Growth Trends for Related Jobs

Five Characteristics of Having Good Work Ethics

careertrend article image
Comstock Images/Comstock/Getty Images

Your good work ethic is reflected in your dedication to a job that you deem valuable. You hold yourself to high standards of responsibility, keep yourself accountable for getting work done right, finish assignments on time, and make decisions that helps your organization succeed. Having a solid work ethic means you understand that productivity, organizational skills, being reliable and possessing good character are all attributes that successful people share.

Honesty

Dishonesty sometimes creeps into the workplace through a variety of practices: stealing personal property, sabotaging a coworker's client presentation, or taking someone's idea and making it your own. As an employee with a strong work ethic, you know better than this. Refrain from lying or cheating to make others look bad. Instead, take responsibility for mistakes, own up to failures and keep the lines of communication open with everyone involved.

Discretion

Workplace gossip can be destructive. If you gossip about your peers, bosses or even clients, it's bad for business and morale. Rely on your good workplace ethics and refuse to engage in gossip or even listen it. Gently encourage others to mind their own business, or else address the person or situation head-on so that assumptions and badmouthing can stop. Doing so helps eliminate resentment among coworkers and helps keep morale up.

Respect for Diversity

People with a good work ethic understand the importance of a diverse workplace. When you value everybody's contributions – regardless of ability, age, gender or race – it allows for more creativity and better problem solving. Diversity in the workplace contributes to successful client interactions. Overall, employee morale is higher.

Respects Others

Your strong work ethic shows up in your behavior and practices. You are rarely late. You respect everyone's time, from coworkers to clients to interviewees. You're polite, conscientious of people's feelings and considerate of workers in a shared workspace. Use your time wisely so that deadlines are met. Keep personal phone conversations quiet so as not to disrupt others. Out of respect, hear and consider everyone's opinions.

Cooperative

Having a good work ethic means you cooperate with others. While work may not always be satisfying or enjoyable, you see the bigger picture and do what is necessary for the team and company. Instead of debating every issue and finding reasons why things can't get done, you use strong conflict resolution skills to solve problems and manage the workload.

References
Writer

Based in Los Angeles, Lisa Finn has been writing professionally for 20 years. Her print and online articles appear in magazines and websites such as "Spa Magazine," "L.A. Parent," "Business," the Famous Footwear blog and many others. She also ghostwrites for mompreneurs and business owners who appear regularly on shows such as Ricki Lake, HGTV, Carson Daly and The Today Show.

Photo Credits

Comstock Images/Comstock/Getty Images