They say
What to say when an employee says arrival time shouldn’t matter: “If my work gets done, why does it matter when I’m here?”
When an employee says arrival time shouldn’t matter, explain the customer, coverage, or coordination need behind the requirement. If there is no real dependency, reconsider the rule.
Your response
“It matters if your availability affects customers, coverage, or other people’s work. Let’s be clear about the dependency. If there isn’t one, I need to reconsider why I’m requiring that start time.”
First, check this
What specific service, coverage, or coordination need depends on this employee being present at that time?
Why this works
The response ties the boundary to work rather than tradition, visibility, or managerial preference. It lets the manager explain a real dependency without claiming that fixed hours are always necessary. It also requires the manager to reconsider a rule that serves no operational purpose. Any contractual, legal, or policy question remains outside this page and must be handled in its proper context.
Don’t say
“Because those are the hours, and everyone else manages.”
If they push back again
“But nobody actually needs me before ten.”
You could say
Maybe not every day. Let’s look at the last month of calls and handoffs before ten. If nothing depends on you then, I’ll look at changing your hours.
After the conversation
- Write down in a sentence or two the customer or coverage need that the start time protects.
- If you can’t find a real dependency, change or drop the requirement within a few weeks and tell the employee the outcome.
- Check whether the same start time is enforced for everyone in comparable roles.
Questions managers ask
Can I require fixed hours if the work gets done anyway?
You can, if something real depends on when people are present, such as customer coverage or handoffs with other teams. Check any contract or local rules first. If nothing depends on the time, the requirement is a preference, and enforcing it costs you goodwill for little in return.
What if I’m only insisting on the start time because I like seeing people in?
Admit that to yourself first. Watching people arrive tells you very little about their work. Decide what you actually need, such as someone answering customers during set hours or attending a morning meeting, and ask for that, because it’s easier to defend and easier for the employee to meet.
How should I handle lateness when someone’s output is excellent?
Treat them as two separate subjects. Praise the output for what it is, then raise the lateness only if it affects someone, like a colleague waiting or a customer left unanswered. If it affects nobody, consider whether flexible hours could work for this role. If it does affect someone, name who, so the request is about the work.