On a night shift, a coworker is consistently 20 minutes late and you cannot leave until they arrive, causing your kids to miss the bus. How should you handle this?

On a night shift, a coworker is consistently 20 minutes late and you cannot leave until they arrive, causing your kids to miss the bus. How should you handle this?

• A. Inform the coworker that you will be reporting him to the supervisor
• B. Remind the coworker that his shift started promptly at 6:00 a.m. and explain why you cannot be late getting home
• C. Talk to the other team members about how he is showing up late to work
• D. Consistently show up 20 minutes late when you are relieving him from his shift

Answer: (B)

Direct, respectful communication to address a coworker’s chronic lateness is the best first step. By calmly reminding him that the shift starts promptly at 6:00 a.m. and explaining why you cannot stay late or leave on time because of your kids, you address the problem at its source and invite a practical fix. This approach keeps the workplace professional and focused on a solution, while also highlighting how his lateness directly affects patient coverage and your personal responsibilities. It sets a clear expectation that reliability is important and gives him the opportunity to adjust his routine or for you to explore coverage options if needed. If the pattern continues after this direct talk, you can involve a supervisor with factual details. Gossiping with others or retaliating by arriving late yourself only worsens the situation, and reporting him without trying to resolve it first misses a chance to fix the root cause.

Direct, respectful communication to address a coworker’s chronic lateness is the best first step. By calmly reminding him that the shift starts promptly at 6:00 a.m. and explaining why you cannot stay late or leave on time because of your kids, you address the problem at its source and invite a practical fix. This approach keeps the workplace professional and focused on a solution, while also highlighting how his lateness directly affects patient coverage and your personal responsibilities. It sets a clear expectation that reliability is important and gives him the opportunity to adjust his routine or for you to explore coverage options if needed.

If the pattern continues after this direct talk, you can involve a supervisor with factual details. Gossiping with others or retaliating by arriving late yourself only worsens the situation, and reporting him without trying to resolve it first misses a chance to fix the root cause.