BEST OF THE WEB: Tackling Tardiness

If you have been in the working world long enough, chances are you have known a coworker who calls off sick on a monthly basis or attends multiple funerals for the same dead aunt. Granted, employees are human and will become ill or need personal time off on occasion. But how should landscape contractors deal with chronically absent or late workers?

Lawn & Landscape Online Message Board participant Justin Rasmussen, chief executive officer of Seattle-based Urban Landscpaing NW, asked other discussion-group members what policies they have implemented to cope with habitually late or absent employees. "I don't' think any of us live in a perfect world with perfect employees," Rasmussen writes. "I am looking for details - like how much tardiness are you going to accept and what defines a tardy - one minute late, three minutes late - do you have a grace period? How many absences are you going to permit and over what time period? What are your penalty phases for such violations of the policy? I just want to have a solid written policy in place. I was hoping there would be someone out there to share one to compare to what my idea of one is."

Contractors responded to Rasmussen by sharing how they enforce employee promptness and dependability. Some participants say a strict written policy is necessary while others suggest that verbal communication works best.

SPELL IT OUT. Rasmussen started the conversation by providing Message Board participants with his written policy on absenteeism and tardiness. Employees who are unable to report to work on time must contact their supervisor before their starting time, according to his company's policy. If that employee cannot reach a supervisor, he or she must leave a message.

The company may request that employees submit medical certification that an illness or injury has occurred, the policy states. The company also has a three-minute grace period, which means employees are considered on time if they arrive within three minutes of their starting time. However, abuse of the grace period may result in disciplinary action or termination.

Rasmussen thinks his policy on late arrivals is too lenient and that he would like to make some changes. Message Board participant Patrick Johnson disagrees, saying Rasmussen might be making "a mountain out of a molehill." "I think what you already have should work fine," says Johnson, owner of Knoxville, Tenn.-based Reflective Gardens.

Johnson suggests that a verbal policy might work fine if Rasmussen is running a smaller company. If not, Johnson says Rasmussen's current policy should be adequate. "If you've got 20 employees, then what you've already got should be spelled out pretty well," he explains. "It ain't rocket science to me."

But Rasmussen says "it's business 101" that landscape contractors should have written guidelines for tardiness or absenteeism. "Have all policies and guidelines in writing," he says. "Most other corporations do, so why not you guys? It is called covering your bases, crossing your Ts, dotting the Is. This is one way to get your business to operate without your presence and to limit liability. Consistency is key."

Like Rasmussen, Message Board member Paul Rapoza has implemented a written policy on lateness and absenteeism that is reviewed with employees during their first-day orientation. He agrees with Rasmussen that a written policy is necessary, but questions his grace period.

"Are you there on time 'up to three minutes late,' or are you setting the example of being early?" asks Rapoza, owner of Rapoza Landscape & Lawn Care, East Falmouth, Mass. "It's all about managing your employees' expectations and company culture. If you allow a senior employee to come in late, you're in trouble. The guys I have had with me the longest put the pressure on the new guys and it works well. To me, it comes down to consideration, too. If an employee calls to let me know he'll be five minutes late, then no problem. If they show up five minutes late without a word about it, then see you later. That world doesn't revolve around any of us."

Jeff Pozniak, president of Appleton, Wis.-based Stonehenge Brick Paving & Landscaping, agrees that a grace period could backfire on a contractor. "Tardiness is not something I accept," he says. "Three minutes late and the employee might come into an empty shop."

Rasmussen responds by saying his grace period is based on other corporate standards and that it takes into account heavy street traffic in his region. "It is called being sympathetic to what is some of the worst traffic in the nation," he says. "I have not had an issue with tardiness or attendance over one year - luck, I guess. If a guy is late, say five or 10 minutes, then he gets left behind a misses a day of work. Of course, like lots of other companies here, one guy make pick up two or three other guys. Are you going to fire all of these employees for being late and note calling in? I doubt it. But this is what I wanted to gauge by this topic: What should I or shouldn't I alter in my policy? The grace period will probably go, and less late arrivals will be tolerate."

THE CONSEQUENCES. At Urban Landscaping, excessive tardiness or absenteeism may result in disciplinary action, including possible termination. In addition, the company may consider an employee's attendance record when assessing qualifications for new assignments, promotions, transfers, leaves of absence, approved time off and other employment-related decisions, Rasmussen writes. According to Rasmussen's policy, chronic lateness will result in the following: Probation for four late arrivals in one month, termination for five later arrivals in one month and termination for six late arrivals in two months during a probationary period.

Will Sharp, president of Lawn Dawg Services in Matthews, N.C., says he takes the following approach to cope with tardy employees:

• If an employee is five minutes late, the company docks that employee's pay 15 minutes for every five minutes.
• If an employee is late twice, that employee will be "called out in front of everyone" and written up. The company may then reduce an employee's pay by $1 per hour until the next review.
• The third tardy results in termination.

"The $1 deal works well," Sharp says. "They all sign the manual and understand. I just don't have a problem. Everyone show up 10 to 15 minutes early. If there is a person who is late, they have even more problems and probably won't work out anyway. The lateness is the first clue. You have to be consistent, maybe even set an example. Rules were made to be followed."

Rapoza has adopted what some might consider a zero-tolerance policy toward tardiness. "If you are one second late, you're late," Rapoza explains. "If you don't call in and lest us know more than twice, you're fired. I let everyone know who works for me know upfront that I have a thing about time."

OTHER APPROACHES. Not all Message Board participants agree that written policies are always necessary. Verbal communication can be more direct and just as effective. For instance, landscape contractor James Binns does not have a written policy for tardiness or absenteeism but will instead tell employees when they've crossed a line.

"For me, if someone occasionally calls in with a good excuse, I understand," says Binns, president of Fayettevill, Ark.-based Earthworks Landscape Gardening. "If it is habitual - twice a month - 'Bye, bye.' We always have a talk first. However, my state allows one to be fired for virtually any reason."

Johnson agrees with Binns that contractors should first talk to employees who are chronically late or absent. "Go up to the employee, put your arm around their shoulder and say, 'Hey, man, if you continue to be late, I'm gonna have to let you go, and I know we both don't want that, right?'"

But not every contractor focuses on negative consequences to encourage promptness. Chris Haddock, owner of Laconia, N.H.-based CBH Landscape Contractors, offers incentives to employees who show up on time. Employees can accrue one hour of "earned time" for every 40 hours worked if they show up on time every day and don't call off sick, Haddock says. The earned time can then be used as sick time or vacation time.