By Lee Burlett

Even without higher incentives and innovative programs to lure your operation, many national and international companies have sought out attractive rural locations in the South for decades. Why? There are obviously numerous reasons, not the least of which centers on the people themselves. Rural South work forces tend toward lower levels of absenteeism and turnover and higher rates of productivity, as well as larger families and lower divorce rates. Indeed, the devotion of workers found in many areas of the rural South lends deeper meaning to the term “value added.”

Many plant managers and company owners willingly cite the role of religion in regards to the work ethic found in the rural South. In an article published in this magazine in 1994, Tom Wesley III, who heads the Wesley Company, an Atlanta-based commercial real estate and location consulting firm, was quoted as saying that “rural Southerners’ attitudes toward work and responsibility toward their job is unparalled in this country.” He went on to say that he firmly believes “that has a lot to do with the religious orientation of the rural South and I have no doubt that it’s something a growing number of employers are excited about taking advantage of.

“It’s really a conscience issue,” Wesley went on to say. “The Judeo-Christian work ethic teaches people to respect authority and to appreciate the value of work. That shows up in the rural South, particularly among front-line workers. It’s been my experience that employers in the rural South find less focus among their employees on beating the system and more of a sense of moral obligation. Not working hard for what you earn is morally equivalent to stealing from your employer,” Wesley said.

Employers also cite the rural South’s agricultural roots as the basis for an outstanding work ethic. Independent thinking derived from the farm mentality of “I’ve got to fix it myself or it won’t get fixed,” also contributes to the rural South work ethic.