CFOs have heard all of the excuses in the book. Check out this survey from Accountemps on how executives perceive punctuality and the most creative excuses for tardiness by workers.

1. © 2017 Accountemps. A Robert Half Company. An Equal Opportunity Employer M/F/Disability/Veterans.
roberthalf.com/accountemps
‘I’m sorry I’m late, but …’
CFOs have heard all of the excuses in the book

2. © 2017 Accountemps. A Robert Half Company. An Equal Opportunity Employer M/F/Disability/Veterans.
CFOs Frown on Tardiness
2
Think showing up late to work – even if the job’s getting done – is OK?
Think again.
Only 1 in 10 CFOs said it doesn’t matter when employees arrive, as
long as they are getting their work done on time.
Source: Accountemps survey of more than 2,200 CFOs
They should arrive on time so others can
rely on them during set hours
43%
It’s OK if they’re occasionally late, as
long as it’s not a pattern and people don’t
perceive them as slacking off
47%
It doesn’t matter when they arrive, as
long as they get their work done on time
10%

3. © 2017 Accountemps. A Robert Half Company. An Equal Opportunity Employer M/F/Disability/Veterans.
A Worker’s Perspective
3
Source: Accountemps survey of more than 1,000 U.S. workers
In a separate survey, workers were asked, “How often do you arrive
late to work?” Their responses:
Total Ages 18-34 Ages 35-54 Ages 55+
Every day 7% 12% 6% 1%
A few times a week 12% 17% 10% 7%
A few times a month 15% 19% 14% 8%
A few times a year 31% 29% 33% 30%
Never 34% 23% 36% 54%
Yes 43%
No 57%
Some workers admitted that their productivity has suffered because a
colleague was late to work:

4. © 2017 Accountemps. A Robert Half Company. An Equal Opportunity Employer M/F/Disability/Veterans.
Creative Excuses
“I drove to my old job out of habit.”
4
Source: Accountemps survey of more than 2,200 CFOs

5. © 2017 Accountemps. A Robert Half Company. An Equal Opportunity Employer M/F/Disability/Veterans.
Creative Excuses
“I thought I was still on vacation.”
5
Source: Accountemps survey of more than 2,200 CFOs

6. © 2017 Accountemps. A Robert Half Company. An Equal Opportunity Employer M/F/Disability/Veterans.
Creative Excuses
“I had nothing to wear.”
6
Source: Accountemps survey of more than 2,200 CFOs

7. © 2017 Accountemps. A Robert Half Company. An Equal Opportunity Employer M/F/Disability/Veterans.
Creative Excuses
“I thought it was Saturday.”
7
Source: Accountemps survey of more than 2,200 CFOs

8. © 2017 Accountemps. A Robert Half Company. An Equal Opportunity Employer M/F/Disability/Veterans.
Creative Excuses
“My hair got caught in a fan.”
8
Source: Accountemps survey of more than 2,200 CFOs

9. © 2017 Accountemps. A Robert Half Company. An Equal Opportunity Employer M/F/Disability/Veterans.
Creative Excuses
“I super-glued my eye thinking it was contact solution.”
9
Source: Accountemps survey of more than 2,200 CFOs

10. © 2017 Accountemps. A Robert Half Company. An Equal Opportunity Employer M/F/Disability/Veterans.
Creative Excuses
10
“Geese chased
me on my way to
the car.”
Source: Accountemps survey of more than 2,200 CFOs

11. © 2017 Accountemps. A Robert Half Company. An Equal Opportunity Employer M/F/Disability/Veterans.
Creative Excuses
11
“My cat delivered
its litter of kittens.”
Source: Accountemps survey of more than 2,200 CFOs

12. © 2017 Accountemps. A Robert Half Company. An Equal Opportunity Employer M/F/Disability/Veterans.
Creative Excuses
12
“Someone spilled their coffee all over me on the
way to work.”
Source: Accountemps survey of more than 2,200 CFOs

13. © 2017 Accountemps. A Robert Half Company. An Equal Opportunity Employer M/F/Disability/Veterans.
Creative Excuses
“I was stuck in an elevator with a kid that pushed the
buttons for all the floors.”
13
Source: Accountemps survey of more than 2,200 CFOs

14. © 2017 Accountemps. A Robert Half Company. An Equal Opportunity Employer M/F/Disability/Veterans.
Creative Excuses
“A truck full of fish flipped
over on the highway.”
14
Source: Accountemps survey of more than 2,200 CFOs

15. © 2017 Accountemps. A Robert Half Company. An Equal Opportunity Employer M/F/Disability/Veterans.
Creative Excuses
“My dog ate my car keys.”
15
Source: Accountemps survey of more than 2,200 CFOs

16. © 2017 Accountemps. A Robert Half Company. An Equal Opportunity Employer M/F/Disability/Veterans.
Creative Excuses
“I got locked in the gas station restroom and had to wait for
someone to get me out.”
16
Source: Accountemps survey of more than 2,200 CFOs

17. © 2017 Accountemps. A Robert Half Company. An Equal Opportunity Employer M/F/Disability/Veterans.
Accountemps, a Robert Half company, is the
world’s first and largest specialized staffing
service for temporary accounting, finance and
bookkeeping professionals.
For more career advice, visit:
roberthalf.com/research-and-insights/
career-development