Tardiness

Tardiness is the act of arriving later than an agreed start time, or failing to arrive at all. In workplace and educational settings, it is usually distinguished from a complete absence by the presence of a late arrival. Chronic tardiness can indicate broader issues with time management or scheduling.

Common causes include personal factors such as sleep deprivation, health problems, caregiving duties, and misjudging travel time, as well as external factors like traffic, transit delays, or ambiguous start times. Organizational factors, such as rigid schedules, poor communication, or a culture that tolerates lateness, can reinforce it.

Impacts of tardiness include disrupted workflows, reduced productivity, and increased workloads for others. It can affect service quality, safety in operations that require coordination, and perceptions of reliability. In educational settings, frequent lateness can disrupt lessons and disadvantage late students relative to peers.

Measurement and policy typically involve tracking arrival times, calculating on-time rates, or counting late instances. Policies range from reminders to disciplinary measures; they must consider legitimate reasons for lateness and ensure consistency, fairness, and compliance with applicable labor or education laws.

Mitigation strategies emphasize flexibility and support, such as flexible or hybrid schedules, buffer periods, reminders, transportation assistance, and time-management coaching. Addressing root causes, improving communication, and setting clear expectations can reduce tardiness and improve overall punctuality.

Cultural and sectoral variation can influence tardiness norms. Attitudes toward punctuality differ across cultures and contexts, and in safety-critical environments, strict adherence to schedules is often essential for coordination and risk management.