It is becoming more and more common in Pakistan that most people work at whatever job they are doing, just for the sake of working. To them, working means getting a daily wage or a monthly pay check, at the end of the month and for them there is nothing more to it. You will observe this in the attitude of blue collar workers as well as employees in white collar administrative jobs in fact even at managerial levels. What impact does this have on productivity and how can we change this attitude?

In my opinion this mindset needs to change from childhood. Parents should start at home making their children responsible within the home sphere for their own rooms etc. Our schools need to incorporate the sense of responsibility and ethics in children. Professional institutions also need to inculcate the sense professional integrity and pride in students. These would be initial steps in the right direction for the future.

Apart from that, what can we do for ourselves and those with whom we interact at the workplace.

• Remember that at your job, you are responsible for the work assigned to you. Further whatever you do has your name attached to it and whichever job passes through your hands, be it on the shop floor or your work station, ultimately you are responsible for it. So it’s up to you – how you would like your name and reputation to be seen in the organization.
• Each one of us is a cog in the big machine of the organization and working well and efficiently, contributes to the overall effectiveness and reputation of the organization. So, never undermine the importance of your role and always take pride in what you are doing no matter how small you think your role is within the grander scheme of things. It maybe the role of the Tea Boy or of the Payroll Officer, just think of the inconvenience of not getting tea or not receiving an accurate paycheck on time.
• Realize the importance and meaning of your job within the overall context. Take pride in doing the job well to your own personal satisfaction and that of your teams. A job performed accurately and diligently and executed with skill and efficiency is always appreciated. Remember a job well done is its own reward and you will gain an inner sense of satisfaction by doing so.
• Be aware of what you need to know to do your job efficiently and which areas you may need to focus on or improve. Those people who take the required steps to improve their identified areas of improvement are the ones who take pride in their work and who want to grow within the organization.
• Being aware of your abilities will build a sense of assurance in yourself. When you show confidence in yourself, others will also trust you to fulfill your job role and acknowledge the fact that you bring special skills to the team. They will value you as a contributing member of the team.
• Always be realistic regarding your capabilities and conscious of what you can do and how it can be done. Be aware of what can be completed, what is required for completion and what you need to do in order to complete it. Use your ingenuity to complete new and difficult tasks and do not be defeated by superfluous factors which may come in the way.
• Be ready to embrace opportunities to improve in your area of work – be it with learning new skills or with the help of technology. Getting better and delivering more will be an immense source of pride and satisfaction for you plus improveprospects of future growth.
• Do not allow extraneous factors to deter you from your own aims. Most workplaces are filled with political agendas and you should steer clear of these people. There may be other issues as well, such as scarce resources, slow decision making etc but focus on your own area and deliver what you are required to. Other aspects will resolve themselves.
• The underlying factor in being successful is taking pride in one’s work. It is an inner attitude which helps to segregate those who are successful from the mediocre. It also helps to build a feeling of self respect in one, based on the fact that you are performing to the best of your ability.

The hidden impact of taking pride in one’s work will start to materialize and you will notice that even the environment in which you are working , will start to change. A positive environment will begin to emerge and you will also start to feel more confident, creative and happy in that atmosphere. A salary package should not be the only determining factor of working but job satisfaction should also play a role.

“Don’t wait for an employer, friend or mentor to show appreciation for your work. Take pride in your own efforts on a daily basis” – Denis Waitley