Work ethics workshop 4

TOM MBOYA UNIVERSITY COLLEGE

A constituent College of

Maseno University

P.O Box 199 - 40300, Homa Bay.

Email: [email protected]

IN-HOUSE INDUCTION SEMINAR for STAFF

of

TOM MBOYA UNIVERSITY COLLEGE

10th -to- 11th December 2015

Workshop Theme:

WORK ETHICS

Ref: Workshop.sem/Staff/vol.4Motto: Work has a moral benefit and an inherent ability to strengthen character

PART ONE

Authored by:S O William

Academic StaffTMUC

Approved by:Prof. J Kobiero

Principal TMUC

Specific Workshop Objective:

Staff’s attitudes, feelings and

beliefs about their work within

TOM MBOYA UNIVERSITY.

What is Work

Ethics?

What is Work Ethics?Consider the subject matter:

“ETHICS”

Ethics appertains to a person's attitudes, feelingsand beliefs about anything

in and out of life.

@ S O William (2015) defines;

A work ethic is a set of moral principles an

employee uses in his/her job.

The state of a person's WORK ETHIC determines how that person relates to

occupational responsibilities such as the

sample below;

Contributing Factors to Work ethics-Goal-setting, - Hard-working- Accountability, - Dedication. - Autonomy, - Reliability,- Cooperation, - Communication,- Honesty, - Effort, - Timeliness, - Determination, - Leadership, - Volunteerism - Task completion,

Two forms of work ethic;Strong & Weak work Ethics

Note: “Weak Ethics” is not bad, only that it dwells on simple, little success of previous achievements.

Strong: One that dwells on positive & productive approach to current &

future work with or without praises!!

while

Weak: One that only dwells on positive & productive approach to current work only when continually praised. (No Future Focus)

A strong work Ethic; Is favored in the work force.

For that reason, it is not uncommon for employers to ask prospective employees questions regarding their

work ethic.

Because work Ethic is a complex and individualisticsubject, it is important that

you put careful consideration into your own work

philosophy so that you can best express yourself when

the need arises.

EVALUATING YOUR WORK

ETHIC

Evaluating Your Work Ethic

There are basically four (4) levels of personal

evaluation to any work done by individual voluntarily or by employee’s of a company

to self-appraisal of one’s work ethics


-1-ADDRESS YOUR PRIORITIES

ABOUT WORK.Does your job comes first priority

over other aspects of your life?

• You may find that your job is your first priority and you are able to fit in

your other responsibilities around your work life.

• A person with a healthy work-life balance is an attractive candidate to most companies. Many companies

may even ask you about your interests outside of your field.


-2-EXAMINE YOUR RELATIONSHIP WITH

YOUR CURRENT JOB.

In order to best answer questions about your work ethic, you must first

have a thorough understanding of how you, personally, relate to your job.

•Your attitude towards work relates to how you approach occupational responsibilities.

Someone with a strong work ethic has a positive, willing attitude

when it comes to putting effort into a job.

•Your feelings about work relate to how work affects your performance,

and is an important contributing factor to overall work ethic.

Work may make you feel energized, proud, and positive about yourself

and your accomplishments. On the other hand,

You may feel that work makes you feel stressed.

•Your beliefs about work pertain to the role you give

work in relation to life itself. For example;

Personally I believe that; Work builds character and is

central to a well-balanced life.


-3-MAKE AN OUTLINE OF HOW YOU FEEL

ABOUT DIFFERENT ASPECTS OF YOUR JOB.

Writing these ideas down might help you remember important details about your

work ethic and your skill sets for an interview.

•How do you feel about working with others? Describe both pros and cons

about working directly with co-workers and clients.

•How do you feel about continuing education and expanding your skills?

Describe your attitude and feelings towards putting extra time into

professional training.

•How do you feel about working overtime or through difficult

scenarios? Outline your attitudes towards working extra hours or through

unfamiliar and difficult situations.


-4-THINK OF SPECIFIC INSTANCES IN

YOUR CAREER.These will help you describe the

specifics of how your work ethic has benefitted you in your career.

These can be things like:

•Working with a team: Has there been a specific time where

working with a team has been difficult or beneficial?

How did working with others help or hinder you?

•Working with a difficult client:

Has there been a difficult scenario involving a client?

How did you handle working with a client through a difficult problem while being sensitive to the clients

needs and company restrictions?

ANSWERING QUESTIONS

ABOUT YOUR WORK ETHIC

Answering Questions About once Work Ethic

also relies on some four factors as described

below;

-1-PREPARE TO BE ASKED QUESTIONS

ABOUT YOUR WORK ETHIC.Other questions related to this might be about your attitude towards your

current job, job performance, ability to work with others, skill sets, etc.

Answering Questions About Your Work Ethic

• Questions about your work ethic might not be phrased exactly as

"Describe your work ethic" or

"What is your work ethic?"

• Similar questions might include:

"How would you describe yourself?", "How do you feel about working in a team?",

"How do you feel about training and learning new skill sets?"

-2-PROVIDE AN HONEST ANSWER THAT

IMPLIES A STRONG WORK ETHIC.Choose characteristics of your attitude,

feelings and beliefs about work to give an answer that is true to you, and that

presents your work philosophy in the best light.


For example;You may state that,

“you approach work with dedication because you believe in doing your best,

and when you do your best you feel accomplished and satisfied”.

You might also say that, “you also do your best to make sure you enjoy your work, and that helps you to

complete tasks with enthusiasm”.

Seeing jobs as a continual learning experience and that you will always

seek new training and workshops that will allow you to further your skills

and contribute to your workplace in new innovative ways.

Employers will look for individuals who want to advance their own knowledge about their job and

contribute new insights to their team

-3-USE REAL-LIFE EXAMPLES TO

SUPPORT YOUR ANSWER.

Consider situations you have been in that exemplify the work ethics you

claim to have.


For example;If you say, you place a high

priority on honesty, cite a scenario in your life where you were especially

honest in the face of difficult

circumstances.If you claim to work well with others, describe a group project

that you successfully contributed to.

-4-DESCRIBE A DIFFICULT SCENARIO AT

YOUR LAST JOB, AND HOW YOU WORKED TO SOLVE IT.

Describe how you successfully troubleshoot and worked with others

to come to a solution.


You might say something along the lines of

"A client was having a problem with their account and they were very upset and angry. I was able to maintain being very calm and understanding while I worked to

resolve the issue.

I had to work directly with my manager to come up with a

solution that addressed the clients and company needs at the same time. In the end, the client was

happy with the solution and how I worked effectively with my team."

ASKING QUESTIONS

DURING YOUR INTERVIEW

Asking questions before, during, and after any vetting or interview process may revile your

true Work Ethic

to your potential employer

-1-FOLLOW UP WITH QUESTIONS ABOUT THE POTENTIAL JOB.

Employers are most interested in candidates which ask questions

during an interview.

Asking Questions During Your Interview

There are very good questions to follow up a question about your

personality, work ethic, or ability to work with others such as:

"What skills and experiences would make an ideal candidate for your

company?" This is a good chance for your potential employer to lay all cards on the table and describe

exactly what they are looking for.

It can be a good way for you to follow up with more answers about yourself and your Work Ethic that you haven't

covered yet."Do you offer professional training or continuing education?" This is a good way to show that you are interested in continuing to learn new ways of

doing your job and that you are willing to grow with the company.

-2-ASK QUESTIONS ABOUT THE TEAM

ENVIRONMENT AT THE WORKPLACE.

This shows you are interested in being part of a successful team and

thinking of ways how your skills might contribute.


You may continue with questions like;

"Can you tell me about the team I'll be working with?"

This question shows that you know you'll be working in a team

environment and might lead to ways in which you can describe how well you have worked with others in the

past.

" Describe how your attitude and approach to work fits in with the

company or team philosophy. You might say;

"I'm an effective team player. I first evaluate where in a team project my

skills would be most effective and offer strategies in that area. I offer support

and positive feedback to my coworkers."

-3-AVOID ASKING QUESTIONS ABOUT

BENEFITS AND PAY.It is not a good idea to ask questions

about benefits, time off, changing your work schedule, gossip you might have heard, or too many personal questions

about your interviewer.


Stick to specific questions about your potential jobs,

The company in general, and the team you'll be working with.

Questions about benefits and salary can be addressed later in the hiring

process rather than in an initial interview.

FACTORS TO STRONG

WORK ETHIC

A strong work ethic is vital to a company achieving its

goals. Every employee, from the CEO to entry-level

workers, MUST have a Good Work Ethic to keep the

company functioning at its peak.

Remember!!A work ethic is a set of

moral principals an employee uses in his job.

Certain factors come together to create a strong

work ethic.

-1-INTEGRITY

Integrity stretches to all aspects of an employee's job.

An employee with integrity fosters trusting relationships with clients,

coworkers and supervisors. Coworkers value the employee's ability to give honest feedback.

Clients trust the employee's advice.

Supervisors rely on the employee's high moral

standards, trusting him not to steal from the company or

create problems.

-2-SENSE OF RESPONSIBILITY

A strong sense of responsibility affects how an employee works and the amount of work she does. When

the employee feels personally responsible for her job performance,

she shows up on time, puts in her best effort and completes projects to the

best of her ability.

-3-EMPHASIS ON QUALITY

Some employees do only the bare minimum, just enough to keep their job intact. Employees with a strong work ethic care about the quality of

their work. They do their best to produce great work, not merely churn

out what is needed. The employee's

commitment to quality improves the company's overall quality.

DisciplineIt takes a certain level of commitment

to finish your tasks every day. An employee with good discipline stays

focused on his goals and is determined to complete his

assignments. These employees show a high level of

dedication to the company, always ensuring they do their part.

Sense of TeamworkMost employees have to work together to meet a company's

objectives. An employee with a high sense of teamwork helps a team meet

its goals and deliver quality work. These employees respect their peers

and help where they can, making collaborations go smoother.

GOOD WORK ETHICS

by

EMPLOYEES

Effective employees are critical to the success of a

growing business. Employers will be able to

recognize and filter out the good from the bad.

Employees who consistently demonstrate good work ethics can be invaluable assets. recognize

who they are, treat them well

and work together to further the goals of your business.

Factors of a good Work Ethics

-1- ReliabilityA reliable employee is

punctual, follows through on his tasks and shows up ready

to work. Employers cannot afford to keep employees who

are not reliable.

If an employee consistently arrives late to work and routinely fails to follow

through or complete his tasks, the company loses time,

money and business.

Factors of a good Work Ethics-2-

POSITIVE, HELPFUL CHARACTERSmall businesses often have a close,

tightly knit, familial atmosphere. It is natural to experience some

growing pains or rough days. In general, employees should have a

positive attitude and be willing to help each other out.

Negativity and dissent can spread like a disease and

damage workplace morale and productivity.

Employees should show initiative to make themselves

useful and act as teammates to one another.


PROPER COMMUNICATIONStrong interpersonal skills can help

form cohesive teams among employees and make handling challenges easier.

Employees must communicate effectively and understand the

difference between constructive criticism and destructive griping.

Related to interpersonal skills is an employee’s outward appearance.

If the job calls for professional attire, the employee should dress

the part. Strong interpersonal skills involve understanding a little about office politics, the

employee should know when to speak up and when to listen.


ALTRUISTIC AND GOAL-ORIENTEDGood employees are often altruistic and goal-oriented. While receiving a

paycheck is a strong motivator, a good work ethic is also putting

yourself aside to work toward the greater good of the organization as a

whole.

Doing so leads to working toward goals rather than putting in the minimum

effort. To foster good work ethics, an employer must also possess strong work

ethics.

If employers treat their employees as a means to an end, then employees

will not respect them back or the business.

Working on team-building, showing top-down respect

to all employees, while also remaining stern

and mete-out discipline when necessary.

TIPS TO NOTE!! from the Author

S O William

TipsIn the case of work ethic questions during

job interviews, interviewers are often looking to hire someone who;

- Possesses a positive attitude, - Knows how to be a team player, - Takes initiative, - Is adaptable enough to take on a

multitude of tasks, - Is good with time management, and - Is dedicated to continually learning.

•Always dress for success. Invest in a power outfit that is clean, well-fitted,

and tailored. Don't wear messy or wrinkled clothes, fragrances, or loud

colors.

End of Session

Business

Work ethics workshop 4