A new generational divide is emerging in workplaces across the UK, with almost half of Gen Z workers believing that arriving five to ten minutes late is just as good as being on time. This attitude has even spawned a TikTok trend where employers record their staff's arrival times, often showing significant delays.
The TikTok Trend
One company, Alice and Wonder, participated in this trend with a contracted start time of 8am. One employee was seen arriving at 8:22am, prompting debate about what 'on time' really means. Should workers be at their desks ready to start at the exact hour, or is entering the office around that time acceptable?
HR Perspective
Jim Moore, an employee relations expert at HR consultants Hamilton Nash, says this is a tired debate for human resources. 'Most grizzled HR veterans will roll their eyes when it comes to questions of punctuality, as this is a battle that has been fought since time immemorial,' he explains. Moore defines being on time as being at your workstation ready to begin work at your start time, not walking through the door or making coffee.
'Ten minutes late every day adds up to 50 minutes a week, which is almost 40 hours of work time over the course of a year,' he adds.
Generational Differences
A 2024 study by Meeting Canary found that 69% of Baby Boomers consider lateness unacceptable. Only 26% of Generation X would overlook a 10-minute delay, while 39% of Millennials would be forgiving. Just 20% of Boomers would let it slide. Moore notes that Gen Z entered the workforce during a time of upheaval, with looser discipline around timings. 'Most of them have never experienced the rigid nine-to-five routine, and they don't understand why arriving five minutes late matters if they're getting their work done,' he says.
Career Consequences
A chief HR officer on TikTok, known as @thehrchic, warned about the impression lateness leaves. 'It looks like you're just expecting grace from others. It looks irresponsible. It looks like you didn't plan. It looks like you're expecting others to adjust their time to yours. It looks like it's intentional. Once this becomes predictable, it becomes part of your reputation. You think it's five minutes, they think it's who you are.'
Moore advises that any good manager should have a conversation with the employee before it reaches HR. If the issue continues, it could escalate to formal conversations and potentially disciplinary action, including dismissal for gross misconduct if warnings are ignored.
Smart Employers
Moore suggests smart employers should have explicit conversations about expectations. 'If start times are genuinely important, explain why. If they're not, stop pretending they are and focus on output instead.'
While occasional lateness due to traffic or emergencies is understandable, regular tardiness can become a real problem. The trend highlights a broader cultural shift in workplace norms, with younger generations challenging traditional structures.
