Am I old-fashioned about employee lateness?

"This means getting to work about 10 minutes early in time to hang up a coat, use the bathroom, etc., and be at one's desk when the hour begins. I feel like most employees and many managers do not so much care about this or, if they do, they don't say anything to late employees. I have worked with colleagues who regularly show up 10-20 minutes late and no one seems to care. I'm not talking about flex-time jobs. Are my standards old-fashioned?"

"In lots of jobs, it just doesn't matter if you're at your desk at 9:00 or 9:10 because it has zero impact on the results you get. There are other jobs where it does matter-for example, if an employee covers the phones or has client appointments starting right at 9 a.m.-but increasingly jobs that can move away from that (which, again, isn't all of them) are doing so."

Punctuality expectations vary by job function; employees should generally arrive prepared to start work on time except for emergencies, sick children, or traffic. For roles requiring coverage at specific times—such as phone operators or client appointments—arriving ten minutes early is necessary. Many jobs increasingly prioritize output over strict start times, making minor lateness irrelevant when it does not affect results. Managers should address lateness only when it negatively impacts the person's work or others' work, and avoid reprimanding high performers for small delays that do not harm outcomes. Excessive focus on clock time can drive away valued employees.

Read at Fast Company