How to Apologize for Being Late to Work
1 - Report your late arrival to the appropriate person, and document it in the way that your company's tardy policy outlines.
2 - Try to give warning before you are late. If you are stuck in traffic, or you have a sick child at home who you need to arrange care for, contact your supervisor immediately.
3 - Tell your boss or supervisor what happened to make you late. Explain the circumstances, whether it was traffic or an illness, or a simple mishap such as the alarm clock not going off.
4 - Contact any co-workers or clients who were left waiting for you. Briefly tell your immediate team members what happened to make you late, if your tardiness affected their ability to work. Say you are sorry and ask what you missed.
5 - Follow up with an apology in writing. If your boss is unavailable when you arrive, send a short email, or leave a brief note on his or her desk. Mention what time you arrived, and express your regrets for the tardiness.
6 - Be honest in your explanation. Outrageous excuses are often not credible. Explain what happened, say you are sorry, and tell your supervisor that it will not happen again.
7 - Do not overcompensate. Try not to give more details than are necessary. One sentence will usually be sufficient.
8 - Remain professional. Your tardiness may cause supervisors or co-workers to become angry and frustrated.
Tips - Try to break the news to your boss before anyone else does. You do not want to have your supervisor hear from someone else that you are late.
Warnings - Avoid being habitually late. According to Career Builder, 32 percent of employers have fired an employee for being late.
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