Making continuing education easy, accessible, and affordable for your employees is a great way to manage your workforce. You suddenly have new skills/aptitudes at your disposal, and your employees feel valued and engaged. A minor investment on your part can improve every aspect of your recruitment and retention strategy. As you look to implement this approach at your company, rely on these strategies to make the process easier on everyone:

Strategy 1 – Work with Corporate Universities

This strategy is appealing because it gives you a lot of control over course design and focus. You can reach out to a corporate university and discuss your specific needs for continuing education. They can then develop classes and courses of study tailored to your requirements. Rather than searching for the best opportunities available, you build one from the ground up.

Strategy 2 – Partner With a Local University

Many local universities offer continuing education programs targeted towards the needs and interests of employed adults. In addition to offering education and training, many also incorporate career counseling. Thanks to courses offered online or at night, this option is appealing for professionals with a full-time job and family. Employers should be aware, however, that these programs contribute to a certain degree of career mobility and can lead to turnover.

Strategy 3 – Bring in Certification Instructors

Rather than investing in a large-scale tuition reimbursement program, consider bringing in instructors qualified to teach/award industry-specific certifications. These certificates will typically apply directly to the focus on your company and require less time commitment from your employees. This strategy is particularly worth pursuing if you are about to begin a new project and need to bring a specific skill onto your staff.

Strategy 4 – Tuition Reimbursement

This is the oldest and arguably easiest way to offer continuing education opportunities, but there are several issues that need to be considered. For instance, will you offer reimbursement for any course of study or just ones that apply to your company? Will you put a cap on the level of reimbursement? Are you going to require employees to maintain a certain GPA? Can employees take time off to attend class? Be flexible, but make sure you’re adding benefit to your company.

Your employees are your greatest asset, so it makes sense to invest in them. A modest amount on your part can pay dividends long into the future. Explore other unique perks that benefit you and your employees equally by contacting Morris Bixby.