For many, being late is considered extremely rude—a sign of disrespect or even contempt for those who are kept waiting. However, this sentiment doesn’t hold for Generation Z, who believe that arriving ten minutes late is essentially the same as being on time.
Nearly half (46%) of those aged 16 to 26 think it’s perfectly acceptable to be five to ten minutes late, viewing it as equivalent to punctuality. In contrast, tolerance for tardiness decreases significantly with age. About 39% of millennials (aged 27 to 42) are forgiving of friends or colleagues being up to ten minutes late. This drops to 26% for Generation X (aged 43 to 58) and 20% for Baby Boomers (aged 59 and over).
Seven out of ten Baby Boomers express zero tolerance for any level of tardiness, with 69% asserting that “late is late.” In stark contrast, only 21% of Gen Z agree with this sentiment, highlighting a clear generational divide on social norms.
This generational shift is further evidenced by a report from The Mail on Sunday earlier this year, which revealed that an astounding 93% of Gen Z job applicants admitted to not showing up for an interview. Moreover, many Gen Z individuals claim “time blindness” as a condition linked to attention deficit disorder, which they say affects their punctuality.
A recent study conducted by the online meeting company Meeting Canary surveyed 1,016 British adults about their attitudes toward punctuality. Overall, only 38% of participants from all age groups agreed with the adage that Match Of The Day’s Alan Shearer lives by: “To be early is to be on time. To be on time is to be late. And to be late is unacceptable.”
Among all age groups, 33% would accept someone being five to ten minutes late, while 9% find being between 11 and 15 minutes late acceptable.
Laura van Beers, founder of Meeting Canary, noted, “It appears that being ten minutes late is now the equivalent of being on time, especially for the younger generation who are clearly more forgiving about time-keeping. Their attitudes have brought a new interpretation to the meaning of punctuality, and for them, good time-keeping is a flexible proposition—within reason. Older people are much more likely to arrive five minutes early to make sure they are on time, whereas younger people seem to aim to be not more than ten minutes late to be considered on time.”
The study highlights how younger generations are redefining punctuality, reflecting broader changes in social norms and expectations. While older generations emphasize strict adherence to schedules, younger people seem to embrace a more relaxed approach, prioritizing flexibility and understanding.
As these generational attitudes toward punctuality evolve, it will be interesting to see how workplaces and social settings adapt. Will the flexible approach of Gen Z become the new norm, or will traditional views on punctuality prevail? Only time will tell, but one thing is clear: the concept of being “on time” is undergoing significant transformation.