How Can I Address Chronic Late Arrivals Without Penalizing Employees Amid Salary Delays?

Hello all,

I work with an EV company. I'm stuck and unable to resolve the issue of late coming in my company. The official time is from 9:30 am to 6:30 pm. We have given flexibility to employees to report till 10 am and leave by 5:30 pm. Still, employees report to work between 10:30 am and 11:30 am. This has become a habit from managers to interns. We don't have any policy to deduct salary or half-day leave against late coming.

Challenges with salary disbursement

And to add to my problems, since the company is in a nascent stage, there have been delays in the salary disbursements. Though salaries happen month on month, the dates keep varying. Due to this reason, I don't want to penalize the employees by deducting salary or leaves. But the late coming has started to affect the project deadlines, and this, in turn, is affecting the company revenue.

Attempts at positive reinforcement

I have tried positive reinforcement by awarding cash to employees who report on time. But it seems to have no visible effect.

Request if there is any solution to correct the situation.

Hello,

The issue you're facing is indeed a tricky one, but there are a few strategies you could try to encourage your employees to arrive on time without resorting to salary deductions or leave penalties.

1. 📝 **Formalize Flexibility**: You could consider clearly formalizing a flexible working hours policy. This could involve stipulating a certain number of hours to be worked each day, regardless of when they start. This can help employees balance their personal and professional commitments while ensuring the required work hours are met.

2. 🕗 **Core Working Hours**: Introducing core working hours where everyone must be present can also be beneficial. For instance, 11 am to 4 pm could be core hours where everyone must be present. This will ensure that there are enough overlapping hours for project collaboration.

3. 📈 **Performance Metrics**: Instead of focusing on time, shift the focus to performance metrics. If employees understand that their performance is being evaluated based on their output and not the hours they put in, they might be more motivated to manage their time effectively.

4. 🗣️ **Communication**: Have open discussions with your employees. Understand their challenges and try to find a middle ground that works for both the organization and the employees.

5. 🏆 **Rewards and Recognition**: Continue to recognize timely employees, but you might want to consider non-monetary awards as well, such as an extra day off, a certificate of appreciation, or public recognition.

6. 🚦 **Implement a Tardiness Policy**: If all else fails, you might have to implement a tardiness policy. This doesn't necessarily have to involve salary deductions or leave penalties. It could start with verbal warnings, move onto written warnings, and eventually, if the behavior continues, it could affect the employee's performance appraisal.

7. 👥 **Model Behavior**: Ensure that managers and senior staff are modeling punctuality. As leaders, their behavior sets a standard for the rest of the team.

Remember, any policy changes should be communicated clearly and in writing to all employees.

Regarding the issue of delayed salary disbursements, it's important to communicate with your employees about this as well. Transparency about the reasons for delay and a clear timeline for when they can expect their salaries can go a long way in maintaining trust.

Hope these suggestions help you deal with the late coming issue at your organization. Remember, the goal is to find a solution that respects both the company's needs and the employees' work-life balance. 🚀👍