Have you ever called an employee’s attention for always being late for work? How do you feel about the constant gossiping among co-workers while work continues to pile up?
This lack of work ethics and professionalism is a sad reality that affects work today’s business productivity in most businesses in the Philippines.
(Good) Work ethic is a set of values possessed by an individual that is evident in his or her performance at work. Work ethic is about your attitude towards work and your co-workers. This is also seen in your level of honesty, integrity, and responsibility while doing your job. Work ethic is your character at work.
Bad work ethic is the absence of these values. You will know when a company lacks work ethic when their employees are difficult to deal with. These people make excuses for slacking at work and have no accountability. Their managers and/or supervisors could not redirect them to do the “right” thing.
If work ethic points to the character at work, professionalism is how an individual conducts himself at work. We can say then that work ethic and professionalism go together.
Why do companies need to practice work ethic and professionalism?
Employees represent the company. The work they do and service they extend to the clients is a reflection of the company’s core work ethic. If the job is sloppy or customer experience is poor, it says a lot about the company. So, employees must focus on their improving work ethic and practicing it on a daily basis. Employers need to feel confident that the employees are doing their job. Regular evaluation of employee is necessary to redirect them to company values.
The primary benefits of practicing good work ethics in the workplace include developing the impact and influence of leaders, it improves customer experience, and increases productivity.
Author Michael R. Hogan enumerates the benefits of work ethic. He says that:
- having good ethics is essential to accomplishing goals.
- work ethic reminds you to persevere even in failures or hindrances
- it allows you to look at the challenges from a different perspective
- work ethic also allows you to be more open to other people’s input and feedback
- work ethic gives you time to reflect on criticisms, change, and improve self.
Other benefits of work ethics that
How can you improve your work ethic?
Let me show you five critical steps to do it.
1. Identify areas you need to improve. Every one of us has a blind spot. It may be an attitude or a trait that needs addressing. If you are aware of the areas you need to change, then good for you. But if you are clueless, ask the people you work with, your family, and friends. Be open to their feedback and be humble.
2. Receive training on areas that need improvement. After the awareness, it’s now time to teach yourself how to improve. You can get books on leadership, developing character, and other related topics. Listen to podcasts or watch videos of credible and impactful leaders. Take courses and find a mentor.
3. Apply the new values immediately. This is where the rubber meets the road. The knowledge you received from all those “training hours” is useless if you don’t put them to practice. It takes time to get a grip of this newfound values, much more master it. But your commitment to change and becoming a better employee should be your goal.
4. Check your progress. This is an important step in defining your own work ethic. Give yourself time to unlearn old habits and learn new ones. Be honest with yourself as you do a self-evaluation. You could again ask feedback from the same people. See if there are positive comments and continue to improve.
5. Repeat the process. Establishing a new work ethic is not accomplished overnight. Because it stems from character and inherent values, it would take time. But it is possible to embrace a new set of ethics. This will change your perspective and bring positivity and success in the workplace.
Are you concerned at the lack of good work ethic of your employees? Do you want to create a company work ethic and a standard of professionalism among your staff? Radiance Image Consultancy can help realign your employees and leaders to company standards.
Book an appointment with a Motivational Keynote Speaker, Corporate Trainer, and Image Strategist in the Philippines. Your company or organization will see the value of having a good work ethic and professional standards. The Work Ethics and Professionalism Training Program will empower leaders, boost customer experience, and increase productivity. We offer other training programs which include Executive Presence and Leadership Branding Masterclass, The Impact of First Impressions, and Minimalist Beauty Queen. Get in touch with Radiance Image for your corporate programs, keynote talks, and short workshops.
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