The HR talent gap is getting harder to ignore.

Businesses are facing talent shortages when trying to fill critical positions and HR employees are being stretched thinner than ever. Between keeping up with compliance, building company culture, working on analytics and providing employee relations training – the list goes on.

Here’s the thing…

HR departments don’t need new employees. They need existing employees to step up into larger roles. Graduate school is how.

This article explains how supporting your HR employees in getting further education is one of the best decisions an employer can make.

Here’s the rundown:

1. The State Of The HR Talent Gap
2. Why Graduate Studies Are A Smart Fix
3. The ROI Of Backing Your HR Team
4. How To Build A Program That Actually Works

The State Of The HR Talent Gap

The HR talent gap isn’t going away anytime soon.

According to SHRM research, nearly 70% of organizations are finding it difficult to hire full-time staff. That’s a lot of employers—so it speaks volumes about the future of work.

The pressure on internal HR teams is enormous. They’re expected to:

• Run recruitment campaigns
• Handle employee relations training
• Stay on top of compliance changes
• Build out culture and engagement programs
• Use data and analytics to make decisions

Wow, that’s a lot to expect from HR. Here is the crazy part- most HR professionals had no formal training in half of these areas. They learned through experience, which is wonderful but difficult when running the strategy.

It’s why pursuing higher education, such as an MBA in HR Management online, is becoming increasingly valuable. An online MBA can arm HR professionals with intensive skills they can utilize on the job – from strategic planning to employee relations training to conflict resolution to workforce analytics.

The result?

You get a stronger HR team without the cost of hiring outside.

Why Graduate Studies Are A Smart Fix

Want to know the easiest way to close skill gaps in your HR team?

Help your existing people get better.

Recruiting new HR talent is costly, time-consuming and risky. According to SHRM, 76% of organizations had difficulty finding qualified applicants when new skills were needed for full-time positions. The talent pool is shallow. There are fewer qualified candidates to fill open positions.

But your existing HR staff already know:

• Your company culture
• Your internal systems
• Your people
• Your challenges

Combine that knowledge with a formal graduate education and you have an HR professional who will be a powerhouse on your team. One who can handle leading complex projects, developing employee relations training programs and growing into a senior level position if called upon.

Here’s why it works: Things you learn in a graduate HR program you can’t learn on the job. Examples:

• Advanced employment law
• Organisational behaviour theory
• Strategic compensation design
• Data-driven workforce planning

These are the skills that make a great HR professional into a strategic business partner. Which is exactly what every executive is looking for in their HR department.

The ROI Of Backing Your HR Team

The numbers on this one are pretty wild.

Studies have found that 76% of employees are more likely to remain employed by a company that offers tuition reimbursement. That’s a significant increase in retention — and it’s much cheaper than hiring new senior employees.

A great example would be Cigna’s tuition program. They made a 129% return on investment on their tuition reimbursement program. They saved $1.29 for every $1 spent on turnover and hiring costs.

Pretty cool, right?

However, employee retention isn’t the only advantage. Additional wins for employers who support HR professionals in graduate school are:

Stronger Leadership Pipeline

Internal hiring becomes much easier for Senior HR positions. Why wait months to find an outsider who is unfamiliar with your company.

Better Employee Relations Training Programs

Employee relations training is designed and executed more effectively by HR professionals with graduate training. They know the law, how to structure conflict resolution, and how to coach managers.

Improved Culture And Engagement

Knowledgeable HR professionals apply evidence-based strategies related to engagement, performance management and culture building. This then permeates throughout the organisation.

The numbers don’t lie. Spending a modest amount on tuition assistance yields a much more effective HR department — with the added benefits of improved retention, office culture and leadership pipeline.

How To Build A Program That Actually Works

So how does this actually get done?

Developing your own graduate school program for your HR team can be easy. Follow this simple guide:

Step 1: Identify High-Potential HR Staff

Select students that display leadership abilities. These students are more likely to take their education and advance.

Step 2: Offer Flexible Programs

Seek out online MBA programs with flexible schedules. Your employees should not have to quit their jobs to attend school. Online programs will allow them to continue working.

Step 3: Tie Reimbursement To Commitment

The vast majority ask for 12-24 months after degree conferral. It ensures your investment and allows the staff to have a clear window.

Step 4: Apply The Learning

Give them opportunities to utilize what they learn. Allow them to pilot employee relations training efforts, redesign performance programs or lead analytics projects. The quicker they can put new skills to work, the better the ROI.

Step 5: Promote From Within

Fill upper level HR positions with employees who graduated from college. There’s where your ROI comes from.

Implemented correctly, this type of program can become a positive feedback loop. Your HR department improves, your talent shortage decreases, and your retention increases.

Bringing It All Together

The HR talent gap isn’t going to close on its own.

Companies that continue to wait for the ideal employee to come along are going to get left behind. A better strategy is to invest in your HR staff that you already have and help develop them with graduate studies.

Quick recap of why this works:

• The talent market is tight and getting tighter
• Existing HR staff already know your business
• Graduate programs teach the skills HR pros need
• Tuition support boosts retention dramatically
• The ROI numbers from real companies prove it works

Supporting your HR professionals in getting their graduate degrees is more than just a benefit. It’s a business investment that will return value in employee relations training, leadership, retention, and culture.

The skills gap is both real and solvable. Employers just need to invest in their current employees.