Dear Career Advisor:

Recently I had a strong disagreement with my supervisor, who in turn wrote me a memo in which she alluded that I am lacking in work ethic. I am really offended by this as everyone knows that I am the most productive worker in the unit. I am baffled as to why she would make such a charge. Do you think I should report her and her unfair characterisation to the manager?

Awaiting your guidance.

Regards,

Mickey

Dear Mickey:

Let me first thank you for reading the career advice feature in the Jamaica Observer.

Let’s now turn our attention to analysing the issue you have raised. You did not indicate whether the disagreement you had with your supervisor was in relation to your performance and specifically to the charge of poor work ethic. The fact that you have indicated that the memorandum was issued as a consequence of the disagreement, we are going to assume that both are related. We humbly suggest that before you rush to make a complaint against your supervisor to your manager, you take a little time to analyse the criticism to see what lessons you can learn.

Permit me to point out that work ethic involves much more that productivity in respect of volume, efficiency, and quality of work. Let’s take a look at what typically characterises this often misused term. According to Merriam Webster, work ethic has been defined as “a belief in work as a moral good: a set of values centred on the importance of doing work and reflected especially in the desire or determination to work hard”.

Generally speaking, work ethic encompasses the worker’s behaviour and attitude and includes behaviour traits such as those listed below. While doing your self-analysis use these traits as your measuring tool:

• Quality of work

• Quantity of work

• Interpersonal interaction including teamwork, respect, listening and speaking

• Integrity

• Time-management, of which punctuality and meeting deadlines are hallmarks

• Consistency and reliability

• Self-discipline and the disposition to follow the rules

• Responsibility

• Honesty — including the management of resources and willingness to admit error and

• Cooperation.

After having assessed yourself against the criteria above, if you are still not clear as to what areas you are lacking in, and to which your supervisor could have alluded, your next step would be to have a calm conversation with said supervisor. Try to ascertain from him/her about what specific aspect(s) of your work ethic and job performanceshe has concerns with. Making a complaint against your supervisor should not be your first option as it might result in further breakdown in the working relationship.

Trusting this approach will lead to favourable outcomes.

All the best.

Sincerely,

Career Advisor

Carolyn Marie Smith is associate vice-president of student services at Northern Caribbean University in Mandeville, Manchester. Submit your questions to her at careeradvisor@ncu.edu.jm