At or near the top of every organization’s wish list is hiring great employees and creating a world-class culture. All managers strive to hire the best and claim to have a great place to work, but what can managers do to make sure they hire people at the top of their field? Look at industry certifications and credentials. While not all great managers and employees have a professional certification, having an industry certification easily places a prospective employee near the top of their field.
Having frontline employees with industry certifications gives a manager peace of mind that the people in field are motivated about their careers, are knowledgeable about the work they do, and are respected by others in the industry. This leads to a workforce that is careful about preventing mistakes and will be career centered. Their employment will not just be a job. They took the time to invest in themselves and are likely to give their best. Managers with industry certifications will also be career focused. Having a career-focused management team will lead to loftier goals, a well-trained staff, and a more efficient work environment.
Part of creating a great culture in an organization is caring for employees. One of the easiest ways to show managers care is to promote their individual growth, even if it means that one day, they will be prepared to move on to positions with larger responsibilities. Supporting employees through industry certification programs is a great way to help them invest in their own careers. This might mean helping with the cost of the program or giving them time to study while at work. It also might mean allowing some travel to complete their CEUs after receiving the distinction.
Managers can further this culture by promoting employee growth through educational opportunities. Usually, the same organizations that issue industry certifications offer training seminars as part of their CEU programs. The cost of these programs is minimal compared to the gains the team will get from improved morale, and usually they will learn something that they can bring back to their job. It is a win-win situation for everyone.
Since the pandemic has pushed many programs online, it is now possible for employees to attend educational programs without having to travel and without missing much work. To push the learning culture even further, managers can encourage employees to join trade organizations and become active members. The networking opportunities will help the team grow and learn from others in the field.
All managers want to lead a productive team and be a part of an organization with a great culture. This will not happen unless managers attract top talent and promote the employees already on the team. Push employees to participate in industry training opportunities and become certified in their fields. Work to hire new employees that are already certified, signifying that they are among the top talents in their profession. Managers must not just say that they value employees. They must show them they value employees’ personal and professional growth by supporting them in their career journey through actions.
Brandon Haley, CGM is a grounds project manager for SSC Services for Education. He is also the Southeast Regional Director for the Professional Grounds Management Society (PGMS) and is the chair of PGMS’s certification committee.
