Every day we get up in the morning and go to work. Five days a week, from 8-5, every day. Yes, it can be quite tiring and motivation does not come easy sometimes, but it is what we do. Why? Well, because we all have to. We get up every morning, excercise, get dressed, get the kids ready for school, kiss everyone goodbye, fight traffic, and finally there you go, we are at work. We are tired, not in the mood to get the day started, and really not in the mood to listen to customers complaining about why we closed their accounts. But, we are there to do the job that we were hired for. We are on time, we are focus on the job, we smile, we keep a positive attitude, we work with the team, and our main tasks for the day are completed at the end of the day. This is how it should be for everyone . . . right? Unfortunately it isn’t. Not everyone in the world have or know what good work ethics are.

Is there a lack of professionalism in your Company?

Everywhere we go people are complaining about the lack of work ethics. We hear all kinds of stories. Employees don't show up on time, they aren’t dressed appropriately and sometimes they don't even show up at all.

So, what has happened to the old saying: "an honest day's work for an honest day's pay"? These skills are the hidden rules of success. America was built on this foundation and yet it seems to be slipping away. We are losing many of our cherished values and ideals.

You hear a lot about soft skills, but what we really need is work ethics. Parents aren't teaching their children. Maybe they are too busy or perhaps they didn't learn these skills when they were growing up. Schools aren't teaching work ethics. The schools are too busy making sure no child is left behind. But what happens to these young people when they get into the job market? If they don’t have the skills to keep a job they often end up in the revolving door of entry level jobs. This is not the future we want for our youth.

Imagine that you are a single parent and you love your children very much. You are struggling to create a good life for them. Unfortunately you never learned the skills to keep a job. Your parents did not teach you a strong work ethic. You can get a job, but you either quit because you can't get along with your boss or you get fired for reasons you don't understand. Since you can't get ahead you are forced to live in a high crime neighborhood. You worry every day about your children. You want them to have a better life, but you don't know how to make that happen. Your children are growing up without a model for success. This cycle will continue unless something is done to break it.

The Workplace:

Some believe that the Virgin Islands' workforce lacks ethics. Many business owners often complain about this fact. And although it is not all workers, it is an ever growing percentage of the overall workforce. Some workers complain that they do not make enough each month to pay the bills and this is why they do not feel they should have to work hard. However true this maybe the question remains; "What does honesty and work ethic have to do with pay?" If you promise when hired to do your best and compete for that job, you ought to hold up your word once you get the job. Otherwise you lack integrity, that is dishonest and no excuse can be made for failure to make good on that promise when you got hired in the first place. When we discuss this topic of work ethic, we must consider all this in 2011.

Getting the Edge Back:

TABS understands the frustrations of many business owners as they struggle to keep their clients happy, yet, with a workforce that is not on the same track as they are, makes this task difficult. With this in mind, TABS strongly supports good work ethics as one of the solutions to establishing a healthy working environment in the islands; therefore, through their workforce readiness skills programs, TABS introduces a multi-module program in the territory which emphasizes on various aspects of career planning, organizational, communication management skills, customer service skills and personal life skills training. The program takes in a novice and leads him/her to the level where one can increase their work performance level and comfortably manage his/her own career by making life changing decisions to improve themselves. As the person excels through the different stages of the workforce life cycle, the program provides continuous management support to help them do better.