How To Speak to an Employee About a Tardiness Issue
Do you know if one of your employees is late to work?Do they have a pattern of tardiness?You should talk to them about this issue if this is the case.Get information about the problem, including payroll records.Then, have a private meeting with the employee.If they continue to be late, lay out your concerns about their performance and consequences at the meeting.They should take your words and improve their performance.
Step 1: The problem behaviors need to be identified.
If tardiness is the only issue of concern for the employee, watch them.You might need to address these problems in your meeting if they are also sloppy in their work or disagreeable to their coworkers.If their productivity has suffered as a result of their lateness, pay attention.You can write down your observations in a small notepad or make a quick note on your phone.You will be able to remember everything later on.
Step 2: Don't take long.
It's important that you don't allow this issue to go on too long.As soon as you see your employee acting in a questionable way, start planning a meeting.There is a chance that it will only get worse if you wait.You run the risk of alienating other employees who have to pick up slack from the slacker.Think about the level of trust you have with the employee as you plan the meeting.
Step 3: The company has an employee handbook.
A detailed manual is likely to guide your actions in situations of employee discipline at a larger business.If there is a section about tardiness, look through the book.A statement outlining an attendance policy is a must.If your place of work doesn't have an employee manual, you will need to rely on your own observations and past practices to guide your actions.This is an obvious violation of the schedule if the employee comes in 15 minutes late.
Step 4: Speak to the Human Resources Department.
Drop by your company's HR Department, make a phone call, or send an email.Tell them about the situation, ask for their advice, and ask them what they need from you in terms of paperwork.It is possible that they will need an acknowledgement signed by the employee or a summary of the conversation from you.It is possible that the HR people know something about the employee that you don't.The employee may have asked about using part of a medical leave.Ask HR to educate you on any company leave policies that might pertain to this employee.
Step 5: All documents and facts should be gathered.
You should get your hands on any payroll records that show additional absences or attendance.Documentation showing prior incidents of lateness, their impact, and the reasons provided by the employee is something you may want.It's a good idea to have employee performance evaluations in-hand.
Step 6: In private, meet the employee.
If your first conversation is one-on-one, it's best.You want to meet somewhere where you won't be seen by other employees.At a certain time, you can ask the employee to meet you.Before setting up anything formal, some supervisors prefer to casually ask the employee, "How are you?" a few times.If you know the employee well and think a casual approach may be best, you could leave the office together to discuss everything.You could say hello to Tom to set up the meeting.Would you like to stop by my office after lunch?
Step 7: Discuss the reason for the meeting.
You can start the meeting with niceties, but it is a good idea to explain why you asked them in the first place.You could say that you noticed a change in their work patterns and wanted to get their take on everything.You could say that productivity had dropped and that tardiness might be a contributing cause.If they are a good employee, leave plenty of room for them to explain, as you want to be tactful.You could say, "Tom, I have noticed that you have been late a bit lately.""Tom, your coworkers rely on your good work and I've noticed a slowdown in productivity lately," you could say, "Hey Susan, is everything okay?"You've been late.Is there something we need to talk about?Are you feeling stressed out?Is there something that's affecting your performance?
Step 8: The attendance policy needs to be laid out.
You explain what you found in the handbook here.You can tell them what is acceptable in terms of lateness and absences.It is important to start the conversation early as it is possible that the employee misinterpreted something from HR.Tom, we need at least 24 hours' notice if you are going to be late for work.
Step 9: Explain the consequences of being late.
This is where you will have to lay down clear rules and consequences while also being flexible.They could be asked to make up the time each week.You could issue a written warning.If they arrive late, you could ask them to leave.You should match your response to the issue.It's important to know your employee.Some people respond best to very clearly established consequences, while others do better if you just ask for their assistance in complying.
Step 10: Tell them what you think will happen in the future.
You can work on a solution here.Flex time is an option.They may be able to carpool with others for accountability.Talk about working from home, or even taking a leave of absence.Set up a system where they can text or email if they run late in the future, if the lack of notice is your real concern.You will want to talk about any behavioral issues, such as poor attitude.Don't overwhelm your employee or you could get a negative reaction.
Step 11: Provide answers to their questions.
Before you end the conversation, make sure to ask them if they have any questions or concerns that you should address.Whatever they ask, do your best to give them as much information and guidance as you can.Refer them to someone who can help if you don't know the answer.Do you have any questions for me before we wrap everything up?I want to make sure that you are clear on everything we have done, and you can help walk my employee through possible solutions, like ways to leave their home earlier or tips on beating traffic.
Step 12: The documentation should be sent to Human Resources.
You need to get signatures on any documents.Additional copies should be made for your own records and those of HR.It is a good idea to keep the summaries of the conversations from the work file.If you need to have another conversation or get terminated from your job, these documents will be used as a record.
Step 13: Reward any improvements that are made.
It is highly probable that your employee will improve their performance following your conversation.Make sure to note any progress and encourage it, no matter how small, as you watch to see how they are doing.
Step 14: Stay calm.
The person setting the professional tone for your conversation is you.If you need to calm down, take a deep breath and count to ten.Try to stay focused on the issues at hand.You need to do your job, even if you are trying to help them.
Step 15: Don't tolerate personal insult or abuse.
The employee may react negatively to your comments.If this happens, you should step back for a while.You can ask the employee to leave if you want to resume the conversation tomorrow.If you don't maintain a degree of authority you will lose the ability to ensure the company's productivity.You want to have this conversation sooner rather than later because of this.They may feel like you should have warned them earlier if you wait too long.
Step 16: If necessary, bring in a witness.
It is a smart idea to invite a member of HR or another supervisor to sit in on the conversation if you feel that it will go badly.They can help to reinforce what you say.When faced with calm people, an employee will be less likely to get agitated.
Step 17: You can give them a written explanation.
If the employee is uncomfortable talking with you about their situation, you might want to allow them to write an official letter stating the reasons for their actions and their desire to improve in the future.Request that they agree to specific measures of improvement in the future.The letter should be placed with the employee's official file.
Step 18: They should be directed up the chain of command.
If the employee seems unwilling to change or refuses to talk civilly with you, it may be necessary to put them into contact with your supervisor or HR.If you do this, give the other party a heads up so they know what to expect.