At a time in which businesses are fighting to keep costs down, companies may opt to hire less educated employees at a lower salary, scale back on training or eliminate company programs designed to financially assist the higher education pursuits of employees. In the short term, this strategy may reduce expenses. In the long term, however, employers who choose instead to invest in hiring educated employees and providing their staff continuous education opportunities are likely experience a greater return on their investment and higher profitability as compared to companies that opt for a less educated staff.

Initial Offerings

When you hire an educated employee, you receive an individual with a pre-existing skill set. In the process of acquiring an education, individuals develop their capacity to observe, analyze and act on information. In translating this ability the workplace, educated employees exhibit a greater aptitude for handling large, complex projects in a more productive and efficient manner as compared to their less-educated workers. In addition to the bonus of a pre-existing skill set, educated employees generally exhibit higher levels of motivation, which in turn leads to higher quality output and fewer errors.

Client Benefit

As new international client markets emerge, the need for a workforce that understands the culture, values, and language of these global regions will be essential to business growth. Educated employees are more likely to understand foreign languages and cultures through either having studied or lived in an international location. Through hiring educated employees and offering continuous employee training, organizations enhance client services. Furthermore, increasing employee awareness on company policies, products and developments enables employees to be more knowledgeable on company values and increases their ability to anticipate and predict client needs.

Company Leadership: High Performance

Beyond the value that educated employees add to client relationships, well-informed, knowledgeable workers enhance company leadership. Well-educated individuals are more goal oriented, delivering better work performance than less-educated employees. Moreover, companies can benefit from the dynamic perspective and innovative thinking of high performers.

Company Leadership: Employee Engagement

Ensuring education through continuous company training is equally as important as hiring workers with pre-existing skill sets. In a recent survey conducted Spherion Atlantic Enterprises LLC., a staffing and employment-services firm, 61 percent of respondents who received training or mentoring said they were very likely to remain with their current employer for the next 5 years or more. Ongoing training promotes the employees' understanding of company values and processes. Employee empowerment through education will lead to greater employee engagement and will encourage employees to take leadership within the company.