When writing a job description, it’s easy to include “good work ethic” under the wish list of qualities you’re looking for in an applicant. As hiring managers, we are always on the lookout for employees that demonstrate a strong work ethic and take pride in their work. But do we even know what a good work ethic is? The definition of a good work ethic is subjective and may vary from person to person, but these five good work ethic examples are easy ways to differentiate between employees with a good work ethic and employees who are happy doing the bare minimum.

Time Management

Employees with good work ethic know how to manage their time well. They prioritize tasks, meet deadlines, and get things done. These employees are punctual and arrive to work on time or earlier. They are rarely, if ever, late to their shift. They work well within teams and never hold up the completion of projects. If employees manage their time well, it’s likely that they are also organized.

Employees with good time management skills will also know when they need to take breaks. Not taking breaks leads to burnout and mistakes. These types of employees will be sure to schedule breaks to get up and stretch or have a snack. This helps keep employees more productive for longer periods of time. Part of time management is knowing when to pause working as well. If employees manage their time well, it’s a good indication that they will also manage the projects on their plate well too.

Productivity

Employees with a strong work ethic take great pride in their work. They get a sense of fulfillment from their jobs and ensure that all of their tasks are completed. They prioritize their jobs and make sure to finish their work obligations before committing to social activities with their friends outside of work. Productive employees are organized and spend their work days getting as much as they can done to ensure a proper work-life balance.

Productive employees avoid procrastination at all costs. You won’t see productive employees scrolling through their social media feeds or constantly checking their mobile phones. These employees know that there is a time and a place for everything. A busy Monday morning isn’t the time. These employees will make sure they take adequate breaks to recharge their batteries so that they can spend the rest of their work day finishing their tasks on time.

Accountability and Responsibility

Having a strong sense of responsibility and holding yourself accountable are really important indicators of good work ethic. When an employee shows a sense of responsibility, they show managers that they are dependable and can be relied upon. 

A responsible employee will also recognize when things don’t go as planned or if they’ve made a mistake. Responsible employees will hold themselves accountable for their actions. They recognize when they’ve made a mistake and they let the appropriate team members know in advance. They don’t sweep things under the rug or hide things from their team. Knowing that you can always rely on a dependable, honest employee is a great indicator of a strong work ethic.

Professionalism

Above all else, employees with good work ethic are professionals. We all have bad things happen to us in our personal lives from time to time. While some employees allow their problems outside of the office to affect their work, employees with a strong work ethic will put those problems aside and do their best to ensure that their work is never affected by them. These employees will still provide high-quality work despite being under the weather.

A professional employee will also do whatever it takes to ensure that their team operations run smoothly. Professional employees are highly emotionally intelligent and do not let their emotions overrule the hard work their team is accomplishing. Displaying professionalism means giving your peers respect and never speaking to them in a disrespectful manner. Professionalism is one of the best examples of strong work ethic an employee could demonstrate.

Dedication

Above all else, employees with a strong work ethic will demonstrate dedication. These employees are dedicated to their jobs, their teams, and their work. Employees with a strong work ethic will go the extra mile to finish their projects or help their teammates complete tasks. You can always rely on a dedicated employee to be the first one to volunteer to help achieve a goal. These employees are hard-working and do a great deal to help add to your company’s culture. Be aware that dedicated employees are prone to burnout as they hate saying “no”, so be sure to never take advantage of dedicated employees that demonstrate a strong work ethic. They add great value to your company and they won’t be able to perform at their top level if they feel overworked. Do whatever you can to show gratitude towards dedicated employees.

Bryq Indicators Identify Good Work Ethic

These qualities are all excellent examples of a strong work ethic. It’s easy for hiring managers to say they want employees with good work ethic, but they need to know what qualities to look for. Of course, this is something that Bryq can help you with. Bryq has created what we call Indicators. You can add these personalized Indicators to your assessment to better gauge how well a candidate fits into the communication style of your company and where their work ethic lies. Are you looking to hire somebody that is responsible? Somebody that is “rule-conscious” is likely to hold themselves accountable for their actions. You want to hire somebody that has good time management? A “perfectionist” is likely to get their work done well and on-time.

Bryq’s ‘Indicators’ really do a great job of recognizing candidates that are great matches with the roles you’re looking to fill. Do you want to see how Bryq works in action? Book a demo with us! We’d love to show you how Bryq helps match you to candidates with good work ethic. Are you more hands-on? Start a free 7-day trial instead! We’re on standby if you have any questions. We can’t wait to help you build a team with a strong work ethic!