WHAT TO SAY · BEHAVIOUR AND CONDUCT
How to tell an employee they are always late
Lateness feels small until it becomes a pattern that the rest of the team notices. The conversation works best when you bring dates, explain the effect, and ask what is going on before agreeing what changes.
Before you start
- Write down the dates and times. Patterns are more convincing than impressions.
- Check the actual expectation: is the start time written down anywhere?
The script
- OPEN WITH
[Name], I want to talk about start times, because it has come up a few times this month.
On [dates], you arrived after [time]. On those mornings [effect: the stand-up started without you, the phones were not covered].
Is something making mornings difficult at the moment?
What I need is for you to be here and ready by [time]. If something gets in the way, message me before, not after.
Let us check in on this again in two weeks.
Replace the [brackets] with real details. Say it in your own words; the structure matters more than the exact wording.
If they say…
“Other people are late too.”
I will talk to anyone who needs it. Right now I am talking with you about your start times.
“The traffic is terrible.”
I understand. What could you change so the traffic does not decide when you arrive? Is a different start time worth discussing?
What to avoid
- Sarcasm like "nice of you to join us" in front of others.
- Waiting for months and then raising it all at once.
- Rules you do not apply to everyone.
Related
- Prepare it with the feedback checker
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- All 24 scripts