Final Project Presentation on work ethics.

1. WORK ETHICS
Patricia Dunsha

2. INTRODUCTION
There are several ways to look at ethics,
especially in the context of work and the work
environment. Defining ethics can be difficult
because it is much more than outcome
enhancement. There are expectations to be at
work on time, perform quality work, remain
positive, be a team player, and self-direct
(Hoagland-Smith, 2012).
This presentation will focus on ten traits of ethics
that may enhance career opportunities.

3. ATTENDANCE
Attendance must be regular.
Punctuality is crucial and may increase
job performance and the entire
effectiveness of a business. Placing
attendance as a priority may also relate
to a higher level of efficiency and
effectiveness. This is a valuable quality
that employers look for when they want
to fill a position. Regular attendance
labels a person as reliable and
dependable (“Work Ethics:,” 2012).

4. RESPECT
Respect does not have to be complicated. It basically requires that a person take
care in how they deal with others – fellow employees, managers, and customers.
Ways to create respect might include generating mutual empathy, allowing others to
take control of part of a task, and even having them judge the best way to go about
completing a project. Respect within a company usually means that the boss will
also demonstrate respect toward employees, such as in this example: If you are
asked to organize a filing system, your manager or boss could say to you that you
may organize it chronologically or alphabetically, whichever one you feel is best.
This demonstrates respect from someone in a higher rank within the company and
encourages mutual respect. It is more likely that the employee will want to complete
the project in a timely and efficient manner. Leaders within a company must gain
respect by example. For example, if employees rarely see their boss and when
they do, it is only when he or she comes out of the office and decides to tell jokes,
goof off, or keep people from their work, it is easy to see that employees would have
little respect (“5 Smart Routes to,” 2012).

5. CHARACTER
How we characterize people is how we perceive
them and character traits portray an image in
someone’s mind. Character then develops
while actions become habits. Eventually these
habits define the character of each of us. It is
important that potential employees understand
that self-awareness of actions and habits can
help in the process of working on faults and
building on strengths (Barberman, 2012).

6. APPEARANCE
The first thing to understand about
appearance is that it helps others perceive
you in a specific way. Appearance is
normally thought of as the outward reflection
(clothes, etc.) but it may also include
behaviors. Appearance may affect behavior
and behavior may affect appearance.
Dressing in a neat, clean, and appropriate
way will help increase the chances of the
professional appearance that most
employers seek in their employees
(Barberman, 2012).

7. COOPERATION
No matter what the size of an organization is, employees must
learn to collaborate so that there is a better understanding of the
role that has been assigned to each individual. While one
employee may not need to know the specifics of another
employee’s position, there should be a basic understanding of how
that position ties in with other positions. Those at the top should
cooperate with those on the bottom and likewise, those on the
bottom must do the same thing. Companies cannot grow because
no decisions would be made if there was no cooperation among
workers. Good advice for job-seekers would be to learn that where
there is competition, egos tend to get in the way. Thus, the
demand for increased cooperation becomes apparent. This applies
to any type of business and demands that everyone work toward
the same objectives. In this regard, all employees become winners
(Wilkinson, 2012).

8. ATTITUDE
There are many positive affects of having a good
attitude about work. First, it makes the job more
enjoyable and helps move the day along at a
quicker pace. It can also improve attendance. A
positive attitude may help employees to engage in
volunteering for new assignments while improving
their effort to complete projects they are assigned
to. When an employee’s positive attitude
becomes apparent to an employer, it can trigger
opportunities for the employee to participate in
ways to improve things at work. The employee
with a positive attitude may also see good things
in a bad situation. A combination of all of these
contribute to ethics in the workplace (Stressaffect,
2012).

9. COMMUNICATION
There are several types of communication in the workplace – written, verbal,
and non-verbal – and all should be present in the workplace.
Communication is not just about talking to someone else. It involves the
ability to be able to socialize with others and be sensitive to the feelings of
everyone. Written communication should be supported in several ways,
such as computers, pen and paper, as well as photocopying. Effective
communication also involves the ability to absorb and store a message.
Taking notes can help (“Welcome to,” 2012).
In addition to the above, communication must involve a willingness to learn
how to communicate with others. This requires a combination of many of the
previously noted traits, such as respect, cooperation, and attitude. Often,
bad communication involves poor listening skills. Employees that need to
improve listening skills should consider taking a self-help course or seminar
that specializes in this area of concern.

10. ORGANIZATIONAL SKILLS
Organizational skills are an important component of ethics
in the workplace. When employees and their employer
are organized, the environment becomes more productive
and efficient. It also helps to promote the job or
profession of the individual employee. Organizational
skills can be better understood by employees if the
employer is willing to establish objectives that point to the
company’s overall mission. One of the most important
aspects of organization is time management, which can
be accomplished via weekly, monthly, or even daily work
schedules. Organization also includes keeping the work
areas orderly and clean. Cluttered spaces encourage
disorganization and reduce efficiency. This can further
lead to projects that are incomplete or incorrectly
completed. When papers and other projects are
misplaced, employees may lose track of time, which again
negatively affects overall productivity and/or meeting the
goal of completion for a project (Huntington, n.d.).

11. TEAMWORK
Successful teamwork can be seen in employees that reflect
competence and devotion to their goals and their peers. Some of the
characteristics of teamwork include:
 Appropriate task distribution
 Clear communication
 High integrity
 Complimenting
These basically include learning what task each employee is to work
on and complete, practicing the skills of good communication,
making the right choices, and a team leader that is willing to offer
compliments to the team for producing good results (Jobs & Career
Guide, 2012).

12. PRODUCTIVITY
Workplace productivity is affected by many of the
previous traits of the employees and employers. In
addition to those, this positive outcome may be
encouraged by employers that are willing to provide
motivational incentives to their employees. Another
way to encourage productivity is to allow employees to
see and participate in the presentation of a finished
product so that they can gain a better sense of the
importance of the project and their role in the outcome.
This, in turn, promotes teamwork. Managers will
improve productivity when they treat employees fairly
and recognize the role they play as an important one.
Praise is also encouraged, as well as the
implementation of disciplinary guidelines and
encouragement toward meeting goals (Melville, 2012).

13. REFERENCES
5 Smart Routes to Gain Respect in the Workplace. (2012, July 13). Retrieved from
http:/​/​workawesome.com/​office-life/​5-smart-routes-gain-workplace-respect/​
Barberman. (2012, July 13). The importance of a good work ethic. Retrieved from
http:/​/​www.helium.com/​items/​340022-the-importance-of-a-good-work-ethic
Hoagland-Smith, L. (2012, July 12). Work Ethics - A Paradigm Shift. Retrieved from
http:/​/​www.ezinearticles.com/​?Work-Ethics---A-Paradigm-Shift&id=28127
Huntington, M. (n.d.). Importance of Organizational Skills in the Workplace.
Retrieved from http:/​/​www.ehow.com/​info_7927571_importance-organizational-
skills-in-the-Workplace
Jobs, & Career Guide. (2012, July 14). Teamwork in Workplace. Retrieved from
http:/​/​www.info2india.com/​careers/​workplace-ethics/​teamwork-in-workplace

14. REFERENCES (continued)
Melville, J. (2012, July 14). Facts on Productivity in the Workplace. Retrieved
from http:/​/​www.ehow.com/​info_8216493_productivity-workplace.html
Stressaffect. (2012, July 14). Work Attitudes and Workplace Stress. Retrieved from
http:/​/​www.stressaffect.com/​positive-attitude-at-work.html
Welcome to Communication in the Workplace! (2012, July 14). Retrieved from
Communication In The Workplace Web site:
http:/​/​www.communicationintheworkplace.net
Wilkinson, M. (2012, July 13). The importance of cooperation in the workplace.
Retrieved from http:/​/​www.helium.com/​items/​2079492-the-importance-of-
cooperation-in-the-workplace
Work Ethics: Importance of Regular Attendance. (2012, July 12). Retrieved from
http:/​/​suite101.com/​article/​work-ethics-importance-of-regular-attendance-
a383486