Is Having a Work Ethic Still Important? You Bet It Is.

By Bonnie Low-Kramen | Administrative Professional Today | 2024

Q. Is being a committed professional assistant who is consistently willing to go above and beyond an old-school idea and oh so pre-pandemic?

Some people say it is.

A. I say absolutely not.

In the post-pandemic workplace where assistants are working fully remote or in a hybrid way, trustworthiness and accountability for work has become more important than ever.

Here’s why.

We know that some employers are not fully convinced that productivity and performance are at the level they desire and they feel that remote workers may be slacking off…and for good reason. Some staff are scamming their employers and hope they don’t get caught. Here’s some of what is happening.

Quiet Vacationing

A recent Forbes article has called out the ethics around the practice of quiet vacationing, which is taking time off but not informing your employers. Why is this happening? In a volatile and uncertain job market, staff are insecure about their jobs and are worried that if they are out of sight (even on video), that they may be out of mind and therefore, lay-off material.

To be “present” while on vacation feels like an important way to stay on top of the situation. Clearly, this indicates an inability to be honest with leadership and vice versa. I actually don’t think this phenomenon applies to the assistant position because of the nature of the work, but how about the other staff who work with assistants?

Outsourcing Your Job

Hmmm. Have you heard that some staff are outsourcing their own work, at their own expense? According to Business Insider, the tasks being outsourced are tedious and time-consuming, and are being performed by lower cost labor in other countries. Again, it is hard to imagine an assistant doing this for two reasons. The first reason is that, in general, they have a high work ethic and moral standard. The second reason is that their salaries probably could not afford it. They just wouldn’t do it, but do you know anyone who is?

The Casual Workplace

While working remotely may mean the ability to stay in your pajamas and slippers all day, what does it mean for work ethic? What I hear in my workshops is that EAs enjoy dressing professionally for work, even if they are doing it on a webcam. Furthermore, even if EAs are not required to go into the office five days a week, many report that they happily choose to go in for more time when it makes sense. This work ethic matters.

The Case for a High Work Ethic

Your reputation as an assistant matters. It always has and it always will. Your colleagues see when you are consistently the one who moves towards a problem, rather than away from it. They notice when you are the one to raise your hand to volunteer when the sudden departure of a colleague creates a big gap on an important project.

IRL – In Real Life

Stephanie is the EA to the CEO and while she only has five years of experience, she has a very high work ethic and takes her role representing her executive seriously. She is a respectful communicator who is discrete and honors confidentiality. She is also a very quick study who has methodically met 1:1 with every other assistant in the company which has accelerated people getting to know her. She has not hesitated to ask for their advice.

Stephanie is a hard worker and is determined to learn everything she can and supports others to do so as well. She has become admired, well-liked, and something of a role model to the team which has resulted in a much improved company culture.

Her executive and all of his direct reports are aware of Stephanie’s commitment. She has just received a merit financial bonus as well as recognition from her peers.

The Bottom Line

Leaders hire staff to help them accomplish the goals, mission, and vision of the company. It is reasonable to expect that the people who are hired are going to perform these jobs personally and with determination to achieve the very best results not just on some days, but every day.

This is not an outdated idea at all. This is a strategy that will mean the difference between being on the list of those getting laid off and being on the shortlist for promotion.

Which list do you want to be on?