Human Resource Blog

Dealing with Tardiness in Florida

Hi! We have three employees that complete their duties in a very good manner, however, have a problem in getting to work on time. I have discussed this issue with them several times and one has received warnings and they all say that they will start arriving timely however it does not happen. As I mentioned above, these are employees that are completing their work in an acceptable manner yet have a tardiness issue. I am afraid that if something is not done, the rest of the employees are going to start wondering why is this allowed. I do not wish to terminate these employees…but how can I handle this situation so that it is corrected?

Thank you for asking such a great question!! This is a situation that many employers are faced with. You don’t want to alienate these employees or lose them, but you do need for them to come to work on time.

 

Sometimes employees whose performance is excellent in one area make the mistake of thinking they can do whatever they want to, in other areas. Unfortunately, this problem has a way of getting worse, instead of better.

One of the best techniques to address this problem (or almost any performance problem) is called Interactive Management. There are other techniques that use similar tactics.

The actual purpose of writing an employee up, or any other disciplinary action, is to improve the employee’s performance. Used effectively, this should make the worker a better employee.

The employer should speak with each employee one-on-one in a closed office or other private setting, where the conversation cannot be overheard. Don’t be tempted to talk to all three workers at the same time – it will actually make the conversation less effective.

1) Use the “sandwich technique” of beginning and ending with positive comments. Tell the employee specifically how they excel, and that you value their contributions. Remember that a comment that sounds like flattery and lavish praise to you, probably sounds about right to the person on the receiving end!

2) Approach this conversation with the mindset that “there’s just one little problem we have to overcome…” If you and the employee work together to solve the problem, you’ll probably be successful.

3) Remember to ask open-ended questions, because there are two sides to every story.

Employer: “Maria, your performance is excellent and we just couldn’t ask for someone to do a better job than you do when you’re here. But there is one little problem I need your help with. I noticed that you’ve been coming in late almost every day… can you give me some insight into that?”

There may be a legitimate reason for the tardiness. For example, the employees may take public transportation, and the bus may not arrive until 9:15. Arriving before 9:00 am could mean leaving the house 2 hours earlier to catch a different bus, in some cases!

In some cases, after hearing the employee’s side of the story, it’s more appropriate for the employer to take action, rather than the employee. In this case, you might decide to put these three employees on the schedule to arrive by 9:30 am, while other employees arrive by 9:00 am.

4) It helps to quantify the problem, and set reasonable standards.

Maybe the employee is thinking that being only 15 minutes late doesn’t count, or that as long as she calls to say she’s running late, it doesn’t matter.

Be clear about your expectations. You might tell her, “Employees who arrive at 9:08 or later are tardy. Excessive tardiness is more than once every two weeks. It’s a problem because it sets a bad example for other employees. If everyone did it, who would take care of our early customers?”

5) Let the employee know the consequences of her actions, without threats. “Our guidelines are that if an employee is late more than once in two weeks, I have to give her a verbal warning. If it happens again, she receives a written warning. After three written warnings, she’s terminated. Obviously, I would never want that to happen to you. So, how can we solve this problem?”

Because these are excellent employees, you will probably want to start with a verbal warning, followed by written warnings if necessary.

6) When the two of you arrive at a solution, put it in writing and both sign it. Give the employee a copy that she can refer to.

7) Add the other half of the sandwich by complimenting the employee on a specific task she does exceptionally well. Let her know that you appreciate her efforts, and you’re confident the two of you can work through this little problem.

Also remember to follow through. Set up a time to meet with the employee – perhaps in 2 or 4 weeks – to check on her progress. If she has been coming to work on time, praise her lavishly. (Research shows that positive reinforcement is a more effective way to change behavior than negative reinforcement.)

There’s no point in having this discussion, if you aren’t willing to continue the disciplinary process if the problem continues.  In the worst possible case scenario, you will have to fire the employee who has already been written up several times. (Or, give her a final warning and let her know that next time she will be fired.)

While it’s unpleasant to fire a competent worker, it’s almost guaranteed to cure the other two from being tardy.