Running a small business today is a great deal different than it was 20 years ago. Regardless of what type of business you own, it’s a good bet that you have at least a few pieces of computer equipment. This means that, for most medium sized businesses, you have an IT staff. It may only be one or two people but you need someone to keep that computer hardware and software running. Today I’m looking at why you should encourage your employees to attain IT Certification.
Technical Proficiency
You want your employees to be proficient in their jobs. This becomes much more important when you are dealing with IT staff and especially when you have a small IT staff. For instance, if you only have two employees in your IT department and have a major issue…it’s imperative that they have the ability to fix the problem quickly. Certification also means that your employee will have a broader understanding of the technology in your company. This means they can design more efficient applications and processes which may have a significant impact on your bottom line. An IT certification helps ensure that your employees have a grasp of the technology which runs your business.
Up To Date Technology
I work in the IT sector and I can tell you from first hand experience that technology changes very quickly. Your employees maintaining their IT certification means that they stay up on current technology. This is of great importance as an employer. As a consultant, I’ve been to businesses who were using very outdated software which had become useless. They were completely unaware that the newer versions of the software would solve many of their problems. A certified IT staff means this doesn’t happen. They can ensure that your company stays up to date on technology.
Have The Right Employees
I don’t know about you but I want employees who have a passion for their work. There are too many people out there just collecting a paycheck. Small to medium sized businesses can’t afford to waste their time on these types of employees. An employee who wants to earn and maintain IT certifications are generally more motivated and will be harder workers. It’s not easy to attain some of these certifications so when you have an employee who does the hard work to get one, you know they are someone you need to hang onto.
As employers we should always strive to build up our employees. If they are happy and professionally fulfilled they will likely be on-board with your company mission. So, if you have a good employee in your IT department it would be beneficial to both of you for them to attain certification. If you want to ensure even more loyalty from this employee then you should consider paying for the training.
Now I want to hear from the other employers and employees out there. Let me know what you think about this topic by leaving a comment below.