Punctuality Is the Soul of Business

It is almost impossible to radically change your behavior without having a major change in your belief system or value system.

Everyone here knows how nice it feels to switch off the alarm clock in the morning and go back to sleep. The only thing is that it makes you late to your school, to your office, to your business. And when it becomes a habit, it makes you lose your money, your career, and your credibility – because punctuality is a sign of being responsible in life.

Great men have always understood the value of punctuality. In fact, a life devoid of punctuality will be a life of broken promises. The first prime minister of India, Pandit Jawaharlal Nehru, knew the value of punctuality. He used to recite a few lines from Robert Frost to remind him of appointments and promises:

“Punctuality is not just arriving at a place at the right time; it is also about finishing things at the right time.” It is easy to while away time and say tomorrow, tomorrow, and tomorrow. Lack of punctuality arises from lack of planning and focus. It is often said, “Beginning of a great day begins a night before.” We have to root out laziness and do the preparations. We must have enough sleep and wake up early in the morning. That is how we hold time by the forelock.

But today, many people fail to recognize the value of punctuality. They believe that money, fame, and power are excuses for being late. As a result, a lack of punctuality has become the shameless hallmark of our culture. We even mockingly say, “Punctuality is the art of guessing how late the other fellow is going to be.”

To earn and maintain the respect you wish to have at the workplace you cannot wayside this wonderful human virtue. Below are some reasons why you should be punctual:

Respect

Punctuality speaks of a person’s respect of others. In giving respect to others we can earn in turn.

Deadlines

An employee who isn’t stressed about reaching late or has come in early enough to give him minutes to settle in before the day’s work begins, has got better chances to get more accomplished than a late comer who feels more pressurized. Some professionals, such as writers, journalists, producers and accountants, have daily, weekly and monthly deadlines. Meeting deadlines and timelines assures clients that they can count on you to get the job done. Without professional punctuality, customers might look for another company to supply their needs. Striving to meet deadlines helps establish your strong work ethic and your desire to be productive.

Team-Centered Goals

When you're on time for meetings, conference calls and shift changes, you show others that you have team-centered work goals. Punctuality demonstrates your respect for co-workers and clients and reinforces your time-management skills. Team-focused employees avoid extended lunch breaks, respond to emails in a timely fashion and avoid tardiness, making sure to carry their weight on the job. If you want your boss and co-workers to see you as a responsible team-centered worker, then be punctual.

Credibility

It might not seem like your job security is based on punctuality, but it certainly doesn't hurt, especially in a struggling economy. The number of employees arriving late to work at least once a week has slid from 20 percent to 15 percent (Channel 2 news report in Reno Nevada). In a tough job market, you don't want to risk losing your job because your boss sees you as lazy or irresponsible. Punctuality demonstrates your willingness to get up early, plan and make every effort to complete your work on time.

Professionalism

Punctuality is a sign of professionalism and helps you stand out as a reliable and trustworthy employee. If you don't get your part of a project completed on time, you keep others from being able to finish their tasks. Being punctual helps you establish your reputation as a dependable and consistent worker. In an interdependent work environment, everything runs like a well-oiled piece of machinery. Being on time helps ensure that you're doing your best to keep things running smoothly.