Productivity Follow Safety Practices An important part of work ethics is following established safety practices. At our technical institute, each classroom or lab has safety procedures. You should also exercise safety precautions as a student when using your computer such as proper wiring, computer maintenance, and a work safe environment. The same will be true on the job. Each department in each company will have a set of safety guidelines to which employees should adhere. These rules are not designed to punish the student or employee, but rather to protect them. Safety is always important and is everyone’s responsibility. The failure to follow safety rules can result in a lost-time accident or even death. When a company experiences a "lost-time accident" due to the minor injury of an employee, everyone is affected. Efficiency and profits will go down with each minute lost. Co-workers will see an immediate effect if they are paid on a group incentive plan and a team member is injured. The effect may not always be as direct and may not always be as evident, but the fact remains that everyone suffers with injury. Following safety rules will not totally eliminate "lost-time accidents," but their numbers will be cut down. Conserves Material It’s not your money that is going down the drain if you make a mistake and have to scrap part of the materials, is it? Think again—in the long term it may actually be your money or at least the continuation of your current paycheck. One might say, "How will my employer ever miss the 500 sheets of paper and 100 staples that I wasted by duplicating the wrong information? That's not a lot of materials when you consider what we use every day!" Well, what would happen if your company has 100 employees and each one made a similar mistake? Or, what if we were talking about expensive chemicals instead of paper and staples? Always use only the materials necessary to adequately complete your task. Treat the materials as if you were paying for them yourself. One of the best ways to cut down on scrap is to do the job right the first time and to always be conscientious. Scrap costs your company or your school money and decreases the profit margin. A decreased profit margin has a direct effect on employees because with less to go around, less will be given back to the employees. Keeps Work Area Neat and Clean As mentioned above, safety is everyone’s job. So is housekeeping. Most technical institutes and employers employ a custodian or maintenance worker that will handle the heavy cleaning. However, each student and each employee is responsible for maintaining his or her own workspace. You may initially feel that with your busy schedule you do not have time to straighten up every day, but the fact is that you don’t have time not to. It only takes a few minutes each day if done correctly. We should not leave our workspace until our work areas are clear, all trash has been discarded, and our chairs and equipment are properly put away. Since you can never be sure who will walk into your work area, it is necessary to always keep it presentable. Part of housekeeping is organizing and filing. If your information is filed in an orderly manner, you will not have to waste your valuable time looking for things that you misplace and will therefore be more productive and efficient in the long run. Follows Directions/Procedures It is important to read directions and procedures carefully before beginning a new task. It is equally important to consistently follow established procedures for the routine, mundane tasks that we perform each day. The failure to follow directions can be disastrous. It can mean getting a bad mark on a test or it can mean the loss of a job. Directions are developed by experts and are designed for our safety and expedience of work. Don’t ever feel that you don’t have to adhere to the prescribed steps and that you can do things your way. Attitude Demonstrate a Positive Attitude We should never underestimate the power of the proper attitude. Our attitude determines how successful we will be as students and as employees and how well we get along with our classmates and co-workers. We often fail to remember that our attitude determines our altitude and that we determine our own fate by controlling our attitudes. Our attitudes become selffulfilling prophecies. If we have a good attitude about something, we typically have good results. If, on the other hand, we have a negative attitude or feel that something will turn out bad, it usually does. We should start to improve our attitude toward ourselves by doing our best at everything we do. Doing our best results in pride, and pride creates selfconfidence. Doing our best also catches the eye of our instructor or our supervisor. Typically, we will be rewarded for being the best that we can be. Rewards also lead to increased pride and self-confidence. It is easy to see how the domino effect of a positive attitude can lead to the reaching of our full potential, and the maximizing of our learning or working experience. The flip side of this parable is also true. A negative attitude, or even one of indifference, will cause us not to feel so good about ourselves. Others will notice our attitude and comment on it. When our flaws are pointed out to us, it is often like pouring fuel on a fire. Our attitudes are bound to get worse and our chances for success will diminish. A negative attitude is often compared to the flu, because it is highly contagious and because it can get much worse if left untreated. A bad attitude, being contagious, will "rub off" on others. Have you ever noticed that when you are around a group of complainers, you too begin to feel dissatisfied? However, this works both ways: if we have a negative attitude, the moods of our classmates or co-workers may be dampened. A bad attitude will not literally make us sick, as the flu can, but it can certainly weaken our chances to succeed. A positive attitude has been compared to electricity because of its “shocking” importance and because it, too, is not always recognized or appreciated until it is absent. A positive attitude is not always verbally rewarded; However, there's no question that having a positive attitude will increase our chances of success. Appear Self-confident A proper degree of self-confidence is prerequisite to a successful and rewarding career. One must always be willing to learn new skills, and to take opportunities to grow, in order to develop and maintain self-confidence. Those who lack in self-confidence are the ones in the class, or in the workforce, who are timid and shy. These people don’t feel that they are important and do not feel worthy to make a contribution. They doubt their value; therefore, they don't take opportunities to show what they can do. These people have a low selfesteem. Those who have too much self-confidence appear conceited. These are the ones who have an inflated sense of their self-worth. They tend to believe that they are the smartest, the best looking, and the overall most able in the group. They feel that their opinion or answer is always the correct one and that everyone looks up to them and respects them. They don't really grow because they are busy "coasting" on their perceived "importance." The people who are fortunate enough to possess and display the proper degree of self-confidence are the ones that realize that they are no better or no worse than their peers are. These people are poised and confident. They hold their head up in a crowd. They earn respect from their peers and leaders by their wise decisions and helpfulness. Have Realistic Expectations of Self We all have our own set of limitations and our different capabilities. Realizing what our limits are is an important part of becoming the best that we can be. To be successful, we should set goals for ourselves. Our goals must be challenging, but obtainable, and they should be realistic and based on our individual set of limitations and capabilities. If we expect too little of ourselves, we will become bored and will never achieve our full potential. If we expect too much of ourselves, we will never be quite able to reach our goals, and we will become frustrated. Setting realistic goals, and working to achieve them, helps us to continually grow and develop. Appearance One’s appearance is directly related to the career field in which they work. True or false? Let’s see – would you expect your female automobile mechanic to have grease under her nails and smell of gasoline or diesel fuel? Of course. Would you expect the female teller at the bank you use to have grease under her nails and smell of gasoline or diesel fuel? Probably not. Would you expect your female automobile mechanic to work in high heels and a dress? Not likely. In an automobile service department, the smell of gasoline, diesel fuel, and oil are accepted odors that most of us expect and would not find offensive in that setting. You would expect the mechanic to be dressed safely for work which would not include heels that she could trip in or a dress which could expose her skin to harsh and/or hot chemicals. However, in a bank you would not expect the person that is greeting the public and handling money to have a strong odor or dirty nails; you very well might find her offensive. What’s the difference? Depending on the career field, acceptable appearances may vary, as in the example above. However, regardless of your job, there is no excuse for not being groomed, being neat, practicing good personal hygiene, or using correct and polite behavior. A lack of attention on your part in any of these areas can affect your job and/or your business. A person who is groomed and neat in appearance has cleaned and combed hair that is styled appropriately for the job or class. Clothes are pressed, shirttails tucked in, shoelaces tied, and so on. Stockings are run-free, and shoe heels are appropriate for the job or class. Make-up and cologne are tastefully applied without being overbearing. Nails are clean and manicured and are an appropriate length for the classroom or lab. The practice of good personal hygiene is a must. Daily bathing, especially in our region of the country, is a necessity. Body perspiration causes odors that can be very offensive to others. The heat and humidity we experience in the South compounds this problem. The use of a deodorant and antiperspirant is only effective as long as the body is clean and free of dirt and sweat. Likewise, good oral hygiene and brushing and flossing daily aid in the prevention of bad breath, cavities, and gum disease. Be sensitive to others around you by taking care of yourself and your body’s needs. Correct and polite behavior is the acceptable conduct for class or a job. It shows respect for oneself as well as others. Acceptable behavior may include: • • • • • Not interrupting others while they are talking; Not carrying on side conversations while someone is talking; Considering other’s feelings and concerns when making decisions or comments; Being respectful of the instructor and classmates; Avoiding arguments and disagreements; • • Providing assistance when asked; Using terms such as “please” and “thank you.” Email Etiquette 1. Why do you need email etiquette? A company needs to implement etiquette rules for the following three reasons: • Professionalism: by using proper email language your company will convey a professional image. • Efficiency: emails that get to the point are much more effective than poorly worded emails. • Protection from liability: employee awareness of email risks will protect your company from costly law suits. 2. What are the email etiquette rules? There are many etiquette guides and many different etiquette rules. Some rules will differ according to the nature of your business and the corporate culture. Below we list what we consider as the 31 most important email etiquette rules that apply to nearly all companies. 32 most important email etiquette tips: 1. Be concise and to the point 2. Answer all questions, and pre-empt further questions 3. Use proper spelling, grammar & punctuation 4. Make it personal 5. Use templates for frequently used responses 6. Answer swiftly 7. Do not attach unnecessary files 8. Use proper structure & layout 9. Do not overuse the high priority option 10. Do not write in CAPITALS 11. Don't leave out the message thread 12. Add disclaimers to your emails 13. Read the email before you send it 14. Do not overuse Reply to All 15. Mailings > use the bcc: field or do a mail merge 16. Take care with abbreviations and emoticons 17. Be careful with formatting 18. Take care with rich text and HTML messages 19. Do not forward chain letters 20. Do not ask to recall a message. 21. Do not copy a message or attachment without permission 22. Do not use email to discuss confidential information 23. Use a meaningful subject 24. Use active instead of passive 25. Avoid using URGENT and IMPORTANT 26. Avoid long sentences 27. Don't send or forward emails containing libelous, defamatory, offensive, racist or obscene remarks 28. Don't forward virus hoaxes and chain letters 29. Keep your language gender neutral 30. Don't reply to spam 31. Use cc: field sparingly 32. Do not request delivery and read receipts Teamwork Respect the Rights of Others It is often easy for us as individuals to get caught up in our own problems and isolate ourselves from the rest of the world. Although this tendency seems to be virtually harmless (even if a bit selfish), it can actually be detrimental to our success as students or employers. Each person possesses his or her own set of beliefs and values. Many of these values are a direct result of the individual’s upbringing, while others have been tainted or colored by the individual’s experiences. Because no two people have the same upbringing and experiences, no two people will have an identical set of beliefs and values. This diversity creates conflict among classmates or coworkers. This is compounded in today’s environments due to the cultural diversity that makes up our classrooms and workplaces. In order to maximize our learning/working experience, we must be aware of how we differ from our classmates and co-workers. However, being aware of these differences is not enough! We must take these variances into consideration when making a decision that will affect others. Once we get into the habit of taking others’ value systems into play, we actually begin to establish better relationships with others. Oftentimes, we are prejudiced against others without even realizing it; but by making a conscious effort to respect every person as a human being with valid values and beliefs, we begin to see the benefit of diversity and begin to learn from others. The synergy that results from a good working relationship with our classmates and co-workers is well worth the initial sacrifice in time that it takes to begin the process of understanding and appreciating others. Be a Team Worker Teamwork has become the buzzword in the last few years. You may have heard of it in the form of group presentations, study teams, quality circles, self-directed work teams, or many of the other guides used. Despite the different names used to express the idea, the concept is the same. We must all learn to function in teams and work together toward a common goal or to solve a common problem. The synergy that results from working together leads to a better solution than any of the members could have developed alone. In the ideal organization, co-workers are more empowered than they were a decade ago. That is, each employee’s opinion is taken into consideration and they have more of an input about the direction of the company. Employees today are not typically given instructions to follow without their having provided input into the process development. This new respect and responsibility is a great opportunity for the employees of today, but only if they posses the necessary team interaction skills! To be a team player, an individual must possess a team spirit and a willingness to work with others. He or she must be tolerant of the ideas and viewpoints of others and assertive enough to offer his/her own opinions. Team members must be careful not to criticize their teammates. They must also be willing to share the spotlight or glory of success with their fellow team members. The team will undoubtedly be comprised of individuals with different personalities, beliefs, and levels of experience. Again, we must strive to work together and maximize our working or learning experience by respecting and learning from each other. Be Cooperative A cooperative attitude is always a must. Each person, including students and employees, is always judged on his/her willingness to cooperate with and get along with others. Cooperation often calls for the compromising of certain values or ideas. Although the solution reached from such a compromise will not be your original solution, it will be the optimal solution because you have worked together to solve a problem. Cooperation also involves a willingness to learn from others and to bend your beliefs. It also requires a willingness to work together. Displaying a cooperative attitude encourages others to be cooperative. This creates a win/win situation and a positive environment for all people involved. In such an environment, employees are happier and more productive, and the outcomes reached are greater than they would have been with the absence of a cooperative spirit. Be Assertive Another desirable workplace behavior is assertiveness. Assertiveness is speaking your mind or making your opinions known without being brash or pushy. Being assertive is speaking boldly and with self-confidence. One assertive person will promote candor in the classroom and/or work environment. This candor will encourage others to voice their opinions. The benefit of having each person’s input is invaluable. First of all, if each person feels that he/she has contributed to the solution, he/she will be more committed to its implementation. Second, the voicing of one’s opinion tends to stimulate development of opinion from others. Assertiveness can also lead to increased awareness and respect for an individual. Those employees who speak up for themselves and voice their opinions earn respect from their peers and their superiors. The old saying that the squeaky wheel gets the oil is a prime example of the benefit of assertiveness. After all, who is more likely to receive the outcome he/she desires —the person who is brave enough to express concern or to ask for particular treatment or the one who sits back and does not utter a word? Displays a Customer Service Attitude A customer service attitude is, without a doubt, the most important aspect of an individual’s attitude. This applies even to students in a typical classroom and to employees who have little or no direct contact with the external customer. Customer service is more than knowing that the customer is always right. Customer service is knowing who your customers are and how to treat them. Customers take the form of classmates, instructors, co-workers, supervisors, subordinates, and the traditional external customers. Customers can be anyone whom we serve or who may potentially benefit from the work that we do. Customers should be treated carefully and respectfully because if they do not feel that they have been treated so, they will no longer be our customers. Too many people provide the same service that we do for a customer to choose to remain dissatisfied for very long! Seek Opportunities for Continuous Learning The person who coined this phrase, “You can’t teach an old dog new tricks,” obviously did not have to function as a student or an employee in today’s competitive market. Today all “dogs” must constantly be on the lookout for learning new and improved ways for performing the “tricks” that they already know as well as learning as many new tricks as possible. We have to face the facts that lifelong learning is the key to retaining success over a long period of time. We cannot afford the luxury of being complacent in today’s rapidly changing world. Technology forces us to constantly re-learn how to perform a task. Those of us who realize the value of continuous learning and take advantage of the increasing opportunities for obtaining new skills or improving old ones are the ones who will remain successful for the long haul. Those who do not recognize the value of continuous self-improvement or fail to seize opportunities to learn will be bypassed by those who do. Perhaps the old cliché, “Get on board the train or get out of its path”, says it best! Demonstrate Mannerly Behavior Manners may seem old fashioned and not a requirement for today’s students and employees, but nothing could be further from the truth. The display of manners is becoming more important each day. Manners are more than saying “Yes, Sir” and “No, Sir” to your elders. Manners are about treating others the way you would like to be treated—in other words, they are what "The Golden Rule" is all about. Displaying manners is about respecting the views and beliefs of others. Respect Confidentiality Proprietary information must always be kept in the strictest of confidence. In the working environment, the degree of exposure to such information varies greatly among industries and also among positions within a company. There are not as many opportunities to test the respect of confidentiality in the classroom as there are in the typical job, but it is still very important. The leaking of confidential information can lead to severe problems on many levels. If the information is of a personal nature, such as the salary of one employee, morale could deteriorate and conflict among co-workers or classmates could arise. If the information is of a financial nature and is leaked to the wrong person (such as the price of an item if price varies by customer), it could lead to the dissatisfaction or loss of a customer. The loss of a customer may even lead to the downfall or bankruptcy of the company. The examples given above are the obvious results of breach of confidentiality. Sometimes the infraction may appear to be harmless, but it may lead to the loss of a customer. It is best to always keep information that is of a private nature confidential. If we do become privy to such information, we often fail to keep it confidential because we like to feel important and we like for others to see us as someone who is “in the know.” What we don’t realize is that divulging private information does not make us appear informed, but rather as the person that nobody can trust and as the leader of the rumor mill. An employer expects employees to work together toward achieving the objectives of the company. The wise employee who is interested in having a good relationship with an employer will try to help the employer achieve success. An employer, in return for salary or wages and fringe benefits paid to employees, expects employees to develop certain desirable traits that will help them to perform their jobs well so that the company can succeed. Some of these traits include the following:         Loyalty Honesty Trustworthiness Dependability Reliability Initiative Self-discipline Self-responsibility Loyalty An owner of a company might say, “If you don’t like something about our company, tell me. If there is something you really like about us, please tell others.” In other words, in return for salary and benefits, the firm does expect loyalty from its employees. Loyalty to a company means going to your supervisor with any problem or complaint that may arise. Part of a supervisor’s job is to handle employee problems. Employers prefer to solve their own internal problems. They do not want dissatisfied employees complaining about their work to outsiders. In the same manner, employers do not want their employees to criticize the company’s goods or services to others outside the company. In fact, all employees should remember that they are goodwill ambassadors and salespeople for their company. Another aspect of loyalty concerns keeping company “secrets” (or strategies) within the company. Always keep in mind that if the company can succeed, you will be more likely to succeed also. With loyalty comes a sense of pride. You should be proud of the work your company does and the work you do for the company. If conditions are such that you cannot feel faithfulness and allegiance to your company, you should seek a job elsewhere. Honesty Establishing a reputation for honesty is important in developing a good relationship with employers and co-workers. An honest employee is extremely valuable to businesses because one of their biggest problems is dishonest employees. Employers are looking for honest employees—employees that will not steal anything from them, not even office supplies. You may be asking yourself, “How does taking a couple of $1 pens home with me damage my company? A $7 stapler? $2 out of the petty cash fund for a coke and some crackers? A $5 tool? My company can afford these little things, can’t it?” Think about this: If you actually did take these items—which is really stealing—you would have taken around $14 from your company. Let’s assume that your company has at least 30 other employees and that each of them pilfered the same amount. The company would lose $420 just from these small items. If this kind of thievery goes on every week, the company would be losing the equivalent of one employee’s salary to theft! If the company is not making money because of employee theft, the company may not have the extra money to give you the new equipment you need, to hire the new employee that is needed, or to give you the upcoming raise. Honesty is not only defined by the actual act of stealing objects from your company. If you are scheduled to work 8 hours a day with two 15-minute breaks and a 1-hour lunch break, you need to work 8 hours a day. However, many people will not stay on task, will arrive to work late, and will take extra breaks during the day. They might bring their breakfast to work with them and eat on the job. They might extend break or lunch times or spend too much time socializing with co-workers or with personal callers. These kinds of behaviors are theft also—time theft. People who engage in these behaviors are taking the company’s money to sit around while the company is paying them to work. Therefore, stay on task! Another honesty issue involves phone abuse. If you make personal long distance calls on your company phone, you're actually stealing money from the company. You should always charge these calls on your calling card or to your home telephone. Again, the more money you lose for your company, the more money you will lose. In fact, you might not only lose money but also lose your job completely! Honesty involves telling the truth in all work matters. You would never lie on your job application, timesheets, or expense statements. You would never cheat a customer, another employee, or your employer in any way. You would always tell your employer and others the truth when you are questioned. If you can prove to be an honest employee, you will be well on your way to acceptability and good human relations in any business. Trustworthiness Many cases exist when an employer or supervisor needs to be able to place an employee in a position of trust. When the employer trusts an employee, it often means that the employer can ask the employee to do something beyond the call of duty and expect the employee to accomplish it. The special task could be closing up a business at the end of the day. It might involve supervising others. An employer would want someone who handles the company’s cash or keeps a tool room or supply room to be trustworthy. Each of these situations requires that the employer trust the employee to carry out the task. When the employee completes the task, he or she earns the employer’s trust. Dependability and Reliability Dependability and reliability are related to trustworthiness. A responsible, dependable employee is one who agrees to carry out a task under agreed-upon procedures. Employees are often put in positions in which they are responsible for money, for other people’s safety, for other people’s production, for merchandise, for customers’ goodwill, for company equipment, and so on. Employers are quick to see which employees can handle positions and situations of responsibility and which cannot. When you are careful to make sure that any job you are given is done well and completed on time, you will build up your reputation for being dependable and reliable. Such work ethics are valuable to any employer. Initiative When employees have initiative, they are willing to take the first step in seeing that work gets done. People with initiative are motivated to do well and are enthusiastic about their jobs. They are industrious, which means they are hard workers. In other words, they are diligent about completing their work responsibilities. People who display initiative make sure they do what they are paid to do, and then more. They see a job or a task that needs to be done, and they do it without being asked to. They go beyond the call of duty. Suppose that you have caught up on your work for a short time. Rather than sit and wait for someone to tell you what to do next, take the initiative to find another task: take inventory of tools, reorganize the supply cabinet, clean, and so on. Although you may be hired for a specific type of work or job, situations arise in most companies that require helping out beyond one’s immediate responsibility. For instance, employees become ill or have emergencies in their families that require their absence, but their work still has to be done. Or perhaps you see a co-worker who has an unforeseen overload and really needs a hand to get a project completed. If you show a willingness to pitch in and help out in such cases, you are displaying initiative. Although union contracts or licensing may limit what employees are allowed to do outside their own jobs, an overall attitude of helpfulness makes the organization run more smoothly and improves everyone’s work situation. Self-Discipline and Self-Responsibility Everything in life is choice—even being alive. You don’t have to work, go to school, eat, or even get up in the morning. You decide to do things because they are profitable to you and the best choice among the alternatives available to help you along toward your goals. Thus, you accept responsibility for yourself when you are motivated to accomplish your goals. Being self-disciplined is a part of accepting responsibility for your own actions. We are the only ones from whom we can steal time, talent, and accomplishment. Self-discipline requires that you structure your time so that you can cultivate and use your talents and abilities for the betterment of your company and you. Self-discipline also requires that you learn to handle your emotions. Emotional, childish outbursts and unreasonable displays of anger cause others to question your maturity. Avoid the irrational assumption that you have to express all your feelings. You are in control of your feelings; they are not in control of you. Your anger and irritation can be changed without compromising your personal integrity.
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