Society today demands a lot from its workforce. Employers value employees who understand and possess a willingness to work hard. Doing more than is expected on the job is a good way to show management that you utilize good time management skills and don’t waste valuable company time attending to personal issues not related to the job.
Downsizing in today’s job market is quite common so it’s important to recognize the personal values and attributes employers want to improve your chances of job security should a layoff occur. Having a good work ethic not only helps you survive a job layoff but also helps you rise to higher levels in a company.
There are many characteristics of someone that has a good work ethic. Below are some of the ones I have identified as must haves in today’s working environment.
Honesty and Integrity
“Whoever is careless with the truth in small matters cannot be trusted with important matters” ― Albert Einstein.
This quote from Einstein is very true. It is always best to tell the truth than to be caught in a lie. Once you are known as someone whose word cannot be trusted it is very difficult to overcome. Employers value employees who maintain a sense of honesty and integrity. Good relationships are built on trust. Employers want to know that they can trust what you say and what you do.
Reliability
Reliability goes hand in hand with a good work ethic. If individuals with a good work ethic say they are going to attend a work function or arrive at a certain time, they do, since they value punctuality.
Individuals with a strong work ethic often want to appear dependable, showing their employers that they are workers to whom they can turn.
Positive Attitude
Employers seek employees who take the initiative and have the motivation to get the job done in a reasonable period of time. A positive attitude gets the work done and motivates others to do the same without dwelling on the challenges that inevitably come up in any job.
It is the enthusiastic employee who creates an environment of good will and who provides a positive role model for others. A positive attitude is something that is most valued by supervisors and co-workers and that also makes the job more pleasant and fun to go to each day.
No employer or co-worker wants to work with someone who is constantly draining the energy in the office with negative thoughts or comments.
With all the completion for jobs, having a solid work ethic is what can help you get to the top of this list for job opportunities and promotions. Work ethic should be learned and practiced before one gets the first job out of higher education. This will make their lives easier when it comes to securing a job and avoiding the layoff list.
