Work Ethic is an essential component for happiness and success in life. It has nothing to do with being religious or spiritual. Work Ethic is simply a strong sense of obligation, diligence and respect for the work necessary to enhance and support life. Work Ethic is more than a code or rule; it’s a set of attitudes or values focused on importance of work done and manifested by desire or determination to work diligently.

Integrity is the foundation for work ethic. Integrity is built on a foundation of shared responsibility and integrity. Everyone is held accountable to maintain standards and conduct in the workplace. When work ethics are strong, it establishes trust, increases productivity, reduces risk, builds morale, increases productivity and integrity. In this sense, integrity is not only a concept, it is an imperative for success.

The third principle of work ethic is professionalism. Producers who offer quality products and services to their customers, supervisors who demonstrate professionalism in all matters related to their jobs are seen as professionals. The level of professionalism is what sets employers apart from other businesses and positions. Therefore, it is important for applicants to demonstrate professionalism as well as a strong sense of interest, aptitude for the job.

Work ethics and integrity are also important to employees because they promote the willingness and ability of employees to take the right things into their own hands and the willingness of co-workers to share what they know. Employees who respect the rights of co-workers and refuse to steal or misrepresent the products and services they provide are considered trusted individuals. Employees who are willing to take chances and share valuable information with others about problems or areas of concern within the company increase the trustworthiness of the company. Employees who follow their own interests and are not tempted to violate the rights of co-workers do not engage in behaviors that reflect badly on the business and will earn the respect and trust of their co-workers. Those who do the right things and treat everyone with dignity and fairness are perceived by others as having high levels of professionalism and those who exhibit integrity are considered to have high levels of integrity.

High levels of productivity and on-time attendance are important indicators of a corporation’s success and employees who exhibit the above work ethic are more productive and their companies remain profitable. In addition to benefiting the bottom line of the organization, high levels of productivity result in more satisfied customers and improved customer satisfaction. The bottom line results in less overheads and this results in a decrease in employee compensation costs. A company that has a strong work ethic and punctuality will be able to cover these costs and have a greater number of satisfied customers and employees.

One of the ways to evaluate an employer’s work ethic and professionalism is to examine their workplace environment. Is there a positive vibe or a sour one? Is there a high level of harassment in the workplace? Are employees treated well by management? The answers to these questions will give a manager an idea of how professional the company is and whether employees perceive that atmosphere as one of high professionalism or if it is one of low quality.

Many employers also measure their workplaces based on the attitudes of their customers. An employers’ work ethic can be judged by the service they render to customers. If the service is of a very high standard and the customers have positive feedback, then this is likely a company with a good work ethic and professionalism.

A manager’s work ethic and professionalism can also be measured through their attendance record. The longer a person works for an employer, the more likely they are to have good attendance records. A company that has employees who show up to work on time and show integrity in what they do will likely have more satisfied employees. An employer must remember that the quality of their employees’ attendance record is as important to them as their productivity record.