Thank Them

It might be wise at the end of the workday to give your boss a quick
thanks for being understanding of your lateness. You certainly don’t
want to keep bringing it up if your manager has moved on, but if
they were especially receptive or accommodating it’s worth
acknowledging that.

Be Cognizant of How Often You’re Late

Showing up late to work happens. Everyone does it, and usually
when it occurs once or twice it’s no big deal.
But make that three, five, seven times, and you’re bound to become
someone everyone expects to be tardy. More importantly, you’ll
begin to lose the respect of your boss.
Remember that being a full-grown adult means, among other things,
being on time to stuff as much as possible. So set your alarm to full
volume, leave your house 10 minutes earlier, or if you really need to,
talk to your boss about adjusting your schedule—just do whatever it
takes.

What a “Late for Work” Email Looks Like

How you choose to contact your manager to let them know what’s
going on—phone call, email, text, Slack—depends a lot on your
relationship and their communication preferences. If email seems
appropriate for your situation, here’s what you could write:

If You Have a Valid Excuse for Being Tardy

Hi [Boss’ Name],
Due to [reason], I’m running [minutes] late this morning. I hope to
get into the office by [time].
I apologize for the inconvenience. Just so you’re aware, I have
[what’s on your schedule] and still plan to get [projects that are due
today] to you by [deadline for today].
Please let me know if there’s anything else I can do in the meantime
—I’ll be available via [phone/email] until I get in.
[Your Name]