Employees come up with interesting excuses for being late… but have you heard any of these excuses before? “I dreamed I was fired, so I didn’t bother to get out of bed”. “I went all the way to the office and realized I was still in my pajamas and had to go home to change.” “I saw you weren’t in the office, so I went out looking for you”.

Chances are, you haven’t, but believe it or not, these are real-life excuses as to why an employee was late for their shift at work. All humor aside, tardiness in the workplace has become an increasingly problematic issue in businesses. In fact, tardiness is one of the top 3 most common reasons as to why employees are fired.  An employee who is habitually tardy sets a bad example for others. Having an entire group of employees that are habitually tardy can be detrimental to productivity. Here are just a few strategies that a manager can use to combat tardiness issues in the workplace.

1. Establish written policies. Having a written out attendance policy leaves little leeway for employees to bend the rules.

2. Start out by having a “heart to heart” conversation with the employee in question. Show concern, share ideas as to how they can be on time, and let them know the importance of their punctuality. This will show the employee that their tardiness is not going unnoticed.

3. Create a culture where punctuality is rewarded. Even though showing up to work on time is “an employee’s job”, it is still helpful to reward employees for consistently being on time. Something as simple as a verbal acknowledgement can go a long way in making an employee feel appreciated, and ultimately, will reinforce their responsible behavior.

4. If tardiness persists, take action. Having all bark and no bite shows you’re never going to follow through with your threats… sometimes it’s necessary to let go of employees who are blatantly ignoring your requests. This sets an example to other employees that excessive tardiness will not be tolerated.