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.