Definition: Work ethic is the ability to maintain proper moral values within the workplace. It is an attitude that shapes the way an individual performs its job duties with high moral standards.
What Does Work Ethic Mean?
Work ethics is known as a transferable or “soft” skill. It is an inherent attitude that an individual possesses and it allows him to make decisions and perform his duties with positive moral values that include elements like integrity, responsibility, high quality, discipline, humility and teamwork.
An individual that possesses a positive work ethics will consider the moral implications of everything he does and will establish clear boundaries between what he considers appropriate and what he doesn’t, according to his own values and principles. Companies should establish and promote a set of organizational values that can be observed to perform adequate assessments and goals for each individual that connects somehow with the organization.
Since each person has different backgrounds, beliefs and attitudes towards different subjects, the guidelines must be provided by the company or institution in order to maintain a desirable work environment. In most cases, a company’s values are a reflection of its founder’s beliefs and principles.
Example
Goldwin Shoes Co. is a company that manufactures sports shoes for different disciplines. The company currently supplies more than 500 stores across the country and is widely known by its strong work ethics. The company has 5 core values that they communicate and promote within its employees to guarantee the company’s culture is delivered at each stage of the process. These values are: honesty, responsibility, punctuality, transparency and proactivity.
The company’s founder Mr. MacManus is a retired military that served as a physical trainer for Marine soldiers. He was able to extrapolate most of the work principles he learned during service to his company’s culture and this is the reason why Goldwin has been so successful. He recognizes strong work ethics on each individual that works for the company and he values that even more than productivity or goal-achievement.
