The majority of human resources professionals are first armed with some sort of formal education which can be an online human resources certification or degree of some sort before they enter the field. However, as markets and times evolve, there is always a need to catch up with new practices and trends.
Apart from that, nowadays, the majority of employees who are joining the workforce are millennials, and their expectations as far as the workplace is concerned are breaking traditional norms. This means that all HR professionals and managers need to find ways to cope with these current and future changes.
The answer to keeping up with new trends lies in enrolling yourself in a good online human resources certification course. There are several short-term online courses that you can incorporate into your routine, and some even allow you to do things at your own pace.
All you need to do is pick an area of interest, enroll with a reputable human resources certification institute and get the ball rolling. Here are some of the benefits of human resources certification.
Benefits of Human Resources Certification for Employees
There are many reasons why individuals pursue human resources certification. For instance, they can be quite useful when one wants to demonstrate their professional achievements. Apart from that, they can do a lot of good to your personal satisfaction and help in career advancement. Any HR professional who wants to advance their understanding of the field and earn recognition from their peers can do so by enrolling in one of the many prestigious human resources certification programs. Below are some of the benefits of an HR certification to an individual.
Helps Understand People
Nowadays, the workplace is a multigenerational environment. At the moment, you can expect to see a mixture of employees from about four to five generations working in the same environment. This is bound to create problems of some sort.
In such a work environment, from time to time, there will be conflicts and ego issues. For instance, a 55-year-old veteran will be holding more experience than a 30-year-old team member. However, this doesn't mean the young mind won't bring fresh ideas of their own to the table.
Apart from age issues, workplaces have also broken demographic and geographical barriers. This means that nowadays, you can find individuals from diverse cultures and backgrounds within the same organization. Apart from their culture clashing, their own expectations will clash with the organizational culture. This is why you need to further your HR knowledge. There are several certifications that address such issues. For instance, a strategic management certification course can give you a lot of insights into the thought processes of these generations and diverse cultures. This can go a long way in enabling you to address their concerns effectively.
Career Advancement
Whether you are just entering the field of HR or you have many years of experience, there's a lot you can benefit from continued professional development. Research shows that in the field of HR, there are a few better ways to prove your value than a certification. An HRCI study found that about 96% of employers and hiring managers believe that an HR certification is essential, and when checking out job applications, they look out for such things. This means that a candidate with certification will likely stand a better chance of getting a job compared to one who doesn't. In other words, gaining certification or several enables you to stand out from the crowd and boosts your chances of getting a job or going higher up in the chain of command.
International Recognition
Many people are interested in opportunities to work in the diaspora. However, if you want to work in a foreign country, you must realize that your competition will now be global as opposed to national. This means that you need a bit extra to stand out and appeal to global employers. Fortunately, an HR certification for beginners might just be the passport you need to take your skills abroad.
A study done by the HRCI also found that a professional HR certification comes only second to an individual’s degree qualification when it comes to the credentials that are valued by employers the most. Apart from that, the study also revealed that an HR certification is among the best-performing qualifications in many fields in terms of career advancement and return on investment, or ROI.
Better yet, when you want to move to the diaspora, you aren't even required to hold an HR certification specific to an international market. However, this is not to say that internationally accredited certifications are not important. Certifications like PHR and GPHR are undoubtedly valuable, but other regional credentials will also do the trick, and they can equally add value and professionalism to your resume.
Better Salaries
Though most of the relevant HR certifications will cost you money, the financial rewards you will get will go beyond any payments that you would have made. Research shows that professional HR certifications are the single most valuable attribute of any candidate or employee. Therefore, employers have a high willingness to pay holders. On the other hand, graduate degrees, while quite significant, do not generate the same desire to spend.
A study conducted by Pay looking into HR salaries in 20 metropolitan regions found that individuals with HR certifications can earn as much as $59,385 yearly more than their uncertified counterparts.
Enhances Your Credentials
Anywhere you go nowadays, employers are always looking for something extra. This means basic skills alone may not cut it. This is why you need an HR certification to add value to your resume. This will indicate to employers that you have gone beyond the basic requirements to adopt and embrace market changes. As such, earning certification may help you make a favorable impression during a job interview because it proves your commitment to the profession.
Boosts Chances of Career Advancement
Getting a job is one thing, and moving up in an organization is another. Once you get your job, the next step will be to prove that you are fit to climb the ranks and join the higher-ups. An HR certification will enable you to do just that. These certifications equip you with new knowledge, key competencies, and skills in your area of specialty.
There are not a lot of professionals who take time and get out of their comfort zone to learn new skills and advance their knowledge of the profession. So if you work towards certifications, you will gain a competitive advantage over your co-workers, and that can put you on a fast-track career.
Benefits to Employers
There are several ways that an employer can benefit when one of their employees acquires a human resources management certification. From the employer's perspective, a human resources certification can serve as a selection tool to pick the best fit, driven, and qualified candidates from a pool of applicants. Apart from that, certification can also be used by an employer to determine whether an individual is capable of performing at an acceptable level in a given position.
You must keep in mind that company image is a huge thing nowadays. Businesses want to show now more than even that they are organized, capable and that they employ the best candidates. Therefore, an employer can use an employee's human resources certification to present an image of employee authority. The company will be able to display that they have consistent ways of dealing with information, challenges, and conflicts.
Key Take-Aways
- An employee can use an HR certification to show dedication to their career.
- An HR certification can be used by employees to stay updated with the latest HR trends.
- Certification gives an image of an individual who is more competent, more qualified, and capable of outperforming their peers.
- Help in making decisions about employment since certified candidates may be given more consideration.
- A human resources certification boosts employees' morale and motivation for work by boosting self-confidence and self-satisfaction.
- HR certification enables employees to take advantage of opportunities for higher salaries and advancement.
Change is the only constant. There are a lot of innovations and disruptions that are happening at a fast pace, including in the HR field. Take, for instance, technologies like big data and artificial intelligence that are changing the way HR works. As a professional, you need to keep pace with such technologies, or else you will be outdated.
