Have you been late to work and searching for the best excuses for being late to work? If so, we understand your situation because things happen that are out of our control.
If you have run out of excuses, then it might interest you to know that this article was designed to help our readers know the acceptable reasons for being late to work.
There are many reasons for running late and several ways to explain them. In this article, we have highlighted the best excuses for being late to work and how to approach your supervisor, and explain the reason in order to improve the awkward situation.
So if you are looking for the best explanation for being late for work, you have come to the right place. Below is a list of excuses for being late.
Common Excuses for Being Late to Work
When you have to arrive late to work because of an unforeseen occurrence, it’s best to act professionally to ensure your coworkers, supervisor, and employer understand your commitment to work.
Before giving your reasons for being late, it is good to remember that certain reasons are more justified than others. But regardless of what happened, your supervisor deserves some form of apology and explanation.
If possible, let your supervisor or co-workers know if something is going to make you late before you arrive at work.
For instance, if the bus you are on breaks down, text, call, or email your supervisor or department as soon as you can. This way, they are less likely to think you are lying.
If the reason is personal, let your supervisor know that you do not feel comfortable discussing it, or that you will discuss it with HR personally.
Among the many reasons why many people may be running late for work, a few reasons generally pop up more often. So below are some common reasons for being late and how to best explain them:
Best Excuses for Being Late to Work
Some excuses for missing work are more popular than others based on a recent survey conducted by CareerBuilder. Weather conditions, sleep schedules, and traffic are the top three excuses. Forgetting something and being too tired to get up were also among the top five according to the survey.
- Traffic – 51%
- Oversleeping – 31%
- Bad weather – 28%
- Too tired to get up – 23%
- Forgetting something -13%
Other acceptable excuses for running late include illness or a family emergency, a sick child, house problems, mass transit delays, a school delay, having an appointment, waiting for a service person for repairs, or car trouble.
Worst Excuses for Being Late to Work
There are some reasons that you shouldn’t use when you’re telling your supervisor why you’re running late. These excuses probably won’t work. Below are some of them.
- I was watching something on TV and really wanted to see the end.
- My coffee was too hot and I couldn’t leave until it cooled off.
- I had morning sickness.
- It’s too cold to work.
- My fake eyelashes were stuck together.
- I fell asleep in the parking lot.
- My dog ate my work schedule.
- An astrologer warned me of a car accident on a major highway, so I took all back roads, making me an hour late.
- A hole in the roof caused rain to fall on the alarm clock and it didn’t go off.
- I was scared by a nightmare.
- I got a hairbrush stuck in my hair.
- A zebra was running down the highway and held up traffic. (This one turned out to be true!)
- I forgot that the company had changed locations.
- I fell asleep in the car when I got to work.
- I accidentally put superglue in my eye instead of contact lens solution and had to go to the emergency room.
- I couldn’t eat breakfast – I ran out of milk for cereal and had to buy some before getting ready for work.
- My cat got stuck in the toilet.
- I woke up on the front lawn of a house two blocks away from my home.
Being late for work is never ideal. The way you deal with it can worsen or improve an awkward situation. To soften the heart of your supervisor, take the time to apologize and promise it will never repeat itself. Then be honest about why you are late by putting a positive spin on the truth. Do not hesitate to explain the situation. But be factual and brief.
It is also good to apologize and show your appreciation to any coworkers who may be affected by your lateness. If they had to cover you in the meetings or pick up extra tasks, a simple apology and an expression of gratitude for their effort in assisting you during your absence will show you care.
The most important thing is to be honest about why you are late. Being honest, apologizing, and showing appreciation will go a long way toward making things right.
If you follow the suggestions outlined above, you will deal with any lateness situation whatsoever. Also, never make it your habit to be late. If you do, you may soon lose your job.
If you still have any questions about the best reasons to be late, feel free to use the comment box below and we will attain to it.