Tardiness: How being late could damage even the most promising career.

1. Ahead of the game / Tardiness: how being late could damage even the promising career Page 1 of 2
Tardiness: how being
late could damage
even the most
promising career
To really get to the bottom of what it takes to stay ahead of the
game in today’s ultra-competitive market, Office Angels asked
its very loyal - and reassuringly diverse - clients and candidates
for their valuable, knowledgeable and altogether informed
opinions; and we’re bringing you the results in the form of
some incredibly useful little articles.
To find out more about how to stay ahead of the game visit our website:
www.office-angels.com/aheadofthegame.
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2. Ahead of the game / Tardiness: how being late could damage even the promising career Page 2 of 2
Whether you’re a student or parent, admin assistant or The cause
office manager, there’s one thing that’s almost guaranteed Being late for work on a regular basis is often down to lots
to stunt your career progression and diminish your prospects: of issues, rather than a single cause - such as a lack of self-
perpetual tardiness. We’re all human, we’ve all slept through discipline or an inability to get organised. Adrenaline could
an alarm and we’ve all been subject to powers beyond even be a contributing factor, with some people enjoying
our control - we’re talking tedious traffic jams and utterly the heady rush of excitement that comes with an impending
disruptive train strikes - but being late on a frequent basis deadline (or in this case, contracted hours).
can spell real trouble for both the culprit and their
co-workers. For others, being late may be a way of striking out. Employers
should keep a close eye on this, as the situation may be a
Just under a quarter of employers (23%) believe that arriving little more sensitive and require a tad more understanding to
late to the office isn’t ever acceptable, even if all of the work get to the root of the problem.
gets done in core hours; while 13% of employees disagree.
However, around 90% of employers and employees agree The trouble with being late - and in particular, being late
that arriving late to the office but making up time at the end often - is the impact it can have on someone’s long-
of the day is occasionally acceptable - but you’d better have term career. No one wants to be seen as unreliable and
a good excuse. uncommitted, but ultimately, never turning up on time means
that’s exactly what’ll happen. When you’re late, people stop
It seems that the biggest cause of lateness is traffic, closely taking you seriously, giving you juicy projects, or keeping you
followed by oversleeping and getting the kids ready and in mind for promotion.
out of the door. But for anyone regularly finding reasons to
excuse their inability to get to the office on time, it’s time to
change this career-ending habit. How to stop being late
First of all, it takes a conscious choice to change. Making a
commitment to get into work on time is the first stage, but
Work life balance then it’s important to figure out the reason for perpetual
lateness. Once that mystery is uncovered, employees could:
Over half (64%) of the employers that we surveyed think that • Set their alarm 15 minutes earlier
it’s sometimes acceptable to arrive early and leave late to
meet deadlines, as even though work should be done during • Prepare outfits and lunch the night before to save time in
contracted hours, some flexibility can benefit employees and the morning
businesses alike. But companies are also starting to realise • Reward themselves when they arrive early or on time
how important a good work-life balance is to the productivity
and creativity of their employees, and because of that, most • Pin down their most frequent excuses for being late, then
recognise that consistently working outside of contracted wipe them out
hours doesn’t make for a healthy or happy workplace. • Ask to work flexibly and start half an hour later
After all, there’s a delicate balance between efficiency and
effectiveness; and all too often, people work long hours • Arrive early but leave on time (59% of employers and
because they’re simply not effective in their roles. employees agree that’s always acceptable)
A healthy work-life balance gives employees a feeling of Being punctual and reliable can do wonders for someone’s
loyalty, greater pride in their organisation, and a willingness career. It can also help co-workers to stay motivated, and
to recommend it as a great place to work; in other words, a business to stay productive. The key is to identify where the
higher level of job satisfaction. Employers can help this along problem lies and figure out the best solution; and if you need
by offering flexible or remote working, compulsory leave, and any extra help or advice, get in touch with Office Angels.
strict maximum hours. We’re always more than happy to help.
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