If you notice that an employee is arriving late, you need to address the issue. Normally, an informal approach will be the best way to do this. By having a quick word with them in private, they will see that you have noticed the issue, are monitoring their attendance and are willing to take action. This can act as a deterrent and help to nip the issue in the bud.

If this doesn’t work, you may need to go down the formal route. You should make it clear in your employee handbook that persistent lateness without a proper explanation will normally be treated as misconduct and it is likely that it will result in disciplinary action. When thinking about disciplinary action, you will also need to consider the reasons for the lateness; for example, is it because they lazy or have poor time management, or is it because they have a medical condition which makes it difficult for them to get to work on time? This will determine what action to take.

Remind the employee that it is their responsibility to make sure they are ready to work at their scheduled time. If they rely on public transport, they should allow adequate time, including delays, to make the journey and arrive on time. If they drive to work, they should make allowances for the level of traffic or rush hour congestion to make sure they are not late.

If they are arriving late, they should contact their line manager as soon as they can to inform them. Ideally you should ask that employees call, rather than send a text or email.

Personal or domestic circumstances may make it difficult for an employee to get to work on their scheduled start time. An employee who has a minimum of 26 weeks’ continuous service with their employer and has not made a request in the last 12 months may make a flexible working request. This may involve them asking to start work a bit later each day. Employers must consider the request in a reasonable manner and can only refuse a request for a clear business reason, for example an inability to reorganise work amongst existing staff.