How to Handle Late Arrivals Without Hurting Morale or Increasing Attrition?

What deduction can we make if an employee comes late by 15 minutes?

Suppose that if an organization is completely unorganized and has been running the same way for the last 70 years, such that all the employees come to the office as per their availability, how can we resolve it?

If we start deducting their salaries with immediate effect, it will lead to a high attrition rate.

What is the best attendance and leave policy that we can formulate?

I would also like to know if, in the case where a new joiner agrees to work for 10 hours a day believing that it is the statutory working hours as per the company policy, but later finds out that people are working an 8 or 9-hour schedule per day, is it possible for the employee to negotiate after joining?

Regards,
Ina

What deduction can we make if an employee comes late by 15 minutes?

Suppose that if an organization is completely unorganized and has been running the same way for the last 70 years, such that all the employees come to the office as per their availability, how can we resolve it? If we start deducting their salaries with immediate effect, it will lead to a high attrition rate. What is the best attendance and leave policy we can formulate?

I would also like to know, in case a new joiner agrees to work 10 hours a day believing that it's a statutory working hours as per company policy, but later on, he/she comes to know that people are working an 8 or 9-hour schedule per day. Is it possible for an employee to negotiate after joining?

Regards,
Ina

Dear Ina,

First of all, having a company policy of working for 10 hours is not right. The government specifies 8 hours with a 1-hour break, and that needs to be followed. If your employees are coming late, you can rectify the situation. However, as the organization is old and this has been the practice for a long time, please be cautious.

First, find out if your bosses are interested in getting this right. If not, there is no point in wasting time in doing so. If yes, then have a circular sent stating that anybody coming 15 minutes late will be marked absent for half a day and 30 minutes late for a full day. Keep track and enforce this for a couple of months. Slowly and steadily, people will start coming on time.

Hope this helps.

If an employee compensates for their late arrival by working extra hours, their salary should not be deducted.

Grace Period for Late Entry

Allow a grace period of 15 minutes for late entry 2-3 times in a month. Beyond that, treat it as half a day of casual leave for the late entries. Please formulate a policy to this effect and circulate it to all.

Regards,
R. Ponraj

Coming late to the office is something that happens across the globe. You just cannot have 100% on-time arrival on any day, leave alone a month. Employees will have an excuse or two ready at their disposal.

So keeping in view this universal truth, I've formulated the following policy:

1. Office timing: 9:30 to 6:00 pm
2. Employees are free to come late up to a total of 3 hours in a month
3. Even a minute over 3 hours will result in a half-day salary cut, irrespective of any amount of late stay
4. Unutilized time will be carried forward up to a maximum of 9 hours
5. Employees may avail a day off with pay upon accumulating 9 hours

It's been two years, and everyone is happy. Not a single employee has lost their salary on account of being late.

Give it a try.

Prashant Das <link no longer exists - removed>

Dear,

How many employees are in your organization? Are all the people working for 70 years by now, or do the older people know this and make it a practice? Do you have a union or association in your organization?

Also, check if the employee comes late and leaves late; calculate their total working hours. If they come late but follow the schedule, make it a policy to avoid trouble. You also need to understand the employees' mindset.

As Viraj suggested, put out a circular for working hours, lunchtime, and disciplinary policy. Before that, obtain approval from your top management. Ensure you are trying to bring discipline only to your people. Try to separate the old from the new, bring new employees under HR control, and avoid causing turbulence.

Once you are comfortable, implement disciplinary action for the older employees and consider removing them. Ensure the new hires are aware of this and understand the necessity of discipline.