Work ethics and values: what you should know.

 

 

What is work ethic?

Work ethics are a set of standards of behaviour and beliefs regarding what is and isn’t acceptable to do at work.

Work ethic can be strong (good) or poor (bad), it depends on personal views of employees, their motivation, and overall company culture.

A strong work ethic is an attitude an employee applies to their work that indicates a high level of passion for any work they do.

A bad work ethic is an attitude that an employee demonstrates that shows a lack of ambition and professionalism in the workplace.

People with a strong work ethic often seem as though they have a competitive spirit, although their competitiveness is often within themselves to achieve their goals within their occupation. Work ethic can be nurtured, although it’s often part of an individual’s character and overall outlook on life.

Why is work ethic important?

A strong work ethic within the company serves as a behavioural model for the right way of working. 

It supports and fosters a productive working culture.

• Accountability: employees and employers alike should be held accountable in their work efforts, meaning they shoulder the responsibility for ongoing projects and take the blame for errors when necessary.

• Focus: to efficiently accomplish a task, an employee must remain focused and avoid the distractions of chatter, social media, technology, etc.

• Productivity: productivity hinges upon an employee’s ability to overcome distractions, ignore external influences, and conquer obstacles that inhibit them from performing their task.

• Dedication: dedication means consistency and showing up ready to accomplish tasks daily, all while maintaining focus and productivity.

• Desire to Improve: employees who embrace feedback and learning moments show that they are willing to work to grow in their careers.

• Professionalism: being present in their work culture, employees who exhibit professionalism show up and take their work seriously, staying respectful of others and dressing appropriately.

While ethics and workplace behaviour have always been at the forefront of organisational efforts, there are still issues that occur today regarding ethical lapses in corporate conduct and judgement. 

Starting internally by promoting honest, hardworking employees in a workplace culture driven by productivity and a strong work ethic, employees are likely to use those driving principles of decency and fairness to increase overall company morale, ultimately improving an organisation’s reputation and ensuring long-term success. 

Understanding the elements and challenges of workplace ethics and behaviour can help companies to create harmonious working environments for their employees, that brings about job success.

People with a strong work ethic take pride in their jobs and see every task they do as important. These are employees that rarely, if ever, arrive at the job late. 

Not only that, they complete all assigned projects promptly and avoid holding up the workflow of the rest of the organisation. 

written by DORIS