One of my team is persistently late. How do I fix it without going nuclear?

The answer Just Ask, HR gives

Positive Pam — Upbeat and solution-focused — finds the workable deal.

Good news: persistent lateness is one of the most fixable people problems there is — if you deal with the cause rather than just the symptom. Most managers either ignore it for months (resentment builds) or jump straight to formal warnings (trust breaks). There's a better path.

Step 1 — have the real conversation. Private, curious, specific: "You've been late 9 times in the last month — what's going on?" You're listening for the cause, because the cause decides the route:

• Childcare, caring or transport? Consider a start-time tweak or flexible working — they now have a day-one right to request it, and a small adjustment often solves the whole thing while keeping a good performer.
• Health-related? Sleep disorders, medication, mental health — if it could amount to a disability under the Equality Act, you may need reasonable adjustments, and disciplining without exploring that first is risky.
• Just habit? Then set the expectation cleanly: on time from Monday, reviewed in four weeks. Confirm it in a short note so there's no ambiguity.

Step 2 — track fairly. Apply the same standard to everyone. Nothing undermines a lateness case like a tribunal (or the employee) pointing at a colleague who strolls in late unchallenged.

Step 3 — escalate only if it continues. If there's no underlying cause and no improvement after a clear informal warning, it becomes a conduct matter: verbal warning, then the formal ACAS-compliant route. Keep records of every stage.

Handled this way, you either fix the lateness, gain a more loyal employee through flexibility, or build an unimpeachable file. All three are wins.