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Why Are You Always Late for Work (and How to Resolve It)

Tardiness is not uncommon among employees. The usual reasons are waking up late (or not sleeping early), traffic, and unexpected happening(s). These reasons don't have to follow in that order, but it's been the case with a number of professionals. Frequent tardiness, if not a habit of coming late to the office, can be due to psychological factors.

Diana DeLonzor, a management consultant, wrote "Never Be Late Again", which was based on her struggles with tardiness and how she dealt with it. That this problem could be traced to an employee's behavior didn't come as a surprise at all. It won't be too different from bullying in school, but DeLonzor didn't make any allusion at all. She cited the different types of personalities, and how these kinds of individuals would handle such a case. For instance, a rebel loves attention. This kind of person feels powerful after breaking a rule and flaunting it. An outright display of such behavior could cost dismissal from the company, so it wouldn't be surprising if some rebellious type of employees opt for subtle ways of showing it. And don't be shocked if this kind would have a disdain towards the company. How about the other types?

Keep in mind that there are various reasons that could be attributed to an employee's frequent tardiness, yet "Never Be Late Again" would attempt to solve the problem by citing a person's behavior as the cause. It must be resolved, as a tardiness of ten minutes (or less) could cost a company tens of thousands of dollars.

Three Types of Employees That Need to Be Talked To

Deadliners (and how to handle their penchant for last-minute thrills). It's not difficult to spot this kind of employee, who gets bored easily when there's not much to do. If there's a pile of tasks to be done, then don't expect this person to start right away. There's excitement in doing it later, quickening the pace when the day is coming to a close. This individual might be an adventurous spirit, who is struggling with the monotony of daily routine. (Think of Bob Parr/Mr. Incredible.) You may plan a series of team-building activities, also invite this colleague to a gathering on a weeknight. It might be better if you can go out of town, though. You seem to be too old for camping, but cruising won't be a bad idea at all.

Producers (and why they need to do more). They can get the nod of your boss right away, if not cited for their dedication and productivity. It shouldn't be shocking if your superior is thinking of giving this employee a plaque or some kind of recognition, but a keen observation on this colleague might startle you. A producer wants to do many tasks in so little time. This person could be an achiever, also someone who doesn't have family obligations. It doesn't mean that this workmate must audition for a dating game show, as there could be other reasons. A producer might need a hobby, but is still unaware of it. This employee may not have been assessing his/her career, not thinking about attending a training course or any equivalent. It should be foolish to let go of this employee, but such action could its toll sooner or later. Expect tardiness to be the downside.

Absent-Minded Employee (and it's more serious than you think). This can be a result of a number of factors. Work could have dulled this employee, if not a lack of social interaction. Not that the time spent with colleagues would be good enough, but you can't expect camaraderie in the workplace. There are grave implications when this is not addressed immediately. There's a loss on focus from time to time, which can affect the performance of fellow workers. It can disrupt the workflow, which can have serious damage on the production. And financial loss, even if it's a small one, is not good news. It may be premature to think of looking for other options, but stagnation might be the reason.

How to Be Punctual

You must acknowledge the problem. It doesn't get easier from there, though. A change of routine means you must go through a period of adjustment. How long (or short) of it depends on how you manage the initial discomfort. It's always important that you must not set a particular time. (It should remind you of the number of times that you've broken your New Year's resolutions.)

Don't evade serious consequences of your frequent tardiness. If this can give you the strong resolve to mend your ways, then look at it as a blessing in disguise. Your workmates will admire you if you can pull it off.

Never indulge in this problem, as this should reveal your lack of control over the matter. Anything can be solved if you seek assistance. If you truly love your job, then you must make your big move (and change this habit).

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