How do you get your subordinates to attend meetings on time?

[Anonymous]

This is a once a month meeting? Is there another way to present this information? Via email, or some sort of webcast? Could you do two meetings, one at 830 and one at 430 and let people pick their time? Can you offer a dial in number for people who can't there?

[Anonymous]

Have you asked the chronically late employees, non-judgmentally, why they are late? Is it commute-related issues etc? What time do they get in normally? I agree that people should be able to find a way to make something work if it's only once a month, but that's obviously not working for many of your team members for whatever reason. I WAH now, but I can tell you that when I was commuting in to work even 15 minutes earlier than I usually did required a lot of planning and rescheduling to work around our childcare arrangements. I usually found a way to do so, but it may be harder for some people than others. I can also say that commute patterns really vary in the middle of rush hour, so if you have a long commute you might be off-base in time estimates you make to come in at a different than-planned time.

Beyond that, though, I agree that if people perceived this meeting as really critical and important they'd find a way around the above. Even if it's just monthly, though, I also find it strange to schedule an internal-only meeting first thing in the morning...but maybe that's because everywhere I've worked the first thing people do is fix themselves some coffee and check email when getting into the office and disrupting that routine makes them cranky.

[Anonymous]

Are they actually strolling in then or like you would an extra 15 minutes be helpful to them. Take a poll and see if 8:45 would work then make it mandatory to be there at 8:45.

[Anonymous]

I am a supervisor and never start a meeting before 9am or after 3pm. I supervise 20 staff.

I would also begin by suggesting a time that works for everyone and then hold them accountable. If they are late, they miss the entire meeting and have to have a staff member provide the info.

[Anonymous]

Last one in buys donuts for the next one. That worked at one job I had.

Though I agree DC is tricky with traffic/childcare/etc. any reason it can't be at 9am?

[Anonymous]

If that's the only problem, move the meeting. Mornings are really hard for working parents. That would make you a flexible boss and if you present it right, might get more employees on your side.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Are they actually strolling in then or like you would an extra 15 minutes be helpful to them. Take a poll and see if 8:45 would work then make it mandatory to be there at 8:45.

I wish I could do this, but they are all teachers and have to be in their classrooms by 9:00 to start the day. When I brought up the aftrnoon meeting, there were a lot of moans and groans in the room. I get that I can't make everyone happy. I still have to hold this meeting.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Last one in buys donuts for the next one. That worked at one job I had.

Though I agree DC is tricky with traffic/childcare/etc. any reason it can't be at 9am?

Lol...I love this. I don't think that I can do that, but I love the idea.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Are they actually strolling in then or like you would an extra 15 minutes be helpful to them. Take a poll and see if 8:45 would work then make it mandatory to be there at 8:45.

I wish I could do this, but they are all teachers and have to be in their classrooms by 9:00 to start the day. When I brought up the aftrnoon meeting, there were a lot of moans and groans in the room. I get that I can't make everyone happy. I still have to hold this meeting.

Does coming at 8:30 mean they work longer that day than they're contracted? I'm a teacher and while I don't have a problem with this lots of people are sticklers and wouldn't do it on principle.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:You have a meeting once a month for 30 minutes. Is 8:30 the absolute only time you can have that meeting? It's a very annoying time. Or maybe they don't benefit in anyway from the meeting and you have created a situation where they don't care what you think if they come in late.

I work in a school that starts at 9:00, so other than having a meeting at 4:30, 8:30 is the latest. Trust me, I am a mom and have to get kids out of the house too which is why I moved the meeting from 8:15 to 8:30. I thought I was being nice by giving them an extra 15.

Hmmm, this makes things more challenging. The meeting is outside of their normal work hours, so it does involve a change in people's daily schedule's attend. I agree with the PP about either presenting the information in another format or having two meeting times and letting them pick which one to attend. From what you've described, it doesn't sound like this is an interactive meeting but rather a format for disseminating information. While the information itself may be important, if they aren't active participants in the meeting they may feel like they can get the information some other way and deprioritize getting there on time.

And FWIW, I think it is nice of you to try to accommodate your employees' schedules and needs, so I'm not trying to pile on. But the change you've made hasn't fixed the problem, so your only options are to find a solution that works better or to start penalizing people for being late (which will likely help but is still not a guarantee). You might have better luck by just polling people to find out what they think will work for them and designing your solution based on the results.

[Anonymous]

I'm the pp who misread and thought they were daily meetings (which I have had, twice daily in fact working in a news-focused environment)

Maybe move to 8.40 and give key facts in a stand up bring your coffee/bagel style meeting followed up with further details on a handout or email?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Are they actually strolling in then or like you would an extra 15 minutes be helpful to them. Take a poll and see if 8:45 would work then make it mandatory to be there at 8:45.

I wish I could do this, but they are all teachers and have to be in their classrooms by 9:00 to start the day. When I brought up the aftrnoon meeting, there were a lot of moans and groans in the room. I get that I can't make everyone happy. I still have to hold this meeting.

Ok the more info is important. What are you presenting and is it mandatory that they receive it? What time do they normally arrive?

I don't think a meeting once a month at 8:30 is extreme so I am wondering what is making them late. True inability to arrive by 8:30 or lack of interest in the meeting?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Are they actually strolling in then or like you would an extra 15 minutes be helpful to them. Take a poll and see if 8:45 would work then make it mandatory to be there at 8:45.

I wish I could do this, but they are all teachers and have to be in their classrooms by 9:00 to start the day. When I brought up the aftrnoon meeting, there were a lot of moans and groans in the room. I get that I can't make everyone happy. I still have to hold this meeting.

Does coming at 8:30 mean they work longer that day than they're contracted? I'm a teacher and while I don't have a problem with this lots of people are sticklers and wouldn't do it on principle.

No. Their contract day begins at 8:30, but let's face it, most stroll in a few minutes before 9:00. They leave normal time.

[Anonymous]

They don't think the meetings are important. Most of it probably can be accomplished by email. Read between the lines here.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Are they actually strolling in then or like you would an extra 15 minutes be helpful to them. Take a poll and see if 8:45 would work then make it mandatory to be there at 8:45.

I wish I could do this, but they are all teachers and have to be in their classrooms by 9:00 to start the day. When I brought up the aftrnoon meeting, there were a lot of moans and groans in the room. I get that I can't make everyone happy. I still have to hold this meeting.

Ok the more info is important. What are you presenting and is it mandatory that they receive it? What time do they normally arrive?

I don't think a meeting once a month at 8:30 is extreme so I am wondering what is making them late. True inability to arrive by 8:30 or lack of interest in the meeting?

f

It is very important info...mostly procedure and policy changes. I really think they are late because they can get away with it. Like I said, I don't have that much power. I am trying to come up with something positive and trying to stay away from punitive....only to be used as a last resort.