How to Analyze Certification Program Needs for Employees

In an era of increasingly tight business competition, investment in employee certification programs is a strategic key to improving the quality of human resources and company competitiveness.

According to the LinkedIn Workplace Learning Report 2024, 76% of large organizations prioritize certified employees for job promotions.

In addition, employees who have professional certification are twice as likely to fill strategic roles in the organization.

The Society for Human Resource Management (SHRM) also emphasizes that certification not only increases individual credibility but also accelerates the development of overall organizational capabilities.

The question is, what is the role of the company in helping to meet the needs of employee certification programs? Let's take a look at the following article!

What is a Certification Program?

A certification program is a professional training program that ends with the awarding of an official certificate to participants who have met certain competency standards.

This certificate is not just a formality, but verified proof that a professional has mastered the skills and knowledge that are in accordance with the needs of modern industry.

According to the Society for Human Resource Management (SHRM), certification programs increase professional credibility in the eyes of companies and accelerate individual career development, because they demonstrate validated expertise that can be directly applied to the company's strategic tasks.

Advantages of ISO Certified Certification Programs for Companies

In choosing a certification program, you should not be careless. Companies should choose a certification program that is ISO certified.

ISO certification is an official recognition that an organization has met international standards set by the International Organization for Standardization (ISO).

ISO is an independent, non-governmental institution headquartered in Geneva, Switzerland, and has published more than 24,000 standards covering various aspects of management systems, security, efficiency, and operational quality.

According to Philip Kotler, professor of marketing and business strategy, standards such as ISO help companies build trust with stakeholders and strengthen operational foundations systematically and measurably.

Meanwhile, the World Economic Forum noted that companies that implement ISO standard-based management systems have a higher level of adaptability and resilience amidst global dynamics, including supply chain disruption, technological change, and economic crises.

In addition, based on data from the ISO Survey 2023, Asian countries show a very significant increase in ISO adoption.

Indonesia is in the top five with annual growth of over 12% in the manufacturing, financial services, and information technology sectors.

By investing in ISO-certified training, your company not only gets formal recognition, but builds a stronger, more resilient management foundation that is ready to face global challenges in the future.

How to Analyze the Needs of Certification Programs for Employees?

In order for the certification program you organize to have a real impact and be in line with the company's goals, a systematic approach based on real needs is needed.

Each step must be designed by considering the strategic direction of the business, current employee capabilities, and the readiness of the organization to support sustainable development.

The following are the stages of analysis and planning that you can do before committing to working with a credible certified training institution.

1. Analysis of the Company's Strategic Needs

The first step is to understand the business needs and strategic direction of the company in the next three to five years. Consider the company’s strategic needs by asking the following questions:

• What competencies are needed to achieve your business growth goals?
• Are there any industry or regulatory changes that make certain certifications mandatory or highly relevant?
• What areas are the organization currently weak in and need strengthening through certification?

For example, if the company is focused on global expansion, international certification in project management or finance may be a higher priority than local certification.

2. Employee Competency Gap Mapping

Once the strategic needs have been identified, conduct employee competency mapping. Look for gaps between competencies and the strategic needs you want to achieve.

Together with the HR and Learning & Development (L&D) teams, companies need to conduct competency assessments to identify gaps between current and expected competency conditions.

Assessment methods used include:

• Division manager interviews.
• Employee self-assessment surveys.
• Annual performance reviews.
• Industry standard benchmarking.

This competency gap is the basis for determining the type of training and certification that is most needed.

3. Identification and Selection of Certified Training Institutions

If the company already knows the competency gap, then the company already has a narrow choice regarding the type of certification program needed.

The next step is that the company needs to commit to only working with training institutions that have the following factors:

• Have a strong track record in organizing certification programs.
• Recognized nationally or internationally.
• Able to provide real practice-based materials (experiential learning).
• Flexible in delivery methods (online, hybrid, or in-house training).
• Added value if the certification program is ISO certified.

Don't forget to evaluate the selected training institutions based on:

• Credibility and accreditation.
• Testimonials from previous client companies.
• Suitability of the curriculum to the company's needs.
• Post-training facilities such as coaching, certification assessments, and alumni support.

4. Integrated Program Planning

After the company decides on a certification program training institution. Next, make sure that the certification program has the following:

• Connected and relevant to internal career levels.
• Be part of the KPI or bonus program to increase motivation.
• Equipped with a post-program evaluation to measure the effectiveness of learning in daily work.

In this context, cooperation with training institutions is not just about holding classes, but really designing personalized training and certification that is relevant to real challenges in the company.

5. Management Commitment and Internal Communication

The success of this program cannot be achieved without full support from all levels of management.

The active involvement of unit and division leaders is crucial, especially in the process of selecting the right participants according to needs and development potential.

In addition, strong and consistent internal communication is needed so that the goals and benefits of this program can be fully understood by all levels of the organization.

The most important thing is to ensure that employees do not view this certification as an additional burden in their work.

Instead, they need to see it as a long-term investment for career advancement and personal competency improvement.

6. Monitoring, Evaluation, and Continuous Improvement

After the program is running, the company needs to establish a monitoring mechanism that includes:

• Evaluation of effectiveness based on participant feedback.
• Assessment of changes in work performance after certification.
• Follow-up discussions with training organizers to improve the next batch.

This is important so that every certification program that is run becomes a continuous learning journey, not a one-time event.

What Certification Program Does Your Company Need?

By analyzing the needs of this certification program, the company can prepare a certification program that will not only improve the capabilities of individual employees, but also accelerate the achievement of the company's vision and mission as a whole.

So that the certification program is not just a means of wasting company money, but is a strategic need.

With the right approach, starting from needs analysis, selection of certified training institutions, to the evaluation and monitoring process.

Your company not only improves individual capabilities, but also accelerates organizational transformation towards competitive advantage.

Which certification program is suitable for your company's strategic needs. You can see a list of business management certification programs from Prasmul-Eli that offer a choice of certification types according to your company's strategic needs.

The plus point is that the certification program at Prasmul-Eli is ISO 9001 certified.

It's time to invest in a structured and results-based employee certification program, to ensure that the company is ready to compete and grow in the national and international markets.