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Oct 6, 2020
Brenda R. Smyth, Supervisor of Content Creation
Most employees who are chronically late have a million excuses. One day it’s the traffic. The next it’s an unexpected morning “emergency” with the car … the dog ... the alarm … the weather … the "crazy line at Starbucks" ….
Time-shaving employees are bad for morale and cost you money.
When an employee repeatedly cuts out early or shows up late, colleagues notice. When there are no consequences, they notice that too.
Most employees’ salaries assume a 40-hour workweek. But when you’re only getting 38 hours, it adds up fast. Over the course of a month, that’s a full day’s work. In a year’s time, it adds up to more than two weeks of pay.
If you’re managing an employee who isn’t working the hours he or she’s paid to work and it’s clearly becoming a pattern, it’s time to address the behavior — sooner rather than later.
Important: Confrontation should never be hostile. Assuming this is a good employee, remember that this conversation is designed to get him or her back on track. It should clearly outline your expectations and identify the gap you’re seeing. It should give the employee an opportunity to explain his or her actions. It should not be a personal attack. But it should also not sugarcoat your expectations and the consequences.
When an employee’s behavior starts going off track, it’s time to intervene. Don’t avoid a confrontation. Prepare yourself with documentation and keep the discussion calm and straightforward.
Related article: What’s the Price of Not Confronting Someone?
Brenda R. Smyth
Supervisor of Content Creation
Brenda Smyth is supervisor of content creation at SkillPath. Drawing from 20-plus years of business and management experience, her writings have appeared on Forbes.com, Entrepreneur.com and Training Industry Magazine.
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