16 Very Creative Late For Work Excuses Dropped On Bosses [Infographic]

A recent survey shows that 27% of us are late for work at least once a month. I am sure the real number is probably higher than that. Sure, most of us are not late for work more than a few minutes here and there, but that’s still late, and it’s time your boss is paying you to be there. The real question we should ask ourselves is what are the late for work excuses we drop on our bosses? The second question is of course whether or not our bosses believe them.

Coming up with the perfect late for work excuses is a skill that most people don’t have. Even though I am my own boss, I am sometimes late for work as well. But instead of explaining myself to myself (which in every extent of the imagination would come across quite insane), I do have to tell my coworkers why I am late. I am of the opinion that honesty is always the only route to go, no matter how embarrassing the reason for being late is. There are no excuses in the world that can beat honesty, and I think that is a good thing to remember.

If you are curious about what the most creative late for work excuses are, then we can simply consult a fresh infographic called Ever Been Late For Work, presented by Online Clock (design by Floyd Worx). It lists the 16 top late for work excuses dropped on bosses all around the world. What do you think, are they believable enough? Which ones have you used, and what is the most ridiculous excuse you have dropped on your boss?

What’s interesting is that as many as 16% of people arrive late for work at least once a week according to a 2011 survey. What’s even more interesting is that American CEOs don’t make it on time to 8 out of 10 planned meetings. Maybe it’s due to laziness, or it could possibly also be because of the workload. I know from personal experience that work sometimes pushes your schedule into 36 hour stints where sleep is pushed away by sheer adrenaline. But we’re all human, and we all need sleep every once in a while, so maybe those late for work excuses are in most cases justified. When was the last time you were late for work? And more importantly, what excuses did you drop on your boss?