Running late: dealing with chronically late employees who cost the company in productivity and morale

HR Magazine, Nov, 2005 by Diana DeLonzor

President Bill Clinton, Robert Redford and Naomi Campbell are all reputed members of the better-late-than-never club that also includes up to 20 percent of the U.S. population. If your employees are card-carrying members as well, they're not only among esteemed company, they're also dragging down the business.

Tardiness costs U.S. businesses more than $3 billion each year in lost productivity. The effect on the bottom line of the average business is significant: An employee who is late 10 minutes each day has, by the end of the year, taken the equivalent of a week's paid vacation. Adding to the total cost is the ripple effect of late-starting meetings as productivity is impacted throughout an entire organization.

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During the past several decades, lateness has gradually been on the rise in U.S. businesses. In 2004, while conducting follow-up research for my book, Never Be Late Again: 7 Cures for the Punctually Challenged, I conducted a survey of human resource managers and found that 73 percent reported tardiness to be growing worse. Many managers cited decreasing employee morale and increasing work and family responsibilities as causes. With the recent economic turmoil, employees are feeling more stress and pressure to take on extra workloads, according to the survey participants. These factors, coupled with a loosening of societal standards, are causing some real changes in priorities.

But managers beware. Although it's tempting to say, "Just get here on time," that's a little like telling a dieter to simply stop eating so much. Chronic lateness is typically a lifelong habit, and one that's surprisingly difficult to overcome.

Of course, there are myriad reasons for chronic lateness, such as job dissatisfaction, promotional or salary-related resentments, or a lax company policy. However, my research has also found that most chronically late people aren't purposefully tardy but instead tend to have difficulty with time management. In a San Francisco State University study investigating chronic lateness and its causes, we found that the punctually challenged often shared certain common personality characteristics such as anxiety, a penchant for thrill-seeking or low levels of self-control.

Chronically late subjects also reported greater procrastination tendencies in general compared to the timely subjects.

Taming Tardiness

While managers often accuse tardy types of wanting attention or of needing to be in control, persistent lateness usually has little to do with those factors. The motivations, rather, are often subconscious ones. Some people are drawn to the adrenaline rush of that last-minute sprint to the finish line, and others receive an ego boost from over-scheduling and filling each moment with an activity. Still others have difficulty conforming to rules and structure.

A combination of prevention, penalties, rewards and coaching are often key to dealing with tardiness on an organizational level. The following simple, four-step process can turn a chronically late workforce into a group of right-on-timers, increasing productivity and morale at the same time.

1. Establish a corporate culture that encourages punctuality. Work with HR to create a written punctuality policy with clearly defined penalties. Communicate the policy in all new hire orientations, enlist sign-on from all managers and enforce it consistently. Penalties may include written warnings, suspension, pay docking and termination. Be sure to check your state's employment codes prior to setting the policy. Time-critical companies such as United Parcel Service attribute their success in part to this type of regular reinforcement of company policy.

2. Discourage late-starting meetings. Send an e-mail reminder a half-hour prior to every meeting asking participants to be on time, or set one up in Microsoft Outlook calendar. Two minutes after the scheduled start time, close the door. Then tackle the most important topics first. Open the door for latecomers, but do not backtrack to fill them in on missed discussions.

3. Establish a system of rewards for employees with perfect attendance and punctuality. Some companies have found that rewards not only incent employees, but also serve as a reminder that punctuality is an important part of company culture. Punctuality incentives are often packaged with attendance records, and rewards can come in the form of anything from free employee parking to department store gift certificates. Managers can use spot bonuses to reward employees who are on time.

4. Deal with lateness on an individual level. Handling lateness on an individual level usually requires some degree of coaching. Although termination is always an option for employees with excessive tardiness, there are times when an otherwise wonderful employee simply needs a nudge in the right direction.

Arrange a meeting with the employee to outline company policies and inquire about extenuating circumstances or logistical problems. Set clear, measurable goals for the future and clarify the consequences for being late. Document your conversation in writing and keep written documentation of future incidents.