The real reason for being 7 minutes late today was only because:

* I left 7 minutes late for the past three nights and wasn't paid for it.
Or,
* I needed to pump air into my leaky tires that I cannot have fixed because all of the shops are closed when I leave.
* If I arrive at this time, I can get over to my desk without that annoying person asking how I am today. The question is only annoying because I don't know the answer to how I feel.
* Starting time doesn't make sense at this latitude.
* The real boss doesn't arrive until another 53 minutes.
* I was a conscientious driver today and drove the speed limit, burning less gas so someone else can use it up.
* This is the optimal solution for arriving here with the least amount of red stoplights.
* I lost track of time last night reading an interesting web page that I can definitely apply to the project today.
* My mind wandered this morning on a work-related problem, but I did come up with an excellent solution that will save the team days of effort.
* I am offended that everyone has to march to the beat of the same drum. I take the opposite stance that it isn't fair that everyone should have to start at exactly the same time because their circumstances and responsibilities differ so much.
* I don't feel it makes a difference one way or the other if I'm late, because there will always be a fire that can't be put out until 10 o'clock when the customers in the other time zone go on their morning break, and this will be the most urgent task today.
* I don't want to be here yet I want to finish the project.
* I'm scared of the risk in quitting.

Of course, you will find some way to embarrass me if I give the real reason, so I'll make something really tragic up.
-- AnonymousDonor

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Are there bosses in this industry that would really ask this question? I could see if you were late for a meeting that it would be a bad thing, but if I was 7 minutes late to sitting at my desk to do some coding and had this question asked of me, I would promptly stand up and walk out the door.

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Oh yes.  "Core hours" in this job are defined as 9 to 4, and I have an hour's commute to get home. I've stayed until 9 pm to get something important done, and then showed up at work at 9:10 am the next morning and been asked why I was late, and could I please make an effort to arrive on time?  My response is that if the boss is going to pay that strict attention to the minute and second when I arrive, I'm going to pay strict attention to the minute and second when I depart, and that will be a net loss for the business.