The Relationship Between Work Ethics and Job Performance

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The Impact of Work Ethics on Organizational Performance

Name: Muhammad Naveed


Class: BBIT, 7th Semester
RollNo: 1033
Full RollNo: F20-BS-BBIT-1033
Submitted To: Mr. Amir Nadeem

Department of Management Sciences


The relationship between work ethics and organizational performance has gained
significant attention over the past few years. In this era when organizational culture is
rapidly changing and expectations from employees are evolving, it is very important
to understand the dynamics of work ethics and organizational performance. Many
studies highlight the importance of work ethics in business productivity. The primary
goal of every business is to boost its employees' productivity, as it directly improves
the organization's overall performance (Aldrin & Yunanto, 2019). The work ethics of
employees significantly impact the efficiency and output of organizations around the
world. Having a good work ethic causes employees to make physical, mental, and
emotional efforts in their work to fulfil and even exceed expectations. This in turn
leads to higher job satisfaction, improved morale, and better performance. Good
work ethics are essential for organizations to achieve their strategic goals. Good
work ethics are an important asset for any business and should be cultivated and
encouraged. Organizations should strive to create a work environment that
encourages employees to have a good work ethic and reach their full potential.

There are many definitions of work ethics given by different authors or scholars;
some of them are written here. Ethics is a term in English that comes from the Greek
word "ethos," which refers to the values of attitude that show a person’s character
(Aflah et al., 2021). Ethics is about the customs and behaviors that are considered
right and fair in a society and how these contribute to the well-being of the
community (Aldulaimi, 2016). Work ethic means valuing hard work, avoiding
laziness, meeting your responsibilities, and believing in doing your job as well as
possible (Weber, 2002). Work ethics are the set of rules set by an organization that
guide how employees should behave and act to make sure they follow the
established principles (Norhasniah & Husin, 2012). Work ethics is a set of moral
values, beliefs, behaviors, and principles that guide an organization as a whole and
an individual’s approach to their work. While job performance refers to an
employee's efficiency and effectiveness in fulfilling their responsibilities.

(Grabowski et al., 2021) conducted a study on the topic of relationships between


work ethic and motivation to work from the point of view of the self-determination
theory. According to (Grabowski et al., 2021) dimensions of work ethic such as the
centrality of work, valuing hard work, and seeing work as an obligation are positively
related to autonomous motivations (intrinsic motivation, integration, and
identification) and non-autonomous introjection. It also identified a correlation
between a high value for hard work and motivations for extrinsic rewards and
recognition. These results suggest that a strong work ethic is associated with both
intrinsic and extrinsic motivations, impacting how employees are motivated and
perform in organizations. (Grabowski et al., 2021) contribute to understanding the
role of individual values and beliefs in shaping work motivation, which can
significantly affect job satisfaction and overall organizational performance. The
research findings have implications for training programs and shaping strategies to
influence employee motivation and attitudes toward work.
(Bataineh, 2020) conducted a study with the objective of exploring and
understanding the impact of work ethics on job performance within international
SMEs located in Al-Hassan Industrial Estate. The goal of this research is to identify
the extent to which various elements of work ethics, such as integrity, responsibility,
equality, and self discipline, impact the performance of employees in these
organizations. The focus of the research is specifically on international small and
medium enterprises (SMEs) within the defined industrial area of Al-Hassa Industrial
Estate to examine the relationship between work ethics and job performance in this
specific business sector. It was a survey based research in which data from 117
employees who were working for international SMEs in Al-Hassan Industrial Estate
was collected using a structured questionnaire (Bataineh, 2020, 155). The items
included in the questionnaire were designed to measure the various elements of
work ethics (such as integrity, responsibility, equality, and self-discipline) and job
performance. The key findings of the research indicate a positive relationship
between work ethics and job performance in international SMEs at Al-Hassan
Industrial Estate. The statistical analysis, particularly through hierarchical regression,
revealed that each element of work ethics—integrity, responsibility, equality, and
self-discipline significantly contributes to improving employee performance. These
findings underscore the importance of fostering a strong work ethic in organizations
to enhance overall job performance. The study's statistical outcomes provide
empirical evidence supporting the positive impact of work ethics on employee
productivity and efficiency in a business setting. Work ethics significantly affect
employee performance in several ways. Ethical behaviors like integrity, responsibility,
equality, and self-discipline foster a positive work environment, leading to increased
motivation and commitment among employees. Employees with strong work ethics
are more likely to be reliable, perform their duties efficiently, and demonstrate a
higher level of dedication to their tasks. This, in turn, leads to improved job
performance, as employees are more engaged, focused, and aligned with
organizational goals. The presence of a strong ethical culture in the workplace also
encourages accountability and fair practices, further enhancing overall performance.
Companies should openly share all needed information with their auditors. Managers
need to fairly distribute responsibilities among employees, treat everyone equally,
and encourage workers to check their own work. This way, everyone knows what
they should do and is treated fairly, leading to better work overall (Bataineh, 2020,
157).

Another study on "Islamic Work Ethics and Employee Performance: The Role of
Islamic Motivation, Affective Commitment, and Job Satisfaction" was conducted to
explore the impact of Islamic work ethics on various factors like Islamic motivation,
affective commitment, job satisfaction, and employee performance. The research
utilized structural equation modeling to analyze data from 200 questionnaires
distributed across diverse sectors in Central Java (Aflah et al., 2021). This study
shows that there's a significant positive relationship between Islamic work ethics and
Islamic motivation. Employees who align with Islamic work ethics exhibit higher
intrinsic motivation based on Islamic principles. The study found a notable positive
impact of Islamic work ethics on both affective commitment and job satisfaction. This
implies that adherence to Islamic ethical principles leads to a stronger emotional
bond with the organization and greater satisfaction in the job. While Islamic
motivation, affective commitment, and job satisfaction all showed positive effects on
employee performance, the direct connection between Islamic work ethics and
employee performance was not strongly positive. This suggests that the impact of
Islamic work ethics on performance is more indirect, mediated through motivation,
commitment, and satisfaction. (Aflah et al., 2021) underscore the importance of
Islamic work ethics in enhancing motivation, commitment, satisfaction, and
performance in the workplace.

The study, titled "The Effect of Work Ethics of Employees on Their Work
Performance," focuses on exploring the impact of employees' work ethics on their
performance at the Divine Word College of Laoag (Abun et al., 2022). The study
utilizes descriptive assessment and correlational research design, incorporating
questionnaires to gather data. It investigates three components of work ethics:
attitude toward work, moral attitude toward work, and intrinsic motivation. The
findings reveal that these aspects of work ethics are considered high among
employees, and they correlate significantly with high task and contextual
performance, while counterproductive behavior is low. The study emphasizes the
importance of work ethics in improving individual work performance and suggests
that certain dimensions of work ethics, notably attitude toward work and intrinsic
motivation, significantly affect task and contextual performance. Additionally, moral
attitudes towards work influence counterproductive behavior (Abun et al., 2022).
These findings highlight the critical role of ethical behavior in boosting overall
organizational productivity and efficiency.

In conclusion, the relationship between work ethics and job performance is


multifaceted and significant. Various studies emphasize that good work ethics,
encompassing values like integrity, responsibility, and self-discipline, positively
impact employee performance. These ethical behaviors enhance motivation,
commitment, and satisfaction, leading to improved productivity and efficiency. A
strong work ethic aligns with both intrinsic and extrinsic motivations, fostering a
workplace culture that drives better performance. The findings from different
research studies across diverse settings underline the critical role of ethical conduct
in boosting organizational performance. Therefore, cultivating and encouraging good
work ethics is essential for any business aiming to achieve its strategic goals and
enhance overall performance.
References

Abun, D., P. Julian, F., & A. Ballesteros, J. V. (2022). The Effect of Work Ethics of

Employees on their Work Performance. Divine Word International Journal of

Management and Humanities, 1(1), 58-82.

Aflah, K. N., Suharnomo, & Mas'ud, F. (2021). Islamic Work Ethics and Employee

Performance: The Role of Islamic Motivation, Affective Commitment, and Job

Satisfaction. ournal of Asian Finance, Economics and Business, 8(1),

997–1007. 10.13106/jafeb

Aldrin, N., & Yunanto, K. T. (2019). Job Satisfaction as a Mediator for the Influence of

Transformational Leadershipand Organizational Culture on Organizational

Citizenship Behavior. The Open Psychology Journal, 12(1), 126-134. Open

Psychology Journal. 10.2174/1874350101912010126

Aldulaimi, S. H. (2016). Fundamental Islamic perspective of work ethics. Journal of

Islamic Accounting and Business Research, 7(1), 59-76.

https://doi.org/10.1108/JIABR-02-2014-0006

Bataineh, M. T. (2020, September 03). The Effect of Work Ethics on Job

Performance in International SMEs in Al-Hassan Industrial Estate.

International Review of Management and Marketing, The article you provided

is titled "The Effect of Work Ethics on Job Performance in International SMEs

in Al-Hassan Industrial Estate" by Mohammad T. Bataineh. It was published in

the "International Review of Management and Marketing" in 2020, volume

10(5), 154-158. EconJournals. https://doi.org/10.32479/irmm.10364

Gebre-Egziabher, T. T. (2016). An exploration of work ethics in the Ethiopian civil

service: the case of selected federal institutions.


Grabowski, D., Chudzicka-Czupała, A., & Stapor, K. (2021). Relationships between

work ethic and motivation to work from the point of view of the

self-determination theory. PLoS ONE, 16(7). https://doi.org/10.1371/journal.

pone.0253145

Norhasniah, W., & Husin, W. (2012). Work Ethics from the Islamic Perspective in

Malaysia. European Journal of Social Sciences, 29(1).

Weber, M. (2002). The Protestant ethic and the "spirit" of capitalism and other

writings (P. R. Baehr, P. Baehr, & G. C. Wells, Eds.; P. Baehr & G. C. Wells,

Trans.). Penguin Publishing Group.

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