It is not a legally binding term, given the vagueness of the expression, but does imply the need for due diligence and cognisance of a time frame in which to deliver results. Time is important but attitude even more so They might have loud hailers, and shout, ‘A tsunami is coming! A tsunami is coming! Get out the building now and head for the top of the hill!’ Management would probably not urge their guests to leave the hotel, ‘in a timely fashion’. In the moments before the disaster, however, the term would not have been effective.

The occupants of the hotel received the warning of the tsunami in a timely fashion and were therefore able to evacuate the building and reach high ground before disaster struck. The use of the phrase implies an agreement between two people, usually of different ranks, about a task that will take a period of time, and may be complex.įor example, it would be used when requesting that the catering for a party be delivered on time, but not for a single cup of tea on returning home. If a senior member of staff wanted a junior member of staff to deliver results quickly, they would employ this phrase. The term arose around the mid-1900s during the era that saw the rise of corporate management. “In a timely manner” is basically a formal, but polite way of saying, ‘hurry up’, or ‘I need this task completed quickly’.

What is the meaning of “in a timely manner”? In the 21 st century, we would more likely speak of delivering, ‘to a given standard, on time and within budget’. It has its origins in the emergence of bureaucracy, and has been replaced by terms more commonly used these days in project management. The phrase “in a timely manner” conjures up images of a bygone era when time seemed to move more slowly.

Complete tasks in a timely manner