Your tardiness policy should indicate at what point someone is considered tardy. Are they tardy if they show up more than five minutes after they were scheduled to report to work? Do they need to be in uniform and at their workstation on the dot? At what point does someone need to call in to say that they are running late? Also, indicate how many tardies in a thirty-day period are considered excessive and what the consequences will be.

If an employee has a problem getting to work on time on a regular basis, give the employee some counseling and advice. The tips for getting to work on time may sound simple to you, but another person may struggle with them. Recommend that she go to bed in time for her to wake up easily and refreshed in the morning. If she brings a lunch to work, she should pack it the night before. Suggest she set the alarm clock and have a back up, such as the cell phone alarm, in case the first alarm malfunctions. She should give herself ample time in the morning to eat a healthy breakfast, get dressed, and arrive to work on time.