Tuition Reimbursement

Angela

COMM 105

April 27, 2010
Dr. Gary Cotton
University of Phoenix

Tuition Reimbursement

In order for a major company to operate well, they should have highly skilled or highly educated employees. The more knowledgeable employees are, the more ideas the company will obtain, in which they will only become better than their competitors. Some people may have the skills to be a part of the company, yet lack the education to back it up. Most adults do not have the time, or the money to go back and attend school to further their education. By offering tuition reimbursement to the employees, it will benefit them in many ways, and benefit the company as well. The employees will be more confident in themselves or the decisions they make. They will more then likely stay with the company longer. They will be more knowledgeable in their work environment and their communication skills will increase, which definitely benefits the company as well as the employee’s career. Tuition reimbursement programs also help employees gain a sense of accomplishment." They learn more, and become more marketable," Konrath says. "There's also the personal satisfaction they gain from education" (All Business, 2010). Furthering an employee’s education can clearly make them advance in the company because of the excess knowledge they have gained. Through adult learning the employee can increase their skills in communication courses and enhance the way he or she speaks with professional clients who are interested in the company’s services. Changes in an employee’s mindset will reflect in the production of his or her work for the better because of the confidence increase as well. Additionally, they will be happier with them self and will only continue to strive to be better. According to All Business (2010), “Anytime you can educate your employee, it makes them a more valuable and happier employee” (para. 2). In a study conducted by Spherion Atlantic Enterprises LLC., a staffing and employment-services firm, 61% of respondents who received training or mentoring said they were very likely to remain with their current employer for the next five years or more (Hakala, 2010). A company will show the value of its employees and their future by helping with their educational needs. Most companies benefit more from the employee because he or she is more likely to stay with the company longer. This means the longer the employee stays with the company, the more trust and loyalty the company will receive from them. Working with a company for a long time, lets the employee know the ins and the outs of the company therefore, it will run much smoother. The process for clients should be easier and the relationships can build stronger. Everyone loves a familiar face especially when it means he or she is going to be giving their money to that company. Take a bank for example. Many clients do not like dealing with a different person after setting up an account with someone else. They want to speak with the person who signed them up because that is the person who ensured their trust with their money. The longer an employee is at an establishment, the longer a client is probably willing to stay with that company because it’s the familiar face they trust. The relationship they built with that person goes a long way. In addition, in order for a company to believe they are gaining anything by reimbursing tuition, there should be some guidelines. Possibly, depending on how long the person has been with the company would be huge in determining whether or not the person is worth spending the money on. If someone is in the company for six months, then at least it’s prevalent they plan on staying; therefore, furthering their education will be beneficial for the company. Furthermore, if there is a set amount for an employee who passes his or her class with a certain grade, then he or she can receive the full reimbursement. If that employee passes with a lower grade then accepted by the company, then he or she will only reimburse a certain percentage depending on the standards the company has set. This will make the employee work harder to do better in the course they select because he or she won’t have to pay the difference if they don’t do well. This also makes them appreciate the class they are in and what the benefits of working for company. By setting a guideline it can help a company determine when they should reimburse tuition to benefit the right employee not only for him or her, but also for the company as well. Tuition reimbursement through a company will make an employee go a long way. The knowledge they obtain as well as the confidence they take on gives them a sense of accomplishment. The employee’s happiness in the company and the likelihood of the employee staying longer will be higher then most, by reimbursing tuition. Of course, making employees more valuable, also makes them more valuable to competitors. It’s an unavoidable fact that better-educated employees are more desirable targets of recruiting efforts. But as the Spherion survey cited above shows, employees tend to be much more loyal to companies who support their continuing education (Hakala, 2010).

References All Business. (2010). Companies see value in tuition reimbursement. Retrieved from http://www.allbusiness.com/human-resources/employee-benefits/4076280-1.html

Hakala, D. (2010). The Pros and Cons of Providing Employee Continuing Educatio. HR World. Retrieved from http://www.hrworld.com/features/employee-continuing-education-081808/