What does it mean to have a work ethic? When we talk about earning our living righteously, we begin by asking ourselves what kind of work we do, and whether it brings good things to the world. But there is a second, equally important aspect to Right Livelihood, and that’s how we do the work. Buddha taught three ways we can practice Right Livelihood in an ethical way. And it’s far broader than just “trying hard.”

First, we strive to be right in our actions at work. This includes working diligently, putting forth good effort, and staying on task. It means having integrity, too. We don’t bill for hours we didn’t work, or leave early and ask our friend to clock us out later. We don’t steal from the company, or lie to our bosses to get extra vacation days.

Second, we strive for rightness regarding people. Basically, this means creating a respectful work environment. This of course begins with how we treat people- not berating them in meetings, avoiding any act of harrassment, sexual or otherwise, not making people work overtime endlessly, refusing to hire enough staff to cover the amount of work that needs to be done. It also means paying people fairly. And providing benefits that support their overall quality of life.

Lastly, Right Livelihood includes treating objects the right way. Buddha taught that whatever we sold or created should be good and/or helpful. Furthermore, how we speak about what we are selling should be truthful. No deceptive advertising or cooking the books or inflating the prices. The “objects” (maybe we would say product) has its own integrity, or should, and should be treated accordingly.

Here’s one final discerning question from Bhante Gunaratana that I found helpful. If we want to survey our own jobs, we can ask, “Are there aspects of my job that disturb me and keep my mind from settling down?” If our conscience brings something to our attention, it’s on us to listen. In this way, whistleblowers display a profound sense of Right Livelihood, because they are willing to speak out against a company/government/powerful group that could very easily retaliate. They bring light to those places that powerful people wanted to keep hidden.

We may not be in a whistleblower-level situation in our own lives, but it might be worth taking some time this weekend to survey your own work ethic. Where are you acting honorably? Where could you bring more integrity? And is there any place in your work that you feel your conscience nudging you?

This post is part of my series on the Eightfold Path. You can read all my posts on Right Livelihood here.