It’s long been common knowledge that
employees need college degrees to succeed in today’s fast-paced business world.
Only now more than ever, that’s not quite
enough. More and more positions are requiring knowledge and skills that can only be
obtained from a graduate degree.
Having your employees enroll in graduate
school is a great way to ensure that your
team has the education it needs to make your
business succeed, according to Linda D.
Maurer, the dean of the business school at
Fontbonne University.
“The first step is that employers provide
encouragement for an employee to continue
his or her education,” says Maurer. “That
encouragement can be tuition reimbursement, flexibility in work schedules and/or
recognition of the accomplishment, both
financially and in advancement. As we know,
the world is getting increasingly complex, so
organizations need to create a culture of
learning, making it abundantly clear that education is vitally important to the company’s
growth and development.”
Smart Business spoke with Maurer about
graduate programs, how to choose one and
how an employee with a graduate degree can
be a valuable asset.
How could an employee who holds an
advanced degree benefit a company?
The employee is able to bring to the work-place the most current knowledge on the
newest trends and issues that will impact the
organization. The employee develops an
awareness of how these trends and issues
may challenge how the organization is currently doing business. This knowledge can
provide that critical advantage of anticipating
issues and being prepared for them. It can
also create a competitive advantage for the
organization that understands what’s behind
the current trends and issues and responds to
the deeper issues. Employees always seem
eager to share what they are learning in the
classroom with their colleagues at work.
Therefore, these employees bring synergy to
the workplace — everyone is looking at his
or her role differently. Beyond the actual
knowledge the student acquires, he or she
gains much more, such as the ability to ‘learn
how to learn.’ Graduate students know how
to use their skills to gain valuable industry information, and they possess the confidence
to utilize that information.
What should a company look for in a graduate program?
A company should look for a program that
will allow the employee to ‘stretch,’ both in
the knowledge he or she obtains and in the
understanding of the dynamics of the knowledge. The dynamics are the implications of
what students have learned and how that
impacts all parts of the organization. The
decisions employees make are not in a vacuum but have implications for all parts of the
organization. The employee will also benefit
from a program that has a low instructor/student ratio so that he or she can receive personalized attention. A small class will allow
the employee to develop relationships with
classmates and the instructor, encouraging
everyone to share his or her personal experiences, allowing the employee to examine
issues from several perspectives.
I believe there is also value in programs that
have a focus on the adult student. These programs provide very practical knowledge that
the student can implement in the workplace
the next day. These types of adult professional programs also recognize that the student
has academic, professional and personal commitments. Each commitment is important and must be met. Often, small things that
make the student’s experience more convenient can be a great stress reliever — such as
the ability to plan his or her complete schedule so he or she doesn’t get sidetracked.
These programs should also provide flexibility if professional or personal commitments
demand that the employee take a break.
Can programs be specialized to meet a company’s specific needs?
There is a trend that educational institutions develop partnerships with organizations to meet the organizations’ specific
needs. The partnerships allow the two organizations to meet each other’s needs.
Sometimes that can mean the development
of a specialized program, a concentration, a
set of courses bundled together to meet specific objectives or just modifications of format, such as having a break in classes geared
for tax professionals during the tax season.
What factors need to be considered when a
company is choosing a graduate program?
Recognize that employees have varied
learning styles, so different programs will
appeal to different people — it is not a one
size fit all. Ensure that the institution is
regionally accredited, and that the specific
programs are accredited or in the process of
accreditation. Make sure the academic institution has the programs that will meet your
long-term objectives. Finally, find out what
graduates of the institution have to say about
their experiences and whether or not the
institution has experience developing and
maintaining these partnerships.
How does a degree benefit the employee?
An advance degree benefits the employee
in several ways. He or she will obtain the latest knowledge in the field, gain greater personal development and fulfillment, show the
organization that he or she possesses the personal and professional discipline to accomplish a difficult goal, gain confidence and
engagement in his or her field, and has the
opportunity for advancement.
LINDA D. MAURER is the business school dean at Fontbonne University. Reach her at (314) 889-1423 or [email protected].
