I work for a railroad consulting company, and the employee base mostly comprises CAD engineers, mechanical, civil, and electrical engineers. The company's management has pampered the staff so much that they take them for granted. Almost 75% of the employees have a tendency to come late. When I thought of giving memos, my ED objected because he was more interested in the projects on which those fellows are working. I have been asked to devise some creative ways to curb this menace and do a turnaround in the work culture. Can anyone suggest some ideas? I have some of my own, but if I get your inputs, it will be fantastic.
From India, Hyderabad
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3From India, Hyderabad
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Hi,
Your ED is correct.
Issuing memos, etc., are all part of bureaucracy, and one has to find creative measures for tackling these problems.
In the open house meeting, you can ask the ED to address this issue and ask them to come on time, and this will not work for sure.
I'll suggest a few ways:
1. Give away some materialistic gifts to those who come early.
2. Ask those who come later than a stipulated time (say 9.45) to bring sweets or cakes for all those who arrived before them.
3. Call a weekly informal meeting and award the best late-comer award to the person who is consistently late that week. You can also have them sing or dance as a punishment.
4. Take away the muster roll and organize a treasure hunt by placing it in a secret location 5-10 minutes after the office time starts.
5. Create a late-comer cap and make the latecomer wear it for the day.
Think of more; I'm sure you'll come up with a lot of ideas.
Happy implementing, and make sure to convey the results to us.
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Sree
From India, New Delhi
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Your ED is correct.
Issuing memos, etc., are all part of bureaucracy, and one has to find creative measures for tackling these problems.
In the open house meeting, you can ask the ED to address this issue and ask them to come on time, and this will not work for sure.
I'll suggest a few ways:
1. Give away some materialistic gifts to those who come early.
2. Ask those who come later than a stipulated time (say 9.45) to bring sweets or cakes for all those who arrived before them.
3. Call a weekly informal meeting and award the best late-comer award to the person who is consistently late that week. You can also have them sing or dance as a punishment.
4. Take away the muster roll and organize a treasure hunt by placing it in a secret location 5-10 minutes after the office time starts.
5. Create a late-comer cap and make the latecomer wear it for the day.
Think of more; I'm sure you'll come up with a lot of ideas.
Happy implementing, and make sure to convey the results to us.
-----
Sree
From India, New Delhi
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I agree with sree on one point - hold a meeting by department, not the full compliment of employees, only those who have been habitual lates/ tardys.
Remind them of their responsibilities to the Company, and Co-workers.
The Company pays for a full day's efforts. If an employee is late (s)he cannot provide the service that has been legally and morally contracted for. In fact, they are stealing, at best and committing fraud at worse.
Co-workers rely on their presence to help solve problems, integrate concepts, and assist in the efficient flow of work. Absence due to lateness holds up the work of colleagues. That's like having a spring break in a watch. A simple component leads to devesting results.
I'm not a big proponent of rewarding employees for accepting and recognizing their responsibilities. Reward should be meted out for extra-ordinary achievement. To provide rewards for on-time attendance, lessens the impact and diminishes the substance.
Nor do I think that “sweets or cakes” is the answer. Suppose an employee refuses? What will happen? Will you let them leave work to get the “sweets or cakes” ? (Employees will be clamoring to be the last one in.)
Similarly a “best late comer award” and/or “late comer cap” (to be worn all day) is, in my mind, insulting, demeaning and will have little or no impact on the offenders. In fact these kinds of things are apt to cause dissention, lower morale, and create the basis for more challenges to management's authority.
Likewise for the “Treasure Hunt” - I believe that it will further delay of the start of work. Employees may refuse to be lured into the hunt, or, in the alternative, go around, possibly outside their work area, looking for the “Treasure”. Meanwhile, nothing productive is being done and other personnel are being distracted.
You have a serious problem that can spread and affect the morale of the rest of the workforce.
What would happen if a non-“pampered” group (Admin, for example) began to come in late? If discipline would be imposed, it would be discriminatory, since management has already approved such behavior in another group within the Company. If they did nothing, the message to the rest of the organization is that coming to work late is the norm for the Company.
Before long the whole organization is in chaos. Everyone coming to work at a different time; setting their own hours; leaving before the end of the shift. If that is what Management wants - Flex Time - then they should announce a new policy. If not, they must be prepared to enforce the one they have.
From United States,
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Remind them of their responsibilities to the Company, and Co-workers.
The Company pays for a full day's efforts. If an employee is late (s)he cannot provide the service that has been legally and morally contracted for. In fact, they are stealing, at best and committing fraud at worse.
Co-workers rely on their presence to help solve problems, integrate concepts, and assist in the efficient flow of work. Absence due to lateness holds up the work of colleagues. That's like having a spring break in a watch. A simple component leads to devesting results.
I'm not a big proponent of rewarding employees for accepting and recognizing their responsibilities. Reward should be meted out for extra-ordinary achievement. To provide rewards for on-time attendance, lessens the impact and diminishes the substance.
Nor do I think that “sweets or cakes” is the answer. Suppose an employee refuses? What will happen? Will you let them leave work to get the “sweets or cakes” ? (Employees will be clamoring to be the last one in.)
Similarly a “best late comer award” and/or “late comer cap” (to be worn all day) is, in my mind, insulting, demeaning and will have little or no impact on the offenders. In fact these kinds of things are apt to cause dissention, lower morale, and create the basis for more challenges to management's authority.
Likewise for the “Treasure Hunt” - I believe that it will further delay of the start of work. Employees may refuse to be lured into the hunt, or, in the alternative, go around, possibly outside their work area, looking for the “Treasure”. Meanwhile, nothing productive is being done and other personnel are being distracted.
You have a serious problem that can spread and affect the morale of the rest of the workforce.
What would happen if a non-“pampered” group (Admin, for example) began to come in late? If discipline would be imposed, it would be discriminatory, since management has already approved such behavior in another group within the Company. If they did nothing, the message to the rest of the organization is that coming to work late is the norm for the Company.
Before long the whole organization is in chaos. Everyone coming to work at a different time; setting their own hours; leaving before the end of the shift. If that is what Management wants - Flex Time - then they should announce a new policy. If not, they must be prepared to enforce the one they have.
From United States,
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