Was this harsh to send to an employee with attendance issues?

lorihmatthews

lorihmatthews

A taste for the arts
O.G.
Oct 7, 2006
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#1
I'm dealing with an employee who can't get to work on time lately. My boss said I could send her an email mentioning it, and that if her attendance problems continued we would write her up. I've never had to do this before. What do you think about the email that I sent her?




XXX – as per our conversation on Friday, please make sure that you are at the office in the morning by 9:15, and 9:30 at the very latest. On Tuesdays you need to be here by 9:00am to lead the weekly status meeting. We’ve noticed that you haven’t been at the office on time for a while now (including this morning, when you arrived at about 9:50) and this isn’t fair to other employees who arrive on time (usually around 9am or so). Our expectations are that you will arrive on time every day, starting immediately.
 
#2
No - they are making the decision to show up late. You are just trying to have guidelines that everyone needs to follow. What if this attitude caught on with others & more started to show up late?
Document everything in writing.
 
#3
lorihmatthews said:
I'm dealing with an employee who can't get to work on time lately. My boss said I could send her an email mentioning it, and that if her attendance problems continued we would write her up. I've never had to do this before. What do you think about the email that I sent her?




XXX – as per our conversation on Friday, please make sure that you are at the office in the morning by 9:15, and 9:30 at the very latest. On Tuesdays you need to be here by 9:00am to lead the weekly status meeting. We’ve noticed that you haven’t been at the office on time for a while now (including this morning, when you arrived at about 9:50) and this isn’t fair to other employees who arrive on time (usually around 9am or so). Our expectations are that you will arrive on time every day, starting immediately.
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What are the hours? Like why is it OK one day to be there by 930 and not another? Is it 9 to 5? or a flex schedule?
 
#4
^^^I agree....I think with someone like that they need to come in at the same time (even if they aren't needed right away..I'm sure there is stuff they could get done) I also would not give that person an option of a "at the latest" because I'm sure they will milk that for all it is worth!! If this person wants to keep their job then they will make a point of getting there on time.
 
#5
Holy moly, 9 or 9:30? That is generous. I am in the office before 7:00 a.m. I only DREAM of having to be in the office at 9:00 a.m.

Does this person have a child he/she has to drop off at school or something?

I don't think your email was unnecessarily harsh. Unless it's causing you to do more work in the mornings due to this person's tardiness or to recap the staff meetings (ours are kind of a joke and one person is always late to it but we never say anything), I wouldn't even bring it up... I doubt you guys are a 9-5 shop (and if you are, and this person isn't staying late to make up the time, then you're more than justified!).
 
#6
I don't think it is harsh.. and as others have said I would actually give VERY specific rules. No need to play it down, because this person will continue to push the limits.
 
#7
kbell said:
What are the hours? Like why is it OK one day to be there by 930 and not another? Is it 9 to 5? or a flex schedule?
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Everyone generally arrives between 9 and 9:30, which is acceptable by the owners of the company, who arrive usually around 9:30am. On Tuesdays we have a status meeting at 9am so everyone needs to be here earlier on that day.

This employee, however, for the past few weeks has been routinely showing up at 9:45, 10:00, and one day 11:00am.
 
#8
This email is totally fine- not nasty or harsh in any way. I think the employee is lucky to be given the option to come in somewhat late at all (I.E. no time clocks to punch in). I agree, it's not fair to other employees who do show up late. I'm sure some of them notice her attendance as well and you don't want to be considered an unfair employer. Let us know if this email goes over smoothly with the employee involved! :tup:
 
#9
IntlSet said:
Holy moly, 9 or 9:30? That is generous. I am in the office before 7:00 a.m. I only DREAM of having to be in the office at 9:00 a.m.

Does this person have a child he/she has to drop off at school or something?

I don't think your email was unnecessarily harsh. Unless it's causing you to do more work in the mornings due to this person's tardiness or to recap the staff meetings (ours are kind of a joke and one person is always late to it but we never say anything), I wouldn't even bring it up... I doubt you guys are a 9-5 shop (and if you are, and this person isn't staying late to make up the time, then you're more than justified!).
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Generally speaking, ad agencies here in San Francisco start work around 9:30am. It was never like this in the midwest or east coast!

This employee is single with no kids. Personally I don't think there's an excuse for this tardiness. She needs to lead the status meetings on Tuesdays because she is running one of the accounts (for now). At some point we'll be hiring a supervisor above her to manage her. My boss told me that her tardiness to the status meetings is becoming a problem too, which is why I mentioned it in the email.
 
#11
i think that your email is fine! i worked at two software companies for 6 years after college and at both, we had to be there at 8a. a few of my good friends worked in HR and if this person were to ever be fired for poor attendance issues, communication like this is crucial proving that they were talked to, warned, etc. i agree that it is demoralizing for employees who follow rules and show up on time when there is someone getting by breaking them. this person is an adult anyway, they should be able to handle it.
 
#12
I think your email was fine & not harsh at all. I'm sure the other employees have noticed this too. It's extremely unprofessional to be late when you know you have a meeting to attend. 11am? Geez I've put in 1/2 a days work by then!
 
#13
I think your email is fine, to the point and not harsh at all. If anything it's too nice, but I think that's ok as a "first warning." If the behavior doesn't change after this email, that's when you'd need to be really strict.

lorihmatthews said:
Generally speaking, ad agencies here in San Francisco start work around 9:30am. It was never like this in the midwest or east coast!
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I find this surprising, you'd think it would be opposite given the time difference with the east coast and Europe. I work with someone based in California and it always surprises me how early in the day she responds to my emails, she gets to work at practically the same time as me (10am for me, 7am for her).
 
#14
lorihmatthews said:
I'm dealing with an employee who can't get to work on time lately. My boss said I could send her an email mentioning it, and that if her attendance problems continued we would write her up. I've never had to do this before. What do you think about the email that I sent her?




XXX – as per our conversation on Friday, please make sure that you are at the office in the morning by 9:15, and 9:30 at the very latest. On Tuesdays you need to be here by 9:00am to lead the weekly status meeting. We’ve noticed that you haven’t been at the office on time for a while now (including this morning, when you arrived at about 9:50) and this isn’t fair to other employees who arrive on time (usually around 9am or so). Our expectations are that you will arrive on time every day, starting immediately.
Click to expand...

I don't think it is harsh at all. In fact I think it was very polite considering the circumstances. Very diplomatic.:tup:
 
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