Thanks! This is great feedback. The class I am teaching are for new hires in customer service/sales. Some new hires are taking a little longer on the breaks than I request and it is starting to get out of hand. I needed to get some ideas to get the point across without looking like a dictator.

Fist, I question your need to “punish” individuals that are late. I suggest you take this topic up with your management and establish expectations. After that:

1) If your organization has an attendance policy abide by it.
2) If you are responsible for making a call about certification, make it. If a student has missed significant content and you are not going to certify them, in a one-on-one, let them and then their supervisor know.
3) Ignore it to the extent possible. I believe that people are more open to learning if they feel respected. If they feel that they are being talked down to, embarrassed or other wise denigrated, their energy is diverted from learning to dealing with these feelings. After all isn’t our goal to help people learn?

I have to agree with CJ's comments. Punishing adult learners in front of their peers flies in the face of all the things I know about handling adults. If the HR department wants a "Punishment" then let them create a rule for attendence, communicate it to all employees, and they can hold people accountable. As CJ said your job as a facilitator of learning is not to have an American Idol session after every break when people are late. All you get from that is more wasted time and now instead of 1 person losing out, you effectively ruin the learning for every learner. Focus on being a facilitator, take note when people are late, set the expectation that people are punctual and will be held accountable after the class if they are not, and follow through.

Thanks,
Nick

Have you tried using a game to get them to be on time. I like to use decks of cards. Everytime a student is in class on time, to start, after break etc, they receive a card from the deck. At the end of class whoever had the highest points, or best poker hand, lowest points etc gets a prize. This really makes students want to be back on time.

I think that 'punishing' adults in an adult environment while also trying to maintain a safe and respectful learning envrionment is impossible!

One organisation I worked in made whoever was late buy doughnuts or a treat for everyone at breaktime as an apology (not a punishment).

I like the idea of getting someone in the class to summarise what's been missed too. It's so much more effective and respectful than humiliating people with songs or dances - dare I suggest that recent events in Iraq show how damaging humiliation can be to fellow human beings and reputation ...