5 Ways Getting an MBA Will Benefit Your Employer

Graduation cap with tassel over MBA. Photo courtesy of Shutterstock.

It’s easy to see how earning an MBA would benefit you. Higher degrees usually result in higher pay, more extensive skill sets and better job opportunities. The question is: Why should your employer care?

Actually, improving your own professional appeal directly improves the appeal of the company you work for, which is something employers would equally benefit from. When recruiters search for new employees on everything from LinkedIn.com to career websites like job-applications.com, education is one of the first things they look for. Once they have an employee willing to further their education while staying loyal to the company, many employers are happy to help. But if you want to prepare your speech before you go talk to the boss, here are five reasons why your employer should support your decision to get an MBA.

It’s What the Competition Is Doing

In nearly every industry, employers are instating tuition reimbursement programs to help employees continue their education. Huffington Post reports that in San Diego alone, companies like Apple, Lockheed Martin, Home Depot, Starbucks, JP Morgan Chase and UPS all offer tuition reimbursement programs for their employees. The defense contractor and industrial corporation Raytheon even offers up to $10,000 in tuition reimbursement, which employees could put toward an MBA.

It Improves Performance

Skills learned in business school better equip employees to perform on the job, says Tom Becker, vice president of recruiting for Experis. Becker claims he’s seeing a surplus of secondary educational requirements for hiring managers, and an MBA would qualify as a supplement to a standard degree. To maximize the value of your continuing education program, Becker also recommends that students attend schools that have ties to the local business economy. An MBA student doesn’t have to miss work either. Employers can be flexible with online programs, such as the business degrees at CollegeOnline.org, or through night school or another alternative program.

It Ensures a Stable Workforce

A stipulation most employers have when offering tuition reimbursement is that the beneficiary must sign a contract to stay with the company for X amount of years in exchange. This ensures your loyalty as an employee, which provides an incentive for both parties. Have a set figure of time you would be willing to dedicate your employer when bringing up the idea of tuition reimbursement. Emphasize this benefit and be willing to negotiate terms.

It Costs Less

Hiring a new employee with an MBA degree doesn’t come cheap. Adding in the cost of recruitment firms, travel costs, interviewer time, on-boarding and training, and your employer can expect to shovel out big bucks. Entrepreneur.com estimates the average cost to be around $4,000. But beyond quantifiable costs, there’s also the less easily measured costs of losing skill and productivity due to upsets in the workplace and time spent training and adjusting.

It’s Directly Beneficial to the Company’s Goals

This one will require a little research to support. You don’t want to approach your employer with just a vague idea of how and why an MBA will help you perform your professional duties. Research programs, speak with advisors and browse through course catalogs to identify specific skills and resources you’ll access throughout your education. For example, if you find a program that specializes in a new technology that benefits your company, cite the ways in which you’ll apply this technology to improve your performance.

By Albert Lester

Al teaches economics and business at his local high school. He blogs about business, finance, teaching and the economy in his spare time.