REDEFINING THE NIGERIAN FACTORS: IMBIBING GOOD WORK ETHICS

BY

EMEKA ONONAMADUCitizens Centre for Integrated Development and Social

Rights - CCIDESOR

At KFC Hall & Restaurant, MCC/Uratta Road, Owerri, 25th May, 2012

DISCUSSION PREMISE

• Whatever is not worth dying for is not worth living for — Muta Baroka.

• You have control of your action but not its consequences — Anonymous

• If you don’t stand for something you will fall for anything. — Malcolm X

Introductory Notes

A good work ethic is what most employers look highly in employees. Work ethics is defined from the perspective of working hard to the willingness to put the organization first. Therefore honesty and working well with other coworkers are considered to be good work ethics as well. Having a good work ethic can help you to advance in your job and other aspects of life. To practice proper ethics bring also respect and trust at work.

Introductory Notes• Nigeria has over 170 million people and over 70%

lives below two dollars per day• Over $400 billion of oil revenue has been stolen

since independence• Beyond the collapse of public utilities the second

reason why companies fold up is corruption and poor work ethics

• Nigeria is the 3rd country in the world that harbors the highest number of poor people behind China and India.

Introductory Notes

• Nigerians are responsible for 85% of Nigeria economic and social challenges

• Before Imo state has the lowest poverty index in the southeast, today, Imo state is the forth.

These problems seemed insurmountable but they can be overcome by regeneration of good work ethics.

What is EthicAccording to Encarta English dictionary, Ethic is a system of moral standards or principles. So ethic is a combination of different acceptable standard practices or principles. It is also the combination of acceptable basic etiquettes in an operating environment. Etiquette is simply the rules and conventions governing correct or polite behavior acceptable in a particular place, group or country. It is also a social skill that can be learnt

What is Ethic Cont’d

Work ethics include not only how one feels about their job, career or vocation, but also how one does his/her job or responsibilities. This involves attitude, behavior, respect, communication, and interaction; how one gets along with others. Work ethics demonstrate many things about whom and how a person is.

What is Ethic Cont’d

• Work ethics, such as honesty (not lying, cheating, and stealing), doing a job well, valuing what one does, having a sense of purpose and feeling/being a part of a greater vision or plan is vital. Philosophically, if one does not have proper work ethics, a person’s conscience may be absent

WHAT IS MORAL?

It is a familiar topic that is so difficult to define but easy to describe.

When we talk about morals, we are referring to what is right and just as opposed to what is official or what is outwardly declared to be right or just. Moral is required to develop or practice a good work ethics. It also helps to build your courage and conscience.

WHY GOOD WORK ETHICS NECESSARY?

• Your coworkers pick up on it and they will respond to your mood and if it is positive or negatives it determines the overall individual and team output.

• You can really impress the ones you work with and your superiors if you can have a good attitude, be on time and lead by example. Most employers are looking for that employee that stands out among the rest and having a good ethic will get you on the right path to success.

WHY GOOD WORK ETHICS NECESSARY?• It is easy to spot the employees that have bad

work ethics because they are the ones that are usually trying to get out of working. They always want everyone to cater for them and they usually do not have the organizations best interest in mind.

• Having a good ethic is having a good attitude and finishing your work on time. People like to be around someone who is positive and in turn helping them have a better working environment

WHY GOOD WORK ETHICS NECESSARY?

• The organization will always need you more than you need it. Because the organization wants to succeed, an employee with good work ethics is an asset that the organization will find difficult to dispose.

• The employee generates brighter future either in the organization of outside the organization. An employee with good work ethics does not stay unemployed.

WHY GOOD WORK ETHICS NECESSARY?

• The job becomes a pleasure. Since an employee is going to be at work for at least eight hours a day, a good work ethics he/she enjoys team members.

• Good work ethics helps to create more jobs through expansion, diversification or acquisition

THE MAKE UP OF GOOD WORK ETHICS

Most people who have good work ethic start young and learn what the value of hard work is. Major tips to boast your work ethics include:• Dress Properly: If an employee is always well

dressed, he /she receive admiration. Dressing well means dressing professionally and appropriately as required for your specific position or organization while looking well groomed all the time. Ensure also that your body language does not suggest a negative conclusion.

THE MAKE UP OF GOOD WORK ETHICS cont’d

• Be punctual at work: Try your best to be punctual and if possible to be at office first before others. It can be complimented with staying late as normally the bosses too get in early and stay late. For women or those who live far away from their place of work, it is important make necessary preparation in case emergencies occur which can keep one late in office.

THE MAKE UP OF GOOD WORK ETHICS cont’d

• Make your presence felt: Do not be evasive or aloof. Be visible at work and consciously productive. You should be reached when your colleagues or boss needs you. Don’t just keep an act of working; inculcate the habit of working instead. If you expect others to treat you with respect you need to treat them well too. Make a habit of greeting others or exchanging pleasantries with those around you. Also be helpful and supportive to the new employees joining the Organization. Also try making friends with people in the other departments also and showing respect to those below you. Do not keep malice in work place as it will affect your output.

THE MAKE UP OF GOOD WORK ETHICS cont’d

• Communication: It is important that your body language and conversation should reflect a confident you. Speak concisely and clearly. Learn to be assertive. People would not take you seriously if you act or talk like a gawky school girl/boy or someone who is unsure or frightened

THE MAKE UP OF GOOD WORK ETHICS cont’d

• Be reliable at work: Never postpone the work to be done. Complete every task you need to do beforehand which would create the impression of reliability. Also be willing to take up new responsibilities at work and meet your deadlines in time. It is better to under promise and over deliver on a consistent basis to be seen as a prudent staff. Let your boss know that he can count on you. Be an expert in your field of work and brand yourself as invaluable to your organization. Reliable employees are always taken care of when it comes to handing out raises and promotions.

THE MAKE UP OF GOOD WORK ETHICS cont’d

• Stand for what is right and just: Avoid corruption and fight it – fraud, waste and abuse. Do not compromise them in any circumstance, directly or indirectly. Ensure that lying, cheating and stealing are not part of you or your work.

THE MAKE UP OF GOOD WORK ETHICS cont’d

• Understand appropriate policies and laws: Every organization has its policies and vision. Better knowledge of them will enable appropriate decision, actions and reactions. It will guide you on broad processes, procedure, rules regulations and their applications.

THE MAKE UP OF GOOD WORK ETHICS cont’d

• Be a leader than a follower: Many occasions happen when you work in an organization like Birthday Parties, Farewell Parties, Promotions, and weddings of colleagues which needs things to be organized. Try taking up the responsibility or organizing them and do a good job at it. Also you can contribute to the Organizations Newsletters and get your name out through them. If you have an idea which is beneficial for the Company go ahead and share it with your Boss. Make your Boss know that you appreciate him for the support given by him

THE MAKE UP OF GOOD WORK ETHICS cont’d

• Stay updated: Read industry related publications, reports and magazines and be aware of market trends. Also keep track of what is happening in the Organization and be open to learn new technologies

THE MAKE UP OF GOOD WORK ETHICS cont’d

• Be Positive all the time: Applying the principles of positive enquiry is very helpful. If you see your team members from their positive sides instead of their negative sides, it will help you to build better working relationship which will aid your output.

THE MAKE UP OF GOOD WORK ETHICS cont’d

• Be Transparent and accountable. The presence of transparency, honesty and accountability ensure that you are trusted, and in the future with key positions.

• Learn from your mistakes: Focus on making a carrier. Let every error or mistake is a teacher to you. Do not worry over making them (so long as they are not out of stupidity) but worry over repeating them.

THE MAKE UP OF GOOD WORK ETHICS cont’d

• Keep a record of your achievements: Keep a private diary of your monthly achievements for the organization. Constantly check if it corresponds with your target or the target the organization gave you. Also note how many times you have erred and why and try to avoid future occurrence. Work on correcting your undesirable habits and improving your positive skills

• Finally, respect and protect the rights of all staff: As you will like your rights to be protected, protect the rights of others particularly the endangered groups eg. Women, differently able and lower level staff.

THE MAKE UP OF GOOD WORK ETHICS cont’d

THE MAKE UP OF GOOD WORK ETHICS cont’d

• When you apply all these, you would have immensely contributed to the redefinition of Nigerian work factor which has been battered by the demonic presence of corruption in work places. A Nigeria where people are paid without working, where people ask for kickback and bribes for being paid and the consequence has been poor economy and unimaginable unemployment rate.

HOW TO CONDUCT WORK ETHICS SELF ASSESSMENT• Identify the standard on which you base work

ethics. This may be what some view as a holy book, such as the Bible, the Koran or your deity. You may need to research and compare in order to discover which standard of morality you believe is most reliable and accurate to drive your work ethics.

• Read the laws and standards regarding morality from the source that you chose.

• Compare specific behaviors to the standards in the authoritative source.

• Decide whether a thought or action is moral based on the standard to which you adhere.

WHERE TO DRAW THE LINE – INTEGRITY

• After one’s health, it’s said that the most important thing you have is your integrity, because once it’s gone — it’s gone. Along with the awful feeling of not wanting to look at yourself in the mirror, word spreads, & you might find yourself very unpopular all of a sudden.

• So, what is the role of integrity?

• Certainly, it’s about behaving in a way that you are proud of. It means that your morals are intact & that you don’t bend them on a whim.

• Employees who don’t act with integrity might do things they abhor for cash, say one thing & do another, or lie to their boss for a quick buck. The core of it really comes from employees acting selfishly, as well as only thinking about the present & not considering the future repercussions……………

• It’s all too easy to get swept away in a tidal wave of excitement & then realize, ‘I shouldn’t have done that’.

• The world is rife with opportunity for us to sell out, compromise our values & buy into someone else’s shady agenda. That’s why it helps to think about the big picture. So if someone offers you something, don’t just say yes because it flatters your ego — think about the likely chain of events afterwards. Sometimes the best thing to do is just not get involved, which can be hard. It’s important to learn how to say no. So, how do we work out where we draw the line? I think a good rule of thumb, though a little terrifying to think about at first, is never do anything you wouldn’t want on the front page of the newspaper or query files of your supervisor. It’s a pretty good way of gauging your work ethics.

THE END

Do not forget to do good wherever you are. A single act of goodness from one Nigerian can transform Nigeria and Nigerians. A single act of goodness from one Imo citizen can transform Ndimo.

Thank you