Human Resources Certifications For Federal Employees – How Can They Help?
The HR or personnel office’s role in the typical government organization has been limited to strictly managing and implementing civil-service regulations and programs. HR professionals frequently support workers’ rights, which irks management. And they are generally viewed as a barrier to change.
The HR department could do a lot more than it already does. It should be at the heart of enhancing organizational performance, especially in government. Up to this point, initiatives to increase performance have mostly disregarded the workforce itself and focused instead on metrics and technology. The outcomes, unsurprisingly, could have been better.
The failure to acknowledge that employees are essential to high performance is the factor missing in these projects at all levels of government. Almost all government accomplishments can be attributed to staff on some level. It’s time to create a strategy to motivate employees and fully utilize their strengths after decades of unsuccessful technological investments.
Significantly better performance can result from new ways of organizing and managing tasks. The most significant improvements combine cutting-edge HR policies and technologies with successful “people management” — how work is organized and how well managers and supervisors do their jobs daily.
One of the best ways for HR in government organizations to accomplish it is through HR training and human resources certifications tailor-made for its personnel and the unique HR needs of the particular government organization/department.
Why HR Certifications Matter For Federal Employees
An HR certification is essential for several reasons in today’s competitive world. By 2030, the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS) predicted a 10% increase in the need for human resources specialists. HR professionals with relevant certifications may be more likely to differentiate themselves from others as competition for this role increases.
The field of human resources has advanced dramatically since the days when it was mainly used for administrative tasks. Human resources professionals in government organizations still carry out conventional duties like interviewing candidates for jobs and answering inquiries about benefits. Still, they also play a crucial role in high-level planning with tasks like consulting with important government officials to determine the strategic direction and forming essential policies.
When you can demonstrate to others your level of commitment to your profession, it frequently makes all the difference. In general, having an HR certification is necessary to be regarded as a human resource professional and to be considered for higher-level roles. As such, human resources certifications can help others acknowledge a federal employee’s expertise and professionalism in HR.
According to Payscale’s 2018 research, 34 percent of all HR professionals hold at least one HR certificate. And it makes natural that so many would want accreditation given the reports that HR professionals with certifications get more promotions and advance more quickly in their careers.
Human resources certifications can be a valuable addition to your career, even if you’ve worked in the human resource department since the Stone Age. It is true even if it has never been necessary to have an HR certificate in your government organization or department.
HR certification has many advantages from a professional and academic standpoint, especially for newcomers. However, even for Federal Employees with decades of HR experience, a certificate can help by testing their knowledge, keeping them up to date on the most current best practices, and updating their profile to future-proof their career—not to mention providing a ton of networking opportunities.
There are several reasons why federal employees would want to get an HR certification. Some of them include the following.
Boosting Their Credentials
Most organizations now look for additional qualifications and skills besides the basic ones that federal employees already possess—their resume gains value from HR certification. The ability of federal employees to adapt to market developments demonstrates that they have grown beyond their degrees. And it reflects their dedication to the organization and their field.
Improving Career Advancement Odds
Federal employees gain new knowledge, competence, and abilities in their field from taking HR certification training. Government employees who try to step outside their safe zone to learn a new skill are scarce. It puts them on a professional, fast track and gives them a competitive advantage over their peers. Even better: they may be able to negotiate a higher salary with their current employer!
Climbing the Payscale
Federal employees can earn more money by broadening their skill set, learning more, and taking on more professional duties. Statistics from the past ten years show that HR professionals with any certification made up to 40% more money than those without any certificates. Therefore, obtaining HR qualifications has significant value.
The Benefits of Human Resources Certifications for Federal Employees from an Organizational Standpoint
Training is a requirement for all sectors. But it needs to be seen how many workers in government agencies can see the value of developing new skills or, for that matter, updating their existing ones. A dedicated HR leader will ensure that trainings are routine and beneficial.
A human resource (HR) practitioner joins an organization with a formal academic degree. Markets and organizations, however, change over time, allowing for new norms and trends. As millennial workers make up a sizable portion of the workforce, their job expectations defy established conventions.
How would you handle these changes if you were an HR manager? The solution is to enroll both yourself and your team members in reputed human resources certification programs. The numerous benefits of HR certification programs from an organizational standpoint are listed below.
Increasing Knowledge and Skills
There is always room for more learning, regardless of your skillsets and the academic qualifications under your belt. By earning HR certifications, you can be confident that you’re up to date on the most recent labor laws and HR best practices.
Your government organization will gain from the additional education just as much as you do because it will boost productivity and efficiency thanks to your newfound expertise.
Understanding People Better
Several generations of people work together in today’s organizations, from baby boomers to Gen Z. Disputes and ego clashes are certain to result from this. Undoubtedly, a veteran employee who is 55 years old has more job experience than a new hire who has only recently entered their 20s. But the flip side is that young minds can bring original ideas and a fresh approach to doing things.
At the same time, employees have dismantled geographical and demographic boundaries to bring workers from various backgrounds into the same organization. This diversity means that some employees’ expectations may not align with the corporate culture. The good news is that you can gain an understanding of these problems brought on by the diversity in the organization/department through human resources certifications that focus on strategic management in diverse workplaces and their varied cultural perspectives.
Taking on More Responsibilities
Opportunities for employment and professional advancement follow increases in production and efficiency. Federal employees will feel more confident taking on additional HR tasks that will broaden their skill set if they have more knowledge and abilities.
Additionally, having HR certifications on their CV will show their current organization and potential employers that they’re concerned about their career path in addition to being knowledgeable about the field of HR.
Embracing New Trends
The only constant is change. All sectors, including HR, are seeing rapid innovation and change. Consider technologies like AI, analytics, and big data.
The way HR operates is changing as a result of these technologies. If federal workers keep up with these technologies, they will become updated within a few years, if not sooner. Federal employees should enroll in certification programs to stay up to date with emerging trends in their industry before they blindside them. Your federal employees will become more “market-current” due to human resources certifications, so make sure they are enrolled in them.
Federal employees in HR roles in government organizations must have practical skills to put key HR concepts into practice, in addition to having a solid understanding of things like human resource development, organizational management, workforce planning, and strategic management.
A quick way to develop this understanding and the critical practical skills required is through human resources certifications.
Those with the appropriate training and certifications can take advantage of the enormous opportunities presented by the evolving problems in human resources. Federal employees with industry-recognized credentials could be in an excellent position to succeed in their organizations. And that is the most significant benefit of enrolling your federal employees into HR certification programs.