work on time; their answer should inform the rest of your approach.
In your conversation, make sure to ask the individual if there is anything you can do to support them in getting to work on time. However, at the end of that conversation ensure that they know the standards that you expect in the future and what the consequences of not meeting them could be.
Formal disciplinary action
Formal disciplinary is an option if lateness persists, but it should always be your last resort. This applies not just to lateness but to any day-to-day employee issues. Over-use of disciplinary procedures can lead to damaged relationships and have a long-term negative impact on your workplace environment.
If your business needs legal training to assist with disciplinaries and other employment issues, at Swan Craig Solicitors, we have a team of employment solicitors who can help.
Swan Craig Solicitors: Expert employment law advice
If you are looking for expert solicitors, then look no further than Swan Craig Solicitors!
We cover a range of legal issues including unfair dismissal, disciplinaries and more.
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