The Benefits of a Strong Work Ethic, Helping You Land and Keep Your Dream Job

One must-have trait (among others, such as dependability and self-motivation) that 73% of companies most desire in job candidates.

Can you guess what it is? It’s work ethic.

Many job seekers struggle to understand that work ethic is more than an innate mix of a good family upbringing and personal qualities; it’s a trait you can nurture.

So, what does work ethic mean?

Work ethic refers to a set of moral values that guide individuals to complete their work successfully in a formal environment.

So the next time you see a job ad that requires candidates with a strong work ethic, understand that you need to own a set of abilities—like professionalism or punctuality—that will help you, and your future employer, of course, deliver work within agreed rules. Later in the article, we’ll cover all the skills you need to demonstrate a strong work ethic.

Realistically, though, work ethic means different things to different people. While some see it as the guiding force behind an employee’s motivation at work, others see it as a complete list of skills companies need to complete their projects.

More controversial than its simple definition is whether a strong work ethic is something you’re born with or can learn.

Different types of work ethic exist, and what counts as good work ethic can vary by industry sector and company culture. However, some common work ethic traits that characterize an effective worker, manager, or executive, regardless of industry sector, are the following:

• Character: the moral and ethical values an individual possesses. It involves honesty, trustworthiness, and integrity in all work aspects.
• Commitment: the dedication and loyalty an individual has towards their work and the organization they work for. It involves being reliable, responsible, and willing to go the extra mile to achieve goals.
• Honesty: the quality of being truthful, transparent, and ethical in all aspects of work. It involves being accountable for one’s actions, admitting mistakes, and maintaining confidentiality when required.
• Professionalism: the ability to conduct oneself in a manner that reflects positively on the organization and oneself. It involves being respectful and courteous, maintaining a positive attitude towards colleagues, clients, and customers.
• Intrinsic motivation: the internal drive and passion an individual has toward their work. It involves being self-motivated, enthusiastic, and committed to achieving personal and organizational goals.
• Dependability: the ability to be relied upon to complete tasks and meet deadlines consistently. It involves being punctual, organized, and communicating effectively with colleagues and superiors.
• Responsibility: the ability to take ownership of one’s actions and decisions. It involves being accountable, reliable, and willing to take on additional responsibilities when required
• Adaptability: the ability to adjust to changing circumstances and environments. It involves being flexible, open-minded, and willing to learn new skills and techniques.
• Teamwork: the ability to work collaboratively with others towards a common goal. It involves being respectful, communicative, and supportive of colleagues, contributing to a positive team dynamic.
• Regard for safety: the willingness to maintain a safe and healthy work environment. It involves following safety protocols, identifying and reporting hazards, and taking necessary precautions to prevent accidents.
• Attitude: the mindset and outlook an individual has towards their work and the organization they work for. It involves being positive, optimistic, and maintaining a can-do attitude toward challenges and obstacles.
• Desire to think: the ability to think critically and creatively, solve problems, and make informed decisions. It involves being curious, open-minded, and willing to learn new things.

Is a strong work ethic something you can learn and/or train?

The truth is somewhere between innate and learned.

I’ve seen that a strong work ethic is a behavior that is honed over years of our development. And it’s impacted by what we were trained to do from early childhood on. I’ve worked with hundreds of mid- to high-level professional women who, for instance, learned to become “perfectionistic overfunctioners”—doing more than is healthy and trying to get an “A+” in everything. We developed that approach to life because our parents praised us more when we did, and they withheld affection when we weren’t striving to be the very best. While being a perfectionistic overfunctioner looks like a great work ethic, it’s a crushing way to live that can lead to exhaustion and burnout.  —Kathy Caprino, Career Coach, Speaker, Leadership Trainer, and Senior Forbes contributor

No one is born with a strong work ethic. You develop it over time through the small things you do and are taught in childhood—from your first human interactions to school group projects and small chores at home. All these are often involuntary learning opportunities we stumble upon at various stages in life.

Then there are the educational paths we deliberately take to develop our traits and, consequently, our work ethic capacity. Whether taking an after-school course or a business ethics class in college, educational institutions like the Oakton Community College, the University of Maryland, or the Australian National University offer their students business and work ethics classes.

These courses aim to promote an understanding of the role of ethical behavior in the office and even develop the skills needed to handle all ethics-related situations—further proof of our capacity to learn these principles even later in life.

So if work ethics is a set of skills, what traits can we develop over time? 

Punctuality, for instance, is something we’re all encouraged to master through several situations in our lives—from getting to an appointment on time to attending classes in school or just not missing a lecture.

Similarly, our parents teach us to be respectful to others and indirectly guide us to become true professionals when they tell us to speak clearly and be consistent in our speech.

How to foster a strong work ethic as an employer

Just check out any random Glassdoor job descriptions, and you’ll notice that “strong work ethic” is almost everywhere. We’ve already researched for you, so here are the stats on job listings that include “work ethic” as a top requirement:

• 8,500+ jobs in New York
• 4,000+ jobs in London
• 4,000+ jobs in Los Angeles
• 4,000+ jobs in Washington, D.C.
• 3,500+ jobs in Chicago

And that’s just on Glassdoor!

Employers always look for people who are eager to do their best at work, follow company policies, and be prepared for most challenges. Unsurprisingly, 85% of employers consider attitude and work ethic the top attributes when picking their next employee. These are traits that are even more important than a candidate’s education.

Companies can’t get anything done without their employees, so they’ll look for the best ones. But what benefits are they looking for when they hire someone with a strong work ethic?

Get employees to show up on time

No matter how small your business is, set a detailed schedule with exact work hours, downtime, and meeting intervals to give employees a starting point for making the most of their time. After all, nobody can work for 8 hours straight to their full potential. Also, it’s good to group their task with one of these recurring task management software for more clarity on what they have to work on and when.

There are other great examples of overcoming poor time management or solving procrastination. Most importantly, having employees organize their time efficiently (or doing that for them) will also help you deliver work on time.

Have them show up 5 or 10 minutes early to grab a coffee and set up their workspace before the workday starts. You can offer an extra 10-minute break to compensate—maybe after lunch. This is good for productivity since, scientifically speaking, our energy levels decrease around 2-4 pm anyway.

Develop a robust collaborative environment

Solid work ethics also refer to how your staff handles team relations, with each role contributing to the project/work outcomes. Someone who is professional, dependable, and open to sharing information with the team is a great asset.

These kinds of people find fulfillment in the success of the whole group. They can motivate others and help them improve their work ethic, directly contributing to the company’s overall evolution.

Constructive feedback can only help the company grow. Hold regular 1:1 feedback discussions with your employees to uncover hidden needs or challenges. Find out if your policies work for them and how you can improve them.

If you want unbiased feedback that reflects reality in your organization, use employee surveys to get anonymous answers so they won’t feel pressured to give a sugar-coated response. This will also encourage employees to participate in the company’s future trajectory and feel satisfied with it.

Promote honesty and trust within the workplace

You’ll turn to your workers whenever you need to get a project done and delivered to your clients. That’s why hiring decisions are based on how a person will influence the projects’ performance and fit within the existing team.

In a previous article, I highlighted how trust begins at the upper-management level. However, more and more line managers are expected to take the lead and master more than two management styles in parallel with creating an environment that promotes honesty and trust between team members. Here are a few tips to help you achieve this:

• Praise your employees when they deserve it.
• Avoid office gossip.
• Share appropriate information per everyone’s role in the team.
• Let others speak their minds and bring their personal contribution to a project’s development.
• Discuss professional growth with every individual and help them become better at their trade.
• Set an example by delivering on your promises, showing consistency and integrity.

Keep your team accountable for their work

Imagine having someone pretend to work just to make a living at the end of the day and fill in their timesheets. Sadly, we live in this reality, as 51% of American workers are not engaged at work.

To avoid turning employees into mere clockwatchers, equip them with the right tools, techniques, and frameworks. We’re talking about work management software that keeps them accountable or personal monitoring routines, like time reporting. Experience shows that time reports, when combined with invoicing software, give the client an exact picture of what he’s paying for. There’s a free option online, namely using an invoice generator.

These won’t work, though, if you don’t create a trust-based environment where each person can fully own their duties. This step is only easy if you’re willing to let go of the strict hierarchies and penalty measures you might have in place.

Only then can you expect your team to spot potential issues in their tasks and develop realistic solutions to fix problems and prevent them from happening again.

How to nurture a strong work ethic as an employee

Shockingly or not, people change jobs 12 times during their lifetime—and that’s on average. The global workforce has just experienced a wave of job-hopping and job shortages due to the COVID-19 pandemic and the Great Resignation of 2021, even 2022.

We don’t quit our jobs for wage reasons alone. Most of the time, it’s also a matter of how well your principles align with the company. Respect, trust, well-deserved recognition, and strong work relationships play a big role in this equation. Yet, a study done by SoapBox found that only 23% of managers discuss an employee’s alignment with the company and mission during one-on-one meetings.

Here’s the hard truth: if you’re only looking for better pay, you’ll miss out on opportunities that are better suited to your values, hence ending up running from one job to another.

We’re always motivated to do more work to get a pay raise or a bonus, but how many of you are trying to get better at your craft for your own good? If you can’t see the clear advantages of a strong work ethic for your personal development, the four main tips below are worth keeping in mind.

Organize your work efficiently

All successful projects are built on top of a solid structure. You need client data to build a website and ingredients to put together a recipe—you get it. Just like that, tasks should follow a systematic order if you want to finish work on time.

This doesn’t mean you have to work harder. Although a workday has 8 hours, we spend, on average, only 2 hours and 23 minutes on productive tasks. Slacking is inevitable, but you can get smart about how you distribute your time and tasks.

Smart work is all about giving your best while at work. Be it 6 or 4 hours, make sure you’re being your most productive self despite the high cognitive load and clear out tasks that have the highest impact – both for the company and yourself.

Avoid procrastination

Why do most people procrastinate? This is mainly because of Parkinson’s law, which states that work expands in direct proportion to the time allocated for its completion. So, if you have one day to complete a task, you’ll eventually spend all of it, even though it would take 3 hours to finish the job.

A strong work ethic motivates us to move further with our daily activities and say no to distractions when they pop up. There are dozens of methods you can use to better manage your time, from the famous Pomodoro technique to the automatic time tracking software helping you analyze in-depth where you spend most of the day.

Time tracking in Paymo

In the long run, though, the best way to beat procrastination is to be stoic and think in terms of active and dead time. That means making the most out of the time you spend at work to learn and continuously develop yourself professionally. So instead of thinking a task is a waste of time, consider it a method of educating yourself either in terms of your hard or soft skills.

Gain respect

You already know the old saying, “love your job.” It sets an unrealistic expectation that you have to enjoy every job you have in your life, or it’s not worth your time.

While this isn’t always attainable, showing a strong work ethic at every company you work for can help you earn respect. This is the first foundation you need to lay to gradually like and eventually love what you’re doing in the long run.

Employees who don’t feel valued for their results are 34% more likely to leave their jobs. So, in this case, it’s a two-way street. Even if a strong work ethic can win you points, managers, team leaders, and co-workers must ensure you get appropriate recognition.

Situations where you can gain (or lose) respect include client interactions, team gatherings, and regular meetings. In all of these cases, you’ll get the opportunity to show your worth and gain respect in front of your colleagues and superiors.

Showing up on time, being diplomatic, and listening carefully to what others have to say will help you earn fair treatment and the respect you want.

Deliver quality and get rewarded

Learn and grow professionally beyond bonuses or company awards to reach your milestones. Work on feeding your internal motivation to succeed.

To do this, eliminate anything that can be demotivational. That includes choosing the right people to hang out or grab lunch with and replacing all your negative thoughts with ideas you can put into practice. So next time you’re stuck in a rut, complaining about how you’re not doing anything, plan your next day, send a couple of emails, or just look for new opportunities online.

You’ll also need to grow and gain a better position within your team and company. While transitioning to a different company may seem like a surefire way to get the management position you’ve always wanted, it also takes being proactive to earn that job in your current workplace.

Whether that’s learning an extra skill, taking a side gig, or sharing your career goals with your superiors. After all, it’s not just employers who can demand quality and appreciation.

Is there such a thing as “too much work ethic”?

We’re often willing to put in extra hours for better pay, a better position, or more recognition. But all this additional work will only accumulate in time and might lead to burnout.

Kathy Caprino, Career Coach, Speaker and Leadership Trainer, and Senior Forbes contributor, has a few cents to share on work ethic:

To have a healthy work ethic, we also need healthy boundaries where we can say “yes” to the top priorities that will move our jobs, activities, and lives forward. We’ll have to say “no” to endeavors and activities that won’t. We need to become adept at managing the pressures that bombard us. We need to manage our time bravely and assertively so that we’re not continually working all through the night, feeling that we can never unplug, turn off our phones, and get off our email. A strong work ethic is helpful to successful living, but only as it supports you to build success on your terms and focus on what truly matters.

Others fake their disciplined work ethic to land a high-paying job at a prestigious company. This means they’re putting all their efforts into something they don’t believe in and acting against their internal principles. This is the worst thing you can do, because it will only affect your work performance. For example, promoting a product you don’t believe in just because the job pays well.

Both parties need to nurture a healthy employer-employee relationship. So faking your passion for an industry or company will eventually only lead to your departure.

Tracy Short refers to this kind of behavior as fear:

Work ethic is very personal. Sometimes it’s fear-based rather than a natural value.
Can it be faked and sustained? Maybe. But for how long before burnout?
From an individual’s perspective, you should look for a good culture (but you need to know your preferences first). For a company, the right approach to talent and a recruitment strategy can attract and retain the best people for the company’s culture and mission.

If you often find yourself putting in more hours than needed just to deliver work faster, fear of criticism might be guiding your actions. Fear of being fired, not doing a good job, of not doing the best you can.

Many companies offer monetary or physical perks to their best performers to increase their productivity, all proven benefits in the short term. But we all know how these hijack our internal reward system in the long run.

The solution is to work smarter and tackle all your challenges tactfully without sacrificing your well-being. Start by understanding why and where you’re overworking; try disconnecting from work when you go home, using your vacation days, or letting go of perfectionism.

If you’re in a freelance career or work from home, turn to ideas, tips, and examples of how to work remotely while maintaining healthy boundaries and a good work ethic.

Key reminders

A strong work ethic is crucial for success as it drives productivity, fosters employee satisfaction, and enhances a company’s reputation, contributing to individual and organizational achievements. A strong work ethic within the company serves as a behavioral model for the right way of working and supports and fosters a productive working culture.

After we leave a company, we all want to leave a lasting impression through our work ethic and be the type of worker managers would want to work with again. Keep that goal in mind even before choosing your next workplace.

Or maybe you have informal experience and want to pursue project management. If you want to become a project manager but don’t know where to start, read this comprehensive guide.

Work ethic is a set of traits you can gradually develop, but remember your principles will only match certain companies. Sure, a methodical work ethic can determine whether you’ll make the right choices during a project. But with low respect and no understanding from the hiring side, you’ll soon feel lost.

All this being said, the best advice you can take from it all is to invest in your best assets and learn to turn them into good work habits and not just occasional behavior.

If this article has inspired you even a little to develop your work ethic, share your thoughts on how you make that possible. And also remember to work happy.