How Can I Address Late Arrivals and Long Breaks Without Seeming Too Harsh?

Our company is a software development company, and we pride ourselves on maintaining a very friendly environment in our office. However, we have noticed that some individuals are taking advantage of this friendly atmosphere. Many employees consistently arrive late to the office and take extended lunch and coffee breaks. As the Director of HR, I am considering issuing a Memo to all staff addressing the importance of discipline, adhering to lunch break durations, and maintaining office timings. I aim to communicate these expectations effectively without coming across as overly harsh.

Please provide suggestions on how to effectively convey these messages to our staff.

Thank you.

Please understand that having a friendly environment in the office is good for cordial relationships. However, there may be a few employees who are intentionally being overly friendly with others to waste time, leading to extended breaks and taking advantage of relationships. Please identify such individuals and counsel them, keeping the management in the loop.

Issuing a memo to all staff may not effectively address the situation. Instead, consider having lunch or tea with the employees in question. Once the break time is over, gently disperse the group. As the HR Director, this approach may be more impactful.

Establishing a Punctuality Policy

Establish a policy and ensure compliance with punctuality for arriving at the office on time. Those who violate this rule should be penalized by deductions in leave or salary, or by asking them to offer a gesture, such as sharing chocolates with their colleagues.

Regards,
Nitu Parmar

I recommend you conduct a workload analysis. The effect of a "Memo" is temporary, and things often revert to the initial state. It seems that the team is not adequately handling their workload. The managers are even skipping their lunches due to the heavy workload. I, too, had to skip my lunch a couple of times during my HR days.

Thanks,

Dinesh V Divekar

We have also been in this situation. First of all, we posted a notice about adhering to lunch timings from 1:00 pm to 2:00 pm for half an hour. Secondly, we suggested to the canteen manager to close the counter at 1:50 pm.

Regards,
Sunil

Even our Voxvalley is also in the same situation. We are motivating them in a friendly way instead of sending memos or warnings. Let us see how it goes. Thanks for your inputs; we will try to implement.

You have given the opportunity to them, but they are misusing it. We have to be strict. At that time, if we can give them some freedom, it is valuable to them. Anyway, management is management, and we need to prioritize the company's needs. Be strict and allow some time for enjoyment. If you are lenient now, they may see you as enemies. Take care.

Dear Manisha,

A friendly environment is a great way to move forward, but it should not come at the cost of discipline. A disciplined employee can lead the company on the path to success.

I have observed situations in my company where some employees arrive on time for their shifts, while others, whom we call latecomers, only destroy morale and sincerity towards the company's HR policies.

We should maintain a friendly environment and initiate activities like movies, picnics, etc., to uphold the company's atmosphere.

I would suggest that you speak with them and, if necessary, issue warning letters in the interest of other employees. When you talk to them, they may reply with excuses like traffic, client calls, or late-night work. If you ask them to leave early, they may come on time for a few days, then revert to their late-coming habits. Discipline is something that individuals learn from family, schools, and friends, and carry with them throughout their lives.

You may need to address this situation more seriously for the sake of other employees.

Thanks,

Ranjeet

Suggestions to Encourage Timely Return to Work After Breaks

1. Supply tea/coffee to employees' tables to encourage them to remain at their seats.

2. Display lunch break timings prominently in the canteen, office corners, etc.

3. Display boards with messages like "Thank you for coming to your seat on time after having lunch," and "Please remember tea break is for relaxing and not for passing time."

4. Make announcements over the PA system in the canteen, such as, "Please resume your job promptly after lunch. Thank you for your cooperation."

5. Emphasize the importance of punctuality in general meetings.

6. If there is no significant improvement after implementing the above steps, consider other mild disciplinary measures before escalating to more severe actions. While aiming for improved punctuality, keep in mind that achieving 100% punctuality may not be feasible in any organization. Explore alternative methods to keep employees engaged.

Thank you.

Regards,
Chandrasekaran R

First of all, you can conduct a work assessment to determine whether the employees have enough workload as required by their positions. If not, you can reallocate them, provide additional assignments, or fill existing vacancies with surplus staff to avoid further recruitment.

Additionally, you can ensure that all department staff are familiar with the timekeeping policy. Educate them on the policies during the induction process so that they are aware of what is expected. If necessary, distribute a summary of the policies to each department and ensure strict adherence.

Regards,
Devi

Training and Presentation Topics

Training can be given to all employees. The presentation can include topics such as time management and office etiquette. Office and lunch timings may be specified in the presentation. Employees should be instructed to strictly adhere to the timings. The canteen counter can be closed after a specific time to enforce this.

Handling HR Responsibilities as an Intern in a Startup

Thank you for such good suggestions. I am also an HR intern, and my challenge is that everyone in my company is very senior in terms of work experience, as it is a startup. I handle all HR-related activities, including policy formulation, PF, ESI, etc. However, it is difficult for me to be strict with the employees because I feel I am an intern and junior to them. I don't want any grudges against me.

What can I do to be more confident, and how do I effectively communicate my message to them about coming on time and spending fewer unproductive hours at work?

Regards,
Sayalee Patil

At HCL, we used to have RFID cards. We were allowed a 1-hour break during the workday, which could be taken at any time. Typically, employees took three breaks: one for meals and two for tea. Smokers could take an additional 1-2 breaks. Everyone adhered to the 1-hour limit.

Some companies have internal smoke rooms or cafeterias. If these are not available, this should be considered when calculating time out. We monitored usage daily and weekly.

If an employee exceeded their break time, they could compensate by working extra minutes. Monitoring break and leave patterns helps identify disengaged employees, high-stress tasks, or managerial issues that need attention.

A simple indicator like "number of visits to a customer" can backfire on a marketing employee. They might be the best, but too many visits could imply ineffectiveness (when they are not ineffective, just misrepresented). This helps identify problem areas. Here, a CRM coupled with strong KM could solve the issue.

Sometimes even a Director or HOD will leave their card to be punched by a junior. This can be curbed by using live biometric scans.