[mipnix]

The definition relies on the mutual understanding of all parties. If you all agree that showing up in your underwear. hung over and smelling like a urinal is acceptable, then as long as you deliver, you have met your obligation.

Punctuality, on agreed conventions, is a sign of respect and a measure of professionalism.

Some would say, improperly editing a post or a comment is a sign of carelessness and therefore would indicate a tendency toward sloppiness in one's work. It all depends on the agreed upon conventions.

All else being equal, and it rarely is, if someone was late-as understood by societal norms- and someone else was on time, who would give you the warmer fuzzy?

Punctuality is a sign of professionalism.

[sp4rki]

In the case of meetings and the such I do understand the need to have everyone be punctual though, and that should be stated before hand. If you have a meeting, be there on time, if nothing time sensitive is on the calendar, then let people do what they find more productive, within reason off course.

The original poster is asking if punctuality is in general a measure of professionalism. I say generally no, but it can be in cases when punctuality is important. I said its a non issue on perhaps a greater percentage of the cases.

If I hire two developers and one has a knack on getting to the office an hour late every day while the other has a knack of being half an hour early; however the first is always on time with his work, while the second one is pushing deadlines all the time. My fuzzy feeling goes to the one that comes late every day.

In contrast if I hire a support line agent, and he's always late and because of it I have customers not being attended to I mark him as unprofessional and a liability.