INFORMATION SHEET 3.

2-1
(LO2 Apply work values/ethics)

Learning Objectives:
After reading this INFORMATION SHEET, you must be able to execute
correctly the procedure in Applying work values/ethics.

I. HOW TO IDENTIFY WORK VALUES

1. Strong Work Ethic

• Employers value employees who understand and possess a willingness to
work hard. In addition to working hard it is also important to work smart.
This means learning the most efficient way to complete tasks and finding
ways to save time while completing daily assignments. It’s also important to
care about your job and complete all projects while maintaining a positive
attitude. Doing more than is expected on the job is a good way to show
management that you utilize good time management skills and don’t waste
valuable company time attending to personal issues not related to the job.
Downsizing in today’s job market is quite common so it’s important to
recognize the personal values and attributes employers want to improve
your chances of job security should a layoff occur.
2. Dependability and Responsibility
• Employers value employees who come to work on time, are there when they are
supposed to be, and are responsible for their actions and behavior. It’s
important to keep supervisors abreast of changes in your schedule or if you are
going to be late for any reason. This also means keeping your supervisor
informed on where you are on all projects you have been assigned. Being
dependable and responsible as an employee shows your employer that you
value your job and that you are responsible in keeping up with projects and
keeping them informed of the things that they should know about.
3. Possessing a Positive Attitude.
• Employers seek employees who take the initiative and have the motivation
to get the job done in a reasonable period of time. A positive attitude gets
the work done and motivates others to do the same without dwelling on the
challenges that inevitably come up in any job. It is the enthusiastic employee
who creates an environment of good will and who provides a positive role model
for others. A positive attitude is something that is most valued by supervisors
and co-workers and that also makes the job more pleasant and fun to go to each
day.
4. Adaptability
• Employers seek employees who are adaptable and maintain flexibility in
completing tasks in an ever changing workplace. Being open to change and
improvements provides an opportunity to complete work assignments in a more
efficient manner while offering additional benefits to the corporation, the
customer, and even the employee. While oftentimes employees complain that
changes in the workplace don’t make sense or makes their work harder,
oftentimes these complaints are due to a lack of flexibility.
• Adaptability also means adapting to the personality and work habits of co-
workers and supervisors. Each person possesses their own set or strengths
and adapting personal behaviors to accommodate others is part of what it
takes to work effectively as a team. By viewing change as an opportunity to
complete work assignments in a more efficient manner, adapting to change
can be a positive experience. New strategies, ideas, priorities, and work habits
can foster a belief among workers that management and staff are both committed
to making the workplace a better place to work.
5. Honesty and Integrity
• Employers value employees who maintain a sense of honesty and integrity above
all else. Good relationships are built on trust. When working for an employer
they want to know that they can trust what you say and what you do.
Successful businesses work to gain the trust of customers and maintain the
attitude that “the customer is always right”. It is the responsibility of each
person to use their own individual sense of moral and ethical behavior when
working with and serving others within the scope of their job.
6. Self – Motivated
• Employers look for employees who require little supervision and direction to
get the work done in a timely and professional manner. Supervisors who hire
self-motivated employees do themselves an immense favor. For self-
motivated employees require very little direction from their supervisors.
Once a self-motivated employee understands his/her responsibility on the
job, they will do it without any prodding from others. Employers can do their
part by offering a safe, supportive, work environment that offers employees
an opportunity to learn and grow. Working in a supportive work
environment and taking the initiative to be self-directive will provide
employees with a better sense of accomplishment and increased self-esteem.
7. Motivated to Grow & Learn
• In an ever-changing workplace, employers seek employees who are interested
in keeping up with new developments and knowledge in the field. It has been
noted that one of the top reasons employees leave their employers is the lack
of opportunity for career development within the organization. Learning new
skills, techniques, methods, and/or theories
 through professional development helps keep the organization at the top of
its field and makes the employee's job more interesting and exciting. Keeping
up with current changes in the field is vital for success and increased job
security.
8. Strong Self – Confidence
• Self-confidence has been recognized as the key ingredient between someone
who is successful and someone who is not. A self – confident person is someone
who inspires others. A self-confident person is not afraid to ask questions on
topics where they feel they need more knowledge. They feel little need to have
to impress others with what they know since they feel comfortable with
themselves and don’t feel they need to know everything.
• The self-confident person does what he/she feels is right and is willing to take
risks. Self- confident people can also admit their mistakes. They recognize
their strengths as well as their weaknesses and are willing to work on the
latter. Self-confident people have faith in themselves and their abilities which
is manifested in their positive attitude and outlook on life.
9. Professionalism
• Employers value employees who exhibit professional behavior at all times.
Professional behavior includes learning every aspect of a job and doing it to
the best of one’s ability. Professionals look, speak, and dress accordingly to
maintain an image of someone who takes pride in their behavior and appearance.
Professionals complete projects as soon as possible and avoid letting
uncompleted projects pile up. Professionals complete high quality work and
are detail oriented. Professional behavior includes all of the behavior above in
addition to providing a positive role model for others. Professionals are
enthusiastic about their work and optimistic about the organization and its
future. To become a professional, you must feel like a professional and following
these tips is a great start to getting to where you want to go.
10. Loyalty
• Employers value employees they can trust and who exhibit their loyalty to
the company. Loyalty in the workforce has taken on a new meaning. Gone are
the days when employees plan on starting out and retiring with the same
company. It is said that most people will hold between 8 – 12 jobs throughout
their career. What does this mean in terms of loyalty in today’s workforce?
• Companies offering employee growth and opportunity will ultimately gain a
sense of loyalty from their employees. Employees today want to feel a sense
of satisfaction in their jobs and will do a good job when they feel that the
employer is fair and wants to see them succeed. Although this may mean
only staying for five or ten years in a position, employees can offer loyalty
and make an important contribution during their time with the company.
• More companies today encourage employee feedback and offer
employees an opportunity to lead in their area of expertise. This
gives employees a greater sense of satisfaction and a sense of
control over their job. Empowerment encourages employees to do
their best work since companies are displaying a trust and
expectation that they believe in their employees to do a good job.