How do you define a good work ethic in a purpose-driven business, and share an example?

To help you define what a good work ethic in a purpose-driven business looks like, we asked business leaders this question for their best insights. From putting mission before mod to being responsible for outcomes, there are several definitions and examples of good work ethic in a purpose-driven business.

Here are ten examples of good work ethic in purpose-driven businesses:

●        Putting Mission Before Mood

●        Align Actions With Business Goals

●        Timeliness and Motivated

●        Constantly Looking for Ways to Be Innovative

●        Setting Realistic, Achievable Goals

●        Putting Customers First

●        Focusing On Impact, Not Just Being Busy

●        Incorporating Company Values into All Tasks

●        Discipline and Keeping a Sense of Meaning in Mind

●        Being Responsible for Outcomes Stands First

Putting Mission Before Mood

In a purpose-driven business, part of having a good work ethic is staying connected to the company's core mission. For instance, TeamBuilding's sister company Museum Hack is a mission-based for-profit that exists to reimagine and inspire new adult museum experiences around the world. Our guides are history lovers and performers, yet are also human. Natural energy levels fluctuate, but the employees with the best work ethics commit to delivering the best experience possible for guests even when having an off-day. These team members understand that their down moods will pass, but a guest's memory lasts.

-Michael Alexis, TeamBuilding

Align Actions With Business Goals

A good work ethic in a purpose-driven business can be defined as working in alignment with the principles of your business. In other words, your actions and lifestyle should be in congruence with your business goals. For example, if you’re committed to helping expectant moms find better homes for their babies, don’t leave all the work to others. Put in the hours yourself, living, breathing, and working every day with a commitment to helping children find homes with loving families.

-Kenna Hamm, Texas Adoption Center

Timeliness and Motivated

Good work ethic comes from motivation and timeliness. Those who are great at managing their time and are motivated to get their work in on time make great company leaders and coworkers. Setting boundaries and time frames for projects help to stay on track time-wise in order to streamline work. It keeps employees motivated as well when there are time crunches.

-Olivia Young, Conscious Items

Constantly Looking for Ways to Be Innovative

In a purpose-driven business, one way to achieve your goals is to constantly look for ways to be innovative and creative. A stellar team member will always think outside of the box and be ready to pivot on any insightful data or information that is found. This way, every action becomes purposeful, and the company can benefit from such forward-thinking.

-Ryan Rottman, OSDB Sports

Setting Realistic, Achievable Goals

Of course, we've all heard the tips about creating a daily calendar and using project management apps to manage your time. But, you also need to consider the goals that you've set, and implement a realistic plan to achieve them, as it applies to a purpose-driven business.

Too often, team members may find themselves being too eager and setting goals that simply can't be reached in the time allotted. This can create stress and other negative feelings that can take the entire department off course. Instead, be more realistic with your plans, and make determined steps toward your end result.

-Lauren Kleinman, The Quality Edit

Putting Customers First

In a purpose-driven business, a good work ethic means putting the mission and purpose of the business above one's own personal goals. One example of someone having a good work ethic in a purpose-driven business is a salesperson who is willing to go the extra mile to help a customer find the right product, even if they won't receive a commission on that sale.

-Matthew Ramirez, Paraphrase Tool

Focusing On Impact, Not Just Being Busy

Individuals with a strong work ethic will focus on impact rather than simply being busy. It's easy to work a lot without ever being productive. This can be common in marketing teams. For example, they may create blog posts or content and celebrate that they've published a certain number of assets. But those with great work ethic realize their efforts need to have an impact and will look at the quantitative results. Then they'll improve and make their next effort better. Good work ethic is about results, not just hours worked.

-Logan Mallory, Motivosity

Incorporating Company Values into All Tasks

Having a good work ethic in a purpose-driven business means incorporating the values of the business you work for into your work. It is beneficial for businesses when the employees do what they do out of genuine support of the business's mission, even when engaging in tasks that do not involve direct client-facing interaction. By remembering that every aspect of everyone's job at a company contributes to its overall mission, whether it's organizing files or problem-solving with customers, can help employees to do all that they do with passion and enthusiasm.

-Mike Clare, Mood Health

Discipline and Keeping a Sense of Meaning in Mind

Being disciplined in their approach to all of their work and looking for a sense of meaning in it defines a good work ethic. Going above and beyond in their day-to-day work and finding charities for our business to donate to is one example of this in our business.

We have donation incentives during the year on Animal Wellness Day, National Love Your Pet Day, and other similar days. We tie in these dates with campaigns that usually involve giving a percentage of the day's sales directly to a charity we believe in, and I find it very rewarding.

-Adam Reed, Crown & Paw

Being Responsible for Outcomes Stands First

Employees with good work ethics are assets and play a crucial role in organizational development. Being responsible and taking charge of the outcomes of their actions is a very good work ethic that employees of purpose-driven businesses, especially a social enterprise, must have.

The best apt example of this is KFC. Remember when this giant outlet ran out of chicken in 2018 and had to shut down its 900 outlets. The company took responsibility for mismanagement and inconvenience caused to the customers and apologized to them in an open ad.

One must not shed off the responsibility that one shares while working in an organization. This one step emits professionalism, accountability, and commitment towards customers.

-Jonathan Tian, Mobitrix

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