This document provides information about an in-house induction seminar for staff at Tom Mboya University College on the topic of work ethics. It defines work ethics as a set of moral principles that guide how an employee approaches their job responsibilities. It discusses factors that contribute to strong work ethics like goal-setting, hard work, accountability and discusses evaluating one's own work ethic. It also provides guidance on answering questions about work ethic during interviews and asking questions to demonstrate work ethic.

1. TOM MBOYA UNIVERSITY
COLLEGE
A constituent College of
Maseno University
P.O Box 199 - 40300, Homa Bay.
Email: homabay@maseno.ac.ke

2. IN-HOUSE INDUCTION
SEMINAR for STAFF
of
TOM MBOYA UNIVERSITY
COLLEGE
10th -to- 11th December 2015

3. Workshop Theme:
WORK ETHICS
Ref: Workshop.sem/Staff/vol.4
Motto: Work has a moral benefit and an inherent ability to strengthen character
PART ONE

4. Authored by:
S O William
Academic Staff
TMUC
Approved by:
Prof. J Kobiero
Principal
TMUC

5. Specific Workshop
Objective:
Staff’s attitudes, feelings and
beliefs about their work within
TOM MBOYA UNIVERSITY.

6. What is
Work
Ethics?

7. What is Work Ethics?
Consider the subject matter:
“ETHICS”
Ethics appertains to a
person's attitudes, feelings
and beliefs about anything
in and out of life.

8. @ S O William (2015)
defines;
A work ethic is a set of
moral principles an
employee uses in his/her
job.

9. The state of a person's
WORK ETHIC determines
how that person relates to
occupational
responsibilities such as the
sample below;

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

11. 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)

12. 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.

13. Because work Ethic is a
complex and individualistic
subject, it is important that
you put careful consideration
into your own work
philosophy so that you can
best express yourself when
the need arises.

14. EVALUATING
YOUR WORK
ETHIC

15. 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

16. Evaluating Your Work Ethic
-1-
ADDRESS YOUR PRIORITIES
ABOUT WORK.
Does your job comes first priority
over other aspects of your life?

17. • 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.

18. Evaluating Your Work Ethic
-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.

19. •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.

20. •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.

21. •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.

22. Evaluating Your Work Ethic
-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.

23. •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.

24. •How do you feel about working
overtime or through difficult
scenarios?
Outline your attitudes towards
working extra hours or through
unfamiliar and difficult situations.

25. Evaluating Your Work Ethic
-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.

26. 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?

27. •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?

28. ANSWERING
QUESTIONS
ABOUT YOUR
WORK ETHIC

29. Answering Questions
About once
Work Ethic
also relies on some
four factors
as described
below;

30. -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

31. • 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?"

32. -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.
Answering Questions About Your Work Ethic

33. 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”.

34. 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

35. -3-
USE REAL-LIFE EXAMPLES TO
SUPPORT YOUR ANSWER.
Consider situations you have been in
that exemplify the work ethics you
claim to have.
Answering Questions About Your Work Ethic

36. 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.

37. -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.
Answering Questions About Your Work Ethic

38. 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.

39. 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."

40. ASKING
QUESTIONS
DURING YOUR
INTERVIEW

41. Asking questions
before, during, and after
any vetting or interview
process may revile your
true
Work Ethic
to your potential employer

42. -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

43. 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.

44. 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.

45. -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.
Asking Questions During Your Interview

46. 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.

47. " 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."

48. -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.
Asking Questions During Your Interview

49. 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.

50. FACTORS TO
STRONG
WORK ETHIC

51. 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.

52. 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.

53. -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.

54. 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.

55. -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.

56. -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

57. Discipline
It 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.

58. Sense of Teamwork
Most 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.

59. GOOD
WORK ETHICS
by
EMPLOYEES

60. 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.

61. 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.

62. Factors of a good Work Ethics
-1- Reliability
A 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.

63. 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.

64. Factors of a good Work Ethics
-2-
POSITIVE, HELPFUL CHARACTER
Small 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.

65. 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.

66. Factors of a good Work Ethics
-3-
PROPER COMMUNICATION
Strong 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.

67. 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.

68. Factors of a good Work Ethics
-4-
ALTRUISTIC AND GOAL-ORIENTED
Good 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.

69. 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.

70. If employers treat their
employees as a means to
an end, then employees
will not respect them
back or the business.

71. Working on team-building,
showing top-down respect
to all employees,
while also remaining stern
and mete-out discipline
when necessary.

72. TIPS TO NOTE!!
from the Author
S O William

73. Tips
In 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.

74. •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.

75. End of Session