We set the scene…
A particular employee who had been supervised by a previous manager was given several warnings about consistently being late for several weeks by her new manager. But no change had occurred other than she had taken to coming in late through the warehouse so as not to be conspicuous. One sunny morning, the new manager stood waiting for the remiss employee at the entrance to the warehouse half an hour after work had begun.
The Observations…
As she drove up, the warehouse persons scattered. When she saw her supervisor, she knew she was busted. What happened then was the manager simply and clearly laid down a line. Kindly and authoritatively, the new manager simply said, “Our work begins at 8:30am, not 9. Our clients expect us to be here and that means you. Your clients expect you to be here when they need you. If you don’t want to arrive at 8:30, I am sure you will agree with me that this is not the job for you.”
Consider a Win/Win Scenario…
She was never late again and word traveled quickly from the warehouse to the rest of the company. The word was: about time. Everyone felt more valued and appreciated for arriving on time ready to care for their customers.
Clues to the Potential Problem…
- Consistently arriving late for work
- Entitlement that staying late (when no customers are calling) compensates for arriving late
- Sneaky methods of covering for being late
- Expecting special compensation creates resentment
The Takeaway…
Old habits are hard to break, but an opportune time is when new management arrives. Confrontation does not have to involve conflict, when done in a confident and respectful manner, all parties are honored and morale improves overall for a more productive and engaged team.