This week’s question comes from a loyal reader with a question for Captain Reman.
Dear Captain Reman,
I have a good one I would like to cover that I have noticed is an ever growing problem in the workforce all over not just the automotive field.
Lateness!!
As a manager I always pride myself on setting a positive example of being on time to work every day. This was beat into my head relentlessly as a young employee when I started washing dishes in a restaurant at the age of 14 and since then, I have always been on time to work. In my observations, it seems the current workforce just does not care and they seem to think managers should not either.
Here’s the latest example:
I have a wonderful, honest and very intelligent employee. He’s worked for me for 4 years now. He is ready to be a manager in some capacity in my company. Unfortunately, he has a reoccurring lateness issue. sometimes he’s 5 minutes late. Sometimes he’s 30 minutes late.
But he’s always late 1-2 times a month and always without a good excuse.
We’ve talked about it, and I know it is an oversleeping problem. He is not the guy that goes out and gets drunk until 2:00 a.m. and then tries to make it to work.
I’ve tried giving him days off without pay to re-enforce the importance of this situation but it hasn’t helped. How can I manage this ever growing issue?
A loyal reader
Captain Reman says:
I once had an employee like this. Let’s say her name was Michelle (because it was). She seriously just could not get to work on time, but otherwise was terrific.
I tried to appeal to her morals. We talked about fairness, equality, the importance of being part of a team. You know the conversation.
No dice.
Then I tried threats.
No dice.
Then I told her I wasn’t going to let her be late, so I tried some new (and probably pretty unorthodox) things:
a. I set up a wake-up call service to call her every morning.
b. One week I sent a car service to get her each morning.
c. I had breakfast delivered to the office so she could save those 15 minutes at home.
It worked for a few months.
And then, it didn’t.
So one day, I sent her home for a “career day.” “Career day” is a day I pay an employee to think about whether they really want their job. If they do, they come back the next morning and I lay out a performance improvement plan and they get to work on it. If they don’t, they resign with recommendations and best wishes.
Michelle resigned.
I guess some people just hate structure.
And amost all people hate inequality.
Her tardiness had been killing the morale on the rest of the team…and all the sales in the world weren’t worth that.
I’ve also tried (with other employees):
a. Positive reinforcement – If you’re on time every day for a month you get $100 gift card…or if the whole team is on time for a week, I buy lunch.
b. Threats – If you’re late three times in a month, you’re automatically fired.
c. Latrine duty – If you’re late…you get the crappy jobs for the day.
d. Changing schedules – If you’re always late, you can come in at 10 and stay until 6 instead of the usual 9-5.
In the end, nothing works forever. You’ve either got a good egg or a bad one.
It’s up to you to decide which is which, and act appropriately (and swiftly)!
Do you have a problem with lateness?
Or do you have a solution to the problem of lateness?
Please leave a comment below so we can all learn from your questions and experience.