Professional Example – Good Work Ethics in Action
Positive ethics can have a beneficial impact both personally and professionally. Employees who display good ethics in the workplace will earn a stellar reputation that often helps with career advancement.
A person’s moral character is connected with the demonstration of acceptable behavior and responses in a variety of situations. During the formative years of childhood, people learn crucial lessons about morals and ethics that help define the internal compass that governs choices and behaviors. While some behaviors will be learned socially through interactions with family, friends and peers, people also learn other aspects of professional ethics in a more structured manner through formal education. Attending school and studying provide students with an opportunity to learn and improve work ethics. Educators may teach work ethics both intentionally and unintentionally during the process of teaching.
Initiative
Taking initiative is one example of good work ethic. Initiative is defined as assessing a situation and taking action without direction, according to a document published by Berry College. Employers often value employees who take initiative to circumvent or solve problems because this type of action saves time and can eliminate costly issues. Employees who take initiative may also find ways to make improvements, which can streamline a company’s work processes. Motivated and enthusiastic employees also tend to work successfully without extensive supervision, which frees managers and supervisors to direct their time and efforts elsewhere within an organization.
Dependability
Dependability is another example of a good work ethic. Employees who perform reliably and responsibly can be trusted by employers to be consistent in their duties. This dependability may be demonstrated by punctuality. Arriving at work on time each day and staying until the end of the shift show consistent punctuality. When scheduling issues arise, such as outside appointments or illness, the employee will communicate in a timely manner to make sure an absence is covered. Dependability also extends to professional performance, according to Donna Devlin, the Staff Coordinator with Boston University Center for Career Development. Devlin outlines a variety of characteristics that fall under the heading of professional performance, including following a work dress code, extending courtesy to others, exhibiting a positive attitude consistently, and being adaptable to change and unexpected situations.
Honesty
Honesty is a valued trait both in the workplace and in personal situations. Honesty on the job is demonstrated in a number of different ways. Employees who tell the truth respectfully and who don’t cheat or cut corners demonstrate honesty. Employees also tend to be in a position of safeguarding items that belong to a business owner and company. For example, employees who handle cash need to be honest in their handling of monetary transactions and in the reporting of these transactions for the company records. It’s also common for employees to use equipment in the course of their work activities. Equipment must be managed and accounted for carefully. Honesty dictates that employees take care of all work-related property to keep these things safe and intact.
Good work ethics serve everyone well in the professional workplace and elsewhere. Ingrained character traits, such as dependability, honesty, responsibility, respect and integrity, position anyone to succeed professionally and personally.
