Of course employees will always have a reason why they are always late arriving to work. If you have employees who are chronically late, then it is time to implement a policy because your business relies on its employees to arrive on time so they can perform their duties.
Your policy should include a clear penalty for repeat offenders, especially if it becomes frequent. Once a year or once a quarter is not frequent enough to impact the business substantially. At any rate, be prepared to enforce this policy across the board to everyone within the company, so everyone receives the same treatment.
If you are using a timekeeping system or any software that captures arrivals and departures, then your technology will make the process a lot easier when it comes to reprimanding the repeat offenders and showing them the evidence. If you are not using technology, please consider getting rid of the manual processes soon because manual processes are outdated and they leave too much room for errors and manipulations.
Here’s a quick list of excuses for your reference.
- There’s nothing for them to do when they arrive
- Their coworkers will be arriving late too
- Their buddy will cover for them
- Work is not a priority
- Their boss doesn’t arrive early or on time either
- They are bored with their job
- They are disengaged
- Stuck in traffic
- Kid’s woke up sick
- Waiting for the kids bus to arrive
- Public transportation wasn’t on schedule
- Waiting for the baby sitter to arrive
- Had to drop the kids off to daycare
- Alarm clock was broken
- There was a power outage
- There’s no water
- There’s no power
- Pet was up sick all night
- Spent the night in the emergency room
- Had a flat tire
- Ran out of gas
- Couldn’t find the keys to your car
- Had to scrape off the ice off the car
- Had to shovel snow
- Had to take a neighbor to work or grocery store
- Forgot to set the alarm clock
- Forgot about the time change
- Avoiding the workplace bully or boss who’s a bully
- Just didn’t want to arrive on time
- They feel as if their job doesn’t matter
- Avoiding a harasser
- Car wouldn’t start
- Had to drop off the car for repairs
- Had to wait for significant other to arrive, to use their car
- Forgot something at home, had to turn around
- Stopped to get coffee and/or breakfast
- Locked the keys in the car / trunk
- Because they left work late so they will be arriving late the following day.
- Spent the night in the ER
- They stayed late last night, so they will arrive late in the morning.
I’m sure there are more excuses that could be added to this list. What excuses you have heard, or what are the excuses you have used?