Work ethic in your organisation
Posted on 23 September, 2022 at 16:13
By
Rutendo Chinzou….
Nala recently joined an organisation where she
shares the office desk with a long-serving co-worker. It has been two months
since she joined and surprisingly Nala has pretty much got the hang of things
around the office and delivers her narrative reports on time regardless of the
fact that she’s still learning the native language.
Rumours in the corridors have it that Nala is being
overzealous and cocky. “She’s obviously going to tire herself out let’s give
her three more months she definitely won’t keep up”, commented one of the
co-workers over lunch break. Does this not sound like envy, or resentment
towards Nala’s performance and qualities? If we didn’t know any better we would
also think Nala is really overzealous and such a show-off but no, Nala is no
different from the rest of the co-workers. She just has and maintains a
splendid work ethic so by no chance is she happy doing the bare minimum!
For an
organization to perform efficiently, it is essential for employees to develop a
good work ethic to ensure tasks are accomplished within the stipulated time
frame and in the most efficient manner. Why would a donor come to your
organisation again if you do not deliver their projects on time? Organisations
should initiate and encourage a work culture that advocates for work ethic and
efficiency in the jobs and tasks that employees carry out.
Let us go
through some qualities which demonstrate a strong work ethic and therefore
increase efficiency at the workplace:
Time Management
Employees with good work ethics know how to manage their time well. They
prioritize tasks, meet deadlines, and get assigned tasks completed within
the expected timelines. These employees are punctual and arrive to work on time
or earlier. They are rarely, if ever, late to their shift. They work well
within teams and never hold up the completion of projects. If employees manage
their time well, it’s likely that they are also organized.
Employees with good time management skills will also know when they need
to take breaks. Not taking breaks leads to burnout and mistakes. These types of
employees will be sure to schedule breaks to get up and stretch or have a
snack. This helps keep employees more productive for longer periods of time.
Part of time management is knowing when to pause working as well. If employees
manage their time well, it’s a good indication that they will also manage the
projects on their plate well too.
Productivity
Employees with a strong work ethic take great pride in their work. They
get a sense of fulfillment from their jobs and ensure that all of their tasks
are completed. They prioritize their jobs and make sure to finish their work
obligations before committing to social activities with their friends outside
of work. Productive employees are organized and spend their work days getting
as much as they can done to ensure a proper work-life balance.
Productive employees avoid procrastination at all costs. You won’t see
productive employees scrolling through their social media feeds or constantly
checking their mobile phones. These employees know that there is a time and a
place for everything. A busy Monday morning isn’t the time. These employees
will make sure they take adequate breaks to recharge their batteries so that
they can spend the rest of their work day finishing their tasks on time.
Accountability and Responsibility
Having a strong sense of responsibility and holding yourself accountable
are really important indicators of good work ethic. When an employee shows a
sense of responsibility, they show managers that they are dependable and can be
relied upon.
A responsible employee will also recognize when things don’t go as
planned or if they’ve made a mistake. Responsible employees will hold
themselves accountable for their actions. They recognize when they’ve made a
mistake and they let the appropriate team members know in advance. They don’t
sweep things under the rug or hide things from their team. Knowing that you can
always rely on a dependable, honest employee is a great indicator of a strong
work ethic.
Professionalism
Employees with good work ethic
are professionals. We all have bad things happen to us in our personal lives
from time to time. While some employees allow their problems outside of the
office to affect their work, employees with a strong work ethic will put those
problems aside and do their best to ensure that their work is never affected by
them. These employees will still provide high-quality work despite being under
the weather.
A professional employee will also do whatever it takes to ensure that
their team operations run smoothly. Professional employees are highly
emotionally intelligent and do not let their emotions overrule the hard work
their team is accomplishing. Displaying professionalism means giving your peers
respect and never speaking to them in a disrespectful manner. Professionalism
is one of the best examples of strong work ethic an employee could demonstrate.
Dedication
Above all else, employees with a strong work ethic will
demonstrate dedication. These employees are dedicated
to their jobs, their teams, and their work. Employees with a strong work ethic
will go the extra mile to finish their projects or help their teammates
complete tasks. You can always rely on a dedicated employee to be the first one
to volunteer to help achieve a goal. These employees are hard-working and do a
great deal to help add to your organisation’s culture.