Employee goes "above and beyond" for job

A dedication to hard work is a credible and much sought-after candidate characteristic.

In fact, 75% of employees admit to caring deeply about the well-being of their employer – something which impacts positively on their overall work ethic.

One employee who seems to have gone above and beyond is Martin Court, a milkman from Wales, who claims to have worked seven days a week for the past 50 years.

Speaking to local news, Court said that he’s never even taken a day’s annual leave – and only once had a day off due to a blizzard in 1982.

"I love my job,” Court said. “I like meeting people and chatting. You get to know some great characters.

"I like being out in the fresh air, too. It's what keeps me healthy. I never have colds or the flu, so I don't need to miss my round."

Court began work at the age of 18, working on a local farm.

"People often ask me whether I want a day off or a holiday,” he told BBC. “But I'm not interested and, luckily, neither is my wife.

"We're happy with what we've got. We've got no need to go anywhere else. You don't miss what you don't have."

Instilling a strong work ethic in employees is the goal of all HR practitioners – however, it’s important for leaders to encourage a healthy work-life balance too. A report from Think Productive suggested implementing breaks between busy period in the day.

CNNect author, Tony Boatman, noted that “top performers tend to work for 52 minutes at a time, followed by a 17-minute break” – which could in turn lead to enhanced productivity.