For many of us, being late is considered the height of rudeness – a sign of disrespect, even contempt, for those you keep waiting.
But not so for Generation Z, who believe showing up ten minutes late is as good as being on time.
Almost half – 46 per cent – of those aged 16 to 26 say being between five and ten minutes late is perfectly acceptable, just as good as being punctual.
Tolerance for tardiness decreases with age, however.
Around 39 per cent of millennials – those aged 27 to 42 – forgive friends or colleagues for being up to ten minutes behind schedule, dropping to 26 per cent for Generation X (43 to 58) and 20 per cent for Baby Boomers (59 and over).
Almost half of Gen Z – 46 per cent – of those aged 16 to 26 say being between five and ten minutes late is perfectly acceptable, just as good as being punctual (stock image)
Around 39 per cent of millennials – those aged 27 to 42 – forgive friends or colleagues for being up to ten minutes behind schedule, dropping to 26 per cent for Generation X (43 to 58) and 20 per cent for Baby Boomers (59 and over)
Indeed seven out of ten Boomers said they have zero tolerance for any level of tardiness, with 69 per cent saying ‘late is late’. Just 21 per cent of Gen Z agreed with that.
It’s the latest example of a generational divide on social norms.
As The Mail on Sunday revealed earlier this year, an incredible 93 per cent of Gen Z job applicants said they had simply not turned up for an interview.
And, being Gen Z, they have made their inability to be punctual into a syndrome, with many claiming ‘time blindness’ as a condition, linked to attention deficit disorder.
In the latest study, online meeting company Meeting Canary asked 1,016 British adults about their attitudes to punctuality.
Overall, just 38 per cent of all age groups agreed with the old 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.’
The Match Of The Day’s Alan Shearer lives by the old adage: ‘To be early is to be on time. To be on time is to be late. And to be late is unacceptable’
Across all ages, 33 per cent would accept someone being five to ten minutes late. And nine per cent find being between 11 and 15 minutes late acceptable.
Meeting Canary founder Laura van Beers said: ‘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 in order to be on time.’