10 Steps to Eradicating Tardiness in your Organization

Perhaps you are a supervisor or manager with an employee who was transferred to your department that has a chronic case of late coming. Maybe you are the new manager or supervisor in the organization or you've just been given such a promotion and you are faced with this issue. Here are ten steps you can take to resolve this problem.

1.   Firstly, you need to understand and see this employee's tardiness as not just your problem, it may be the fruit of some bad habit, bad practice, lack of self discipline or lack of good judgment that has become a problem for the employee, your organization and now you. 

2.   Set up a meeting with the employee to discuss the matter to get a clear understanding of the history and related background details. This may help you find out how to approach the issue in a caring manner.

3.  Ask the employee about their feelings and understanding of the issue in relation to both the organization’s policy on punctuality and performance and their personal goals alongside those of the organization. Be sure to express yours with them.

4.   Strive to come to a conclusion that both parties find practical and agree on that promotes improvement over a specific period of  time that should lead to resolution (no more tardiness). Remember to make a record of the agreed solution and generate an action plan to work on the tardiness. Both you and the employee should sign off on the action plan as having read, understood, discussed and agreed.

5.   Reiterate the importance of reaching to work on time as well as the fact that it is a requirement of the organization.

6.   Show the connection between punctuality and organizational success and organizational success to personal success.

7.   Encourage them and show your support by acknowledging and commending every incremental improvement during the agreed period of reformation.

8.   Let your displeasure be made known to the employee if there is regressive behaviour.

9.   Be less tolerant when it comes to deadlines concerning tasks they must do each day. This can assist the employee to develop greater discipline and time management.

10. If tardiness continues after the agreed transition period is over, resort to disciplinary action according to the organization’s policy. 

by Kevin K. Herbert