Introduction
My favorite topic of this course was the concept of a responsible worker. A worker that can be characterized as responsible depends on both the perspective of the employer and the employee. However, many common factors such as punctuality, professional appearance, and the performance of basic job skills are fundamental but do not complete the image of an ideal employee for all employers. As such, additional attributes are often required such as being team-oriented, loyalty, the maintenance of an adequate work ethic, flexibility, and problem-solving skills. Some employers may also find other characteristics such as confidence, compassion, motivation, intelligence, patience, maturity, and being action-oriented essential to a responsible worker. This topic is integral in informing workers of the potential expectations of employers in the modern workplace.
Discussion
This is my selected topic for the course due to the fact that it has allowed me to be more familiar with expectations and factors that contribute to my performance as a worker. The mentioned attributes that are often seen among responsible employees inform me of how I can assist myself, my co-workers, and employers in any work setting. Personally, I am able to maintain my punctuality, performance, and professionalism substantially well within my work. As such, I am to improve in other areas mentioned in this chapter. I find being team-oriented and motivated to be particularly important as it allows for cohesive and efficient completion of work tasks. This topic is important as it outlines the value of increasing one’s strengths in the workplace.
Motivated employees allow themselves and their co-workers to garner a number of benefits in the workplace. Workers who experience higher motivation are equally likely to observe greater engagement with peers, high productivity and performance, increased creativity and innovation, better manager-employee relations, lower turnover, and improved customer service (Schooley, 2022). These are qualities that are not only vital to the firm but can also contribute positively to the welfare of employees. Greater productivity and engagement can lead to more timely and efficient completion of tasks. The ability to perform better with less stress or time can decrease fatigue for employees. Innovation and creativity are often appreciated by managerial staff and can allow employees to feel more freedom in the workplace.
Team-oriented approaches among employees also allow for various improvements in performance. Studies suggest that general team orientation in a firm leads to the achievement of team-based outcomes and effective teamwork (Kilcullen, 2022). In fact, the overall level of many positive qualities is seen to be more frequently present among team-oriented collectives. For instance, communication, coordination, cohesion, leadership, satisfaction, shared mental models, and innovation is often significant and positive within such working groups. Additionally, team orientation is negatively correlated with individual-level performance and conflict. As such, team orientation can be seen as fundamental to the functions of responsible workers and workplaces.
Conclusion
The topic concerning responsible worker attributes was my favorite throughout the course as it outlined ways in which my own work practices can be improved. I found motivation and team orientation to be specifically important as these qualities allow for numerous benefits to myself, my coworkers, and my work setting. Outcomes often include creativity, innovation, cohesion, and efficient completion of tasks. It is my goal to further elevate my other workplace skills and to strengthen my presently positive attributes as an employee.
References
Kilcullen, M., Bisbey, T. M, Rosen, M., & Salas, E. (2022). Does team orientation matter? A state-of-the-science review, meta-analysis, and multilevel framework. Journal of Organizational Behavior.
Schooley, S. (2022). Beyond the clock: The benefits of highly motivated employees. Business. Web.