Work Ethic
Definition
Goal oriented and hard-working
What is it?
Work ethic is the belief that hard work is an obligation we have towards our employer. It includes the practice of working diligently to fulfill our responsibilities and deliver results.
Why is it important?
When employers are looking around the organization to identify high performing and high potential employees, work ethic is almost always part of the equation. Research suggests that in the long run, hard word outperforms raw intelligence. People who don’t work hard are simply not seen as high potential assets in the organization no matter how smart or brilliant they might be.
Suggestions for Improvement
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Model Hard Work
If we want our employees to work hard, we must lead the way. They will take their cues from us. They observe when we arrive in the office, when we leave, how much time we spend at lunch, and how hard we work during the day. Meaningless chit-chat or complaining should be kept to a minimum. Get to work early and get working.
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Hold Standards High
Another way to establish a strong work ethic is to be committed to the highest standards of excellence. Good enough is rarely good enough. We must be committed to excellence. Hard working people don’t quit until the job is done right. Whether the task is writing an email or planning an event, hard-working people take the time to make sure it’s done right. That means editing that email before it’s sent and calling the caterer one more time to go over the plan for the event. This approach to work often requires persistence which is the third tip for improving work ethic.
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Be Persistent
There comes a time in the life of many projects that we start to lose steam and momentum starts to wane. It may even be tempting to cut corners and take a few short cuts. But people who work hard, work hard until the end. They are known as people who get *stuff* done. That might mean staying after work until the task is done or arriving early to get a jump on the day’s to do list. Hard working people are often the ones willing to put in the extra time to finish the job by the deadline.
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