Care needs to be taken in creating a balance with the management of absenteeism and lateness. To be completely intolerant of any lateness or absence while expecting staff to be flexible to cover other team members’ work or stay late to manage busy periods will strain the concept of fairness in the relationship between employer and employee.
Everyone falls prey to an occasional bout of sickness, while people are occasionally late for work due to unforeseen circumstances. To some extent, this is part and parcel of being an employer, but emerging problems will need to be dealt with rapidly. On the other hand, unacceptable levels of absence must be actively managed because of the cost to the business and the impact on service and the other members of the team.