Written warning re: Timekeeping, suggestions please

Reds-on-Sea

I’m due to have my 2nd (written) warning on Friday with regards to my timekeeping.
I’ve been employed with my company for 5.5 yrs and I can safely say that my work is exemplary. I’m slightly nervous as the company have made some redundancies in the last couple of weeks, so I’m worried that they’ll use this as an excuse to sack me if it happens again. I know that no redundancies are planned for my dept as it’s one of the areas of the company that is expanding.
I’m not silly enough to believe that I’m indispensible – nobody is, but I think they know that they’d be shooting themselves in the foot if they did get rid of me....Anyways that's besides the point
I’ve always had a problem with time keeping, even when I lived 15 mins away. (I had one job that was a 20 second walk and I used to be late!) Anyway, I have a 22 mile journey on a main route into London (I don’t work in London) it’s a very busy road with accidents every other day. I leave 45-50 mins to get to work, but it’s very unpredictable. I’m usually 2 or 3 minutes late a couple of times a week. It’s a factory based environment, and totally male dominated.
A lot of other people are often late too, but I live one of the furthest away and they've been keeping a very close eye on me......it might be because I recently mentioned I was dissatisfied with me job and was furiously searching for something new (ooops!) I've kinda changed my mind recently as things have improved a lot, but maybe they don't know that.
Has anyone got any constructive ideas on what I can suggest to sound as if I’m making an effort? Or just help me get to work earlier?
I don’t want to go in with a long list of excuses either, I take responsibility for my own lateness – but in my defence:
I’m paid hourly, if I’m 3 mins late, I get docked 15mins pay (the people on salary don’t get docked)
I’m a woman! It’s physically impossible for me to roll straight out of bed into the car, I have to wash my hair in the morning as it’s long and gets greasy during the night. Also (and no, I don’t wear lots of make up to impress the factory guys), but I won’t leave the house without makeup (for the benefit of public decency!) this all takes time, I get up at 6am for an 8:30 start.
I can try, but I can't promise that I will never be 1 minute late ever again. Can they sack me if it happens just 1 more time? I don't want to lose my job!
Any suggestions?
thanks

Rikki

Organise yourself and your time better. Or get up earlier and leave earlier.

SomeBozo

You need to get up and leave the house earlier!

Its as pure as simple as that.

I think you know this.

Can they sack me if it happens just 1 more time? I don't want to lose my job!

Yes. It sounds like they have a established procedure for discipline and time keeping.

If your late again after a second written warning, I suspect we will next see you in the "Benefits & Job seeking board".

Bozo

mymatebob

If time keeping is an important part of your job, and to your employer it is, then if you have been given two written warnings about it, then the next time you are late you can quite justifiably be shown the door.

Buy a decent alarm clock, go to bed earlier get up earlier.
Your excuses for being late would not even cut any ice in a primary school so unless you want to find yourself out of work get it sorted.

SandC

Being a woman is no excuse, neither is where you live. You took the job and agreed to the starting times. It doesn't matter if your pay is docked, they want reliability. Just because you are exemplary at your duties doesn't mean that they can bend the rules on timekeeping for you I'm afraid.

You really must get organised. Being late several times a week is not down to anything but you. Other people are no doubt late as well, but are they doing so as often as you are? I'm sure they aren't singling you out.

Seriously, get up half an hour earlier and leave home half an hour earlier. It doesn't matter that you arrive there early, that is better than potentially losing your job. Next time it will be final written warning and then you could be out after that.

We had to lose someone at a firm I worked for some years ago. They really, really didn't want to lose him but he couldn't get to work on time, he blamed childcare and his wife working shifts. Although we gave him huge leeway for a long time it got to the point where the warnings ran out and we had to dismiss him. Don't think that is doesn't happen because it seems trivial and you don't get paid for it.

Add up the 3 minutes over the course of a year - 3 times per week over 48 working weeks? That's 432 minutes lost. 7.2 hours of productivity.

Liz_the_Whizz

Reds-on-Sea,

One of the main reasons for your employer's insistence is the impact on your co-workers.

It is very bad for morale to have someone who appears to be getting away with something which everyone else has to stick to.

Your employer has to be seen to be dealing with this, or it can lead to others following your bad example.

No excuses will save you - crunch time is here - and your co-workers will be cheering either way:j .

rosysparkle

If it takes you an hour to get to work, what on earth are you doing that takes an hour and a half before you leave in the mornings? I can be up, showered, breakfasted, packed lunches made, dressed, hair done (washed, dried and straightened), face done, dishwasher stacked, kitchen cleaned, beds made, kids organised and email checked in 45 minutes easily.

If you need allow an hour to get to work, then you need to leave on the dot of 7.30. It's up to you how early you get up so that everything is done for that time, but that's what you need to fix your mind on. Don't fix your mind on your 8.30 start, concentrate on your 7.30 leaving-the-house time.

Reds-on-Sea

Thanks Everyone.

I think the letter I got today informing me of a disciplinary really hit home.
When I say 2nd warning, I mean the first was a verbal warning, this will be, what I expect is a written warning, procedure here goes that if I'm late again after that, they can sack me.

The reason I've never taken it that seriously is because I've got away with it for 5 years with no consequences. All of a sudden, what with redundancies happening and this being what will be my 2nd warning in a month, I can clearly see that they mean business.

I've been looking for another job for about 6 months now, and despite wanting to leave, don't want (under any circumstances) to be jobless for any amount of time.

So yes, tonight I will be setting my alarm 30 mins earlier.

thanks

lemontart

Sorry the female excuse does not hold water and certainly does not curry favor amongst us other gals who always get to work and are ready to start on time regardless of journey distance,

You are at fault here as you openly admit to being a couple of minutes late a couple times a week - look at it this was 2 mins twice a week is 4 minutes so over a working year of say 48 weeks allowing for 4 weeks hols that it is 3.2 hrs a year of loss productivity from you as you cannot be bothered to get up 10 mins eaelier to ensure you comply with the contract you have to be at your post on time

I work 18 miles from hone I leave 1 hr before start time to ensure that accidents and delays withstanding I reach work on time - I had to do a 3 point turn on a country lane last week - retrace my journey and take another router due to and accident, another road I knew was close for road works and another I heard on traffic news whicch i check before I leave was closed due to broken down vehicle - guess what the extrra time I always alow helped I was not late. Yes I have been late due to traffic acciident near work that caused major talil backs on all roads but called in to let them know whulst sitting in traffice and ended up only 2 mis late.

We all know things happne in my area that includes tractors, ungrritted icey roads. regular thick fog, dodging rabbitss, foxes and pheasants (I witnessed a kamakazi pheasant cause an accident a few months back) so you make allowances for this to meet your obligations but accept on occaision the best effotrs are twarted but to be honest it does not sound like you are making best effort and it should not take the fear of redundacy to make you as it shows dispresct for emplyer and yr col- workers who have to cover the work load for those 3.2 hrs a yr

SandC

It's good that you've taken on board that it is your responsibility. It sounds like you would have a final written warning before being sacked - but don't that as licence to do it again!

You just need to get into a habit. I leave my house far too early really but I hate being late so consequently I end up being super early instead. But as someone else has said, when something does happen on the roads it means I still manage to get there on time. Yesterday I missed my alarm (use my mobile and dropped my phone the night before, looked like it was fine but turns out the sound has gone!) and was running around like a headless chicken, but I was still there with plenty of time to go, if a bit ruffled.

It will also be less stressful for you when you know you have left plenty of time.

pinkshoes

Reds-on-Sea wrote: »

I’m a woman! It’s physically impossible for me to roll straight out of bed into the car, I have to wash my hair in the morning as it’s long and gets greasy during the night. Also (and no, I don’t wear lots of make up to impress the factory guys), but I won’t leave the house without makeup (for the benefit of public decency!) this all takes time, I get up at 6am for an 8:30 start.

My alarm goes off at 6.32am, I immediately get out of bed, have a shower, wash and condition my hair, dry my hair, straighten my hair, eat breakfast, put makeup on, get dressed, and out the door by 7.20am. It's a 25 minute drive, but I allow 35 to 40 minutes because I don't want to be late and the drive up the busy dual carriageway can be unpredictable. I have not once been late. AND i'm female! :rolleyes:

Get up at 5.45am, put your alarm in the door way so you have to get out of bed to turn it off, have a light on a timer that also comes on in your room at 5.45am too. Use an all in one shampoo conditioner to save time, and have a pack up breakfast you can eat at work, and lay all your work clothes out to save time in the morning.

Often if you leave earlier, there's less traffic, so you'll get there faster, and can have a cup of coffee!!