The best solution to keep your employees from being habitually tardy is to respectfully address the issue whenever they come in late.
Showing up on time and sticking to deadlines are two of the most important guidelines that an employee needs to follow regardless of the circumstance. It is easy to discipline an otherwise unproductive employee when he or she is late. However, the issue arises when the employee in question is normally hardworking and completes all of their assignments perfectly. They may value their work a lot but might not have the same dedication when it comes to time. In such a case, harsh disciplinary measures can do the opposite of what you wish to achieve. Such an action might cause the employee to get demotivated, disheartened and they might not show the same level of commitment to their work hereafter. Therefore, it is better to not bring up the issue altogether if being on time wasn’t crucial during that particular situation. The employee will understand your intentions and will make a note of it for next time.
The problem arises if a good employee is late regularly. Such an employee can affect the mindset of his or her colleagues who are always on time. Habitual tardiness can spread if the source isn't dealt with and soon, you might be faced with a significant number of employees arriving late to the office.
The best solution to keep your employees from being habitually tardy is to respectfully address the issue whenever they come in late. Explain to them how important they are as an employee and how he or she being late can affect the workflow of the entire team and lead to unnecessary delays and problems. This light approach will take care of the problem most of the time. However, sometimes you might run into an employee who simply refuses to stick to a schedule. In that case, if that employee’s habitual tardiness is disruptive to the work environment, it is better to let them go.