Teaching Ethics

According to the U.S. Department of Labor, 80 percent of the employees who lose their jobs do so because of poor work ethics rather than a lack of occupational skills. Business and industry leaders are beginning to realize that work ethics are just as important as polished resumes. They are now looking for young people who display essential work ethics in their daily job performance.

The Bible tells us how we should work. As homeschooling parents, we have an opportunity to instill Biblical work ethics into our children's behavior which reflect godly character and personal integrity. Here are the top ten essential work ethics desired by employers:

• Attendance - Punctual and completes assignments on time.
  
• Teamwork - Respects the rights of others, keeps confidences, willingness to help, and shows initiative.
  
• Attitude - Has critical thinking skills and takes responsibility to get the work done.
  
• Organizational Skills - Prioritizes tasks and flexible when changes occur.
  
• Cooperation - Handles criticism, works out conflicts, works for win/win resolution to problems, and follows chain of command.
  
• Character - Trustworthy, dependable, self-disciplined, responsible, reliable, and demonstrates integrity.
  
• Appearance - Knows etiquette rules and dresses appropriately.
  
• Productivity - Follows directions; completes work accurately and quickly.
  
• Communication - Asks appropriate questions and effectively communicates through oral and written skills.
  
• Respect - Deals effectively with cultural and racial diversity; no harassment or coarse talk, and speaks professionally with administrators.

You can incorporate these employable character qualities in your children throughout your homeschooling day by rewarding them for telling the truth, setting high standards for schoolwork, demanding punctuality, and requiring them to follow through on commitments. Each moment you spend training your child in these traits literally "pays off" in the future.

In a world that gets ahead through situational ethics, help your child stand out by teaching them to live a godly, hard-working life. Show your child that developing a reputation for honesty and integrity with employers as well as fellow employees is how to become a true success.