Work ethic is a belief that hard work and diligence have a moral benefit and an inherent ability, virtue or value to strengthen character and individual abilities.  Employers want to work with people who have a strong work ethic.

Those who possess this trait are better employees who get the job done no matter what. They often require less oversight on daily activities and managers are able to rely upon them to complete bigger tasks. 

A strong work ethic encompasses many traits. Some are listed below.

• Reliability

• Dependability

• Dedication

• Productivity

• Cooperation

• Character

• Integrity

• Sense of responsibility

• Emphasis on quality

• Discipline

• Teamwork

• Professionalism

• Respectfulness

• Determination

• Accountability

• Humility

• Passion

• Communication Skills

• Goal oriented

• Organizational Skills

• Creativity

• Flexible and adaptable

It may appear to be an impossible task for organizations to find employees who possess all of these traits, but while it is a challenge, it is worth the effort. These traits are relative to each other and personality plays an important part. 

Ensuring employees are a cultural fit with the organization is also important. These traits are ingrained in people from an early age, during their upbringing. It is achieved through simple modeling through the examples set by parents’ hard work, ambition and commitment.

Are all these traits inherent or can they be learned? Some schools are beginning to take on the job of teaching ethics as sometimes it is not taught at home. The business community has finally convinced the educational system that for kids to be prepared to be adults, and take on jobs successfully, that their work ethic is of utmost importance. It has a big impact on their future.

As an employee, review the list of traits above and consider your talents and abilities. Rate yourself and work toward improving the attributes you need to work on. Better still, ask your manager to evaluate you in these traits, citing ares where you may be deficient and emphasizing the ones where you excel. Be prepared to possibly hear some things you may not want to hear. The question is, “Are you serious about succeeding in your career?”

Having vision and attaining goals of yours and the organization are also very important in the job. Work ethic, on its own,  isn’t all that is required. 

If you want to be a contributing  member of the organization you need skills for the job along with a good, strong work ethic. Then, and only then, can an employee be viewed and recognized favorably by the organization. You will be seen by your employer as an asset. This will set you apart from mediocre employees and is critical for a successful career.

Becky Vaughn-Furlow retired from Trustmark Bank as executive vice president and human resources director. She can be contacted by emailing bvaughnfurlow@gmail.com.