Lots of folks, myself included, have trouble getting started in the morning. I’ve been working hard on my ability to get up and get moving when my alarm goes off, but it’s not as easy for some of us as it is for others. Fortunately, I make it to work on time in the mornings, but some people are chronically late. In Abuja, Nigeria, federal workers who oversleep are getting locked out of the office.
Apparently, coming in late and leaving early is a big problem in Nigeria, Africa’s largest country. This chronic tardiness, called “Africa Time” by the locals, is a big problem in a country whose ministries open promptly at 8 in the morning and generally close at 4 in the afternoon. It’s not hard to cut a few hours’ off your work day if you come in late, leave a little early, and pad your time card. Hence, the drastic measure of locking out employees who aren’t there by the time the building opens for business.
Naps are normally a good thing. They revitalize the mind and body, encourage productivity, and lead to a better work day. However, it’s not good to start your work day off with a nap that lasts a couple of hours. Eventually, people who do show up get tired of covering for those that don’t show up. Even golfers have to show up on time, and they don’t even do a real job!
Tags: Abuja, Nigeria, oversleeping workers locked out of offices in Nigeria, workers locked out after 8 AM, oversleeping, tardy workers locked out, Africa time, efficiency, workers locked out of work, Africa, unusual human resources solutions, unusual workplaces