WORK ETHICSPatricia Dunsha

INTRODUCTION

There are several ways to look at ethics, especially in the context of work and the work environment. Defining ethics can be difficult because it is much more than outcome enhancement. There are expectations to be at work on time, perform quality work, remain positive, be a team player, and self-direct (Hoagland-Smith, 2012).

This presentation will focus on ten traits of ethics that may enhance career opportunities.

ATTENDANCE

Attendance must be regular. Punctuality is crucial and may increase

job performance and the entire effectiveness of a business. Placing

attendance as a priority may also relate to a higher level of efficiency and

effectiveness. This is a valuable quality that employers look for when they want

to fill a position. Regular attendance labels a person as reliable and

dependable (“Work Ethics:,” 2012).

RESPECT

Respect does not have to be complicated. It basically requires that a person take care in how they deal with others – fellow employees, managers, and customers. Ways to create respect might include generating mutual empathy, allowing others to take control of part of a task, and even having them judge the best way to go about completing a project. Respect within a company usually means that the boss will also demonstrate respect toward employees, such as in this example: If you are asked to organize a filing system, your manager or boss could say to you that you may organize it chronologically or alphabetically, whichever one you feel is best. This demonstrates respect from someone in a higher rank within the company and encourages mutual respect. It is more likely that the employee will want to complete the project in a timely and efficient manner. Leaders within a company must gain respect by example. For example, if employees rarely see their boss and when they do, it is only when he or she comes out of the office and decides to tell jokes, goof off, or keep people from their work, it is easy to see that employees would have little respect (“5 Smart Routes to,” 2012).

CHARACTER

How we characterize people is how we perceive them and character traits portray an image in someone’s mind. Character then develops while actions become habits. Eventually these habits define the character of each of us. It is important that potential employees understand that self-awareness of actions and habits can help in the process of working on faults and building on strengths (Barberman, 2012).

APPEARANCE

The first thing to understand about appearance is that it helps others perceive you in a specific way. Appearance is normally thought of as the outward reflection (clothes, etc.) but it may also include behaviors. Appearance may affect behavior and behavior may affect appearance. Dressing in a neat, clean, and appropriate way will help increase the chances of the professional appearance that most employers seek in their employees (Barberman, 2012).

COOPERATION

No matter what the size of an organization is, employees must learn to collaborate so that there is a better understanding of the role that has been assigned to each individual. While one employee may not need to know the specifics of another employee’s position, there should be a basic understanding of how that position ties in with other positions. Those at the top should cooperate with those on the bottom and likewise, those on the bottom must do the same thing. Companies cannot grow because no decisions would be made if there was no cooperation among workers. Good advice for job-seekers would be to learn that where there is competition, egos tend to get in the way. Thus, the demand for increased cooperation becomes apparent. This applies to any type of business and demands that everyone work toward the same objectives. In this regard, all employees become winners (Wilkinson, 2012).

ATTITUDE

There are many positive affects of having a good attitude about work. First, it makes the job more enjoyable and helps move the day along at a quicker pace. It can also improve attendance. A positive attitude may help employees to engage in volunteering for new assignments while improving their effort to complete projects they are assigned to. When an employee’s positive attitude becomes apparent to an employer, it can trigger opportunities for the employee to participate in ways to improve things at work. The employee with a positive attitude may also see good things in a bad situation. A combination of all of these contribute to ethics in the workplace (Stressaffect, 2012).

COMMUNICATION

There are several types of communication in the workplace – written, verbal, and non-verbal – and all should be present in the workplace. Communication is not just about talking to someone else. It involves the ability to be able to socialize with others and be sensitive to the feelings of everyone. Written communication should be supported in several ways, such as computers, pen and paper, as well as photocopying. Effective communication also involves the ability to absorb and store a message. Taking notes can help (“Welcome to,” 2012).

In addition to the above, communication must involve a willingness to learn how to communicate with others. This requires a combination of many of the previously noted traits, such as respect, cooperation, and attitude. Often, bad communication involves poor listening skills. Employees that need to improve listening skills should consider taking a self-help course or seminar that specializes in this area of concern.

ORGANIZATIONAL SKILLS

Organizational skills are an important component of ethics in the workplace. When employees and their employer are organized, the environment becomes more productive and efficient. It also helps to promote the job or profession of the individual employee. Organizational skills can be better understood by employees if the employer is willing to establish objectives that point to the company’s overall mission. One of the most important aspects of organization is time management, which can be accomplished via weekly, monthly, or even daily work schedules. Organization also includes keeping the work areas orderly and clean. Cluttered spaces encourage disorganization and reduce efficiency. This can further lead to projects that are incomplete or incorrectly completed. When papers and other projects are misplaced, employees may lose track of time, which again negatively affects overall productivity and/or meeting the goal of completion for a project (Huntington, n.d.).

TEAMWORK

Successful teamwork can be seen in employees that reflect competence and devotion to their goals and their peers. Some of the characteristics of teamwork include:

Appropriate task distribution Clear communication

High integrity Complimenting

These basically include learning what task each employee is to work on and complete, practicing the skills of good communication, making the right choices, and a team leader that is willing to offer compliments to the team for producing good results (Jobs & Career Guide, 2012).

PRODUCTIVITY

Workplace productivity is affected by many of the previous traits of the employees and employers. In addition to those, this positive outcome may be encouraged by employers that are willing to provide motivational incentives to their employees. Another way to encourage productivity is to allow employees to see and participate in the presentation of a finished product so that they can gain a better sense of the importance of the project and their role in the outcome. This, in turn, promotes teamwork. Managers will improve productivity when they treat employees fairly and recognize the role they play as an important one. Praise is also encouraged, as well as the implementation of disciplinary guidelines and encouragement toward meeting goals (Melville, 2012).

REFERENCES

5 Smart Routes to Gain Respect in the Workplace. (2012, July 13). Retrieved from

http:/ / workawesome.com/ office-life/ 5-smart-routes-gain-workplace-respect/

Barberman. (2012, July 13). The importance of a good work ethic. Retrieved from

http:/ / www.helium.com/ items/ 340022-the-importance-of-a-good-work-ethic

Hoagland-Smith, L. (2012, July 12). Work Ethics - A Paradigm Shift. Retrieved from

http:/ / www.ezinearticles.com/ ?Work-Ethics---A-Paradigm-Shift&id=28127

Huntington, M. (n.d.). Importance of Organizational Skills in the Workplace.

Retrieved from http:/ / www.ehow.com/ info_7927571_importance-organizational-

skills-in-the-Workplace

Jobs, & Career Guide. (2012, July 14). Teamwork in Workplace. Retrieved from http:/

/ www.info2india.com/ careers/ workplace-ethics/ teamwork-in-workplace

REFERENCES (continued)

Melville, J. (2012, July 14). Facts on Productivity in the Workplace. Retrieved

from http:/ / www.ehow.com/ info_8216493_productivity-workplace.html

Stressaffect. (2012, July 14). Work Attitudes and Workplace Stress. Retrieved from

http:/ / www.stressaffect.com/ positive-attitude-at-work.html

Welcome to Communication in the Workplace! (2012, July 14). Retrieved from

Communication In The Workplace Web site: http:/ /

www.communicationintheworkplace.net

Wilkinson, M. (2012, July 13). The importance of cooperation in the workplace.

Retrieved from http:/ / www.helium.com/ items/ 2079492-the-importance-of-

cooperation-in-the-workplace

Work Ethics: Importance of Regular Attendance. (2012, July 12). Retrieved from

http:/ / suite101.com/ article/ work-ethics-importance-of-regular-attendance-

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