Marla McBryde Intranet Business Analyst and former Computer Training Specialist Certifications Offered Microsoft Office Specialist Program   Certiport Center American Fidelity Assurance Company Location Oklahoma City, Oklahoma

In her own words: "By encouraging employees to become certified, we know they will learn skills across a wide range of features, thereby increasing the value of American Fidelity’s initial IT investment. We believe that the benefits of Microsoft Office certification justify its costs."

Employees Improve Productivity, Earn Recognition, and Open Doors for Advancement through Certification

BACKGROUND
Since 1960, American Fidelity Assurance Company, a member of the American Fidelity Group, has provided financial security to the educational community, trade association members, and the general public by providing quality insurance products and services. Headquartered in Oklahoma City, the company has grown from the original founding member, C.W. Cameron, to over 1,300 employees worldwide and now operates in 49 states and internationally.

Along with many exciting opportunities for expansion and progress, growth has also brought additional challenges. “As the company grows, we must be able to quickly modernize our methods to make use of new technologies that allow us to continue to provide excellent customer service and stay one step ahead of changes in the marketplace,” says Marla McBryde, American Fidelity’s Intranet Business Analyst and former Computer Training Specialist.

To this end, American Fidelity began a three-year migration to Microsoft® Office in 1996. McBryde adds, “The ability to integrate between word processing, spreadsheet, and database applications is essential to our processes and made Microsoft Office the best choice.”

PROCESS
McBryde understood that the migration’s success depended heavily on employees’ ability to use the new software at full capacity. Many employees were experts in the software American Fidelity had previously been using, but they were unfamiliar with Microsoft Office. “We knew if we didn’t teach them the advantages of using Microsoft Office, they might become frustrated with the migration. Many of our employees had made the effort to learn the basics, but we knew we weren’t getting the full results possible,” says McBryde. Microsoft Office training quickly became a priority at American Fidelity.

As an incentive for employees to further develop Microsoft Office skills, American Fidelity began offering Microsoft Office Specialist certification. “By encouraging employees to become certified, we know they will learn skills across a wide range of features, thereby increasing the value of American Fidelity’s initial IT investment,” says McBryde, adding “We believe that the benefits of Microsoft Office certification justify its costs.”

CERTIFICATION SOLUTION
To show its commitment to continued training and certification, American Fidelity provides instructor-led courses, online training, self-study materials and courseware to employees. Additionally, it pays for the entire certification exam when an employee passes and half the cost of failed exams. Employees from a wide range of departments, including benefits, marketing, risk management, and others, have earned certification.

Certification sets a standard that allows employees to assess their skills, customize their training to strengthen weak skills, and gain an industry-recognized credential that validates the depth and breadth of their skills. Bev Wood, manager of corporate training at American Fidelity, feels certification validates the training process. “When someone earns Microsoft Office certification, they prove that their training time was well spent and their performance is the best it can be.”

Melissa Fabian is American Fidelity’s computer training specialist and has learned first-hand how certification requires a higher level of performance. “Microsoft Office certification exams are demanding,” she says. “I thought I knew Access well but was surprised when I didn’t pass the exam on my first try. After studying more, I learned more advanced features of the application and retook the exam and passed. The accomplishment meant more to me after the hard work because I knew the program better and my certification proved it.”

Fabian feels Microsoft Office certification exams are valid indicators of Microsoft Office skills because they effectively measure a wide range of functions within a program. She adds, “My students have to stretch to master the skills necessary to pass the exams, which raises the bar for employee performance.”

RESULT
Offering employees opportunities for career development and recognition has always been a priority for American Fidelity. Its employees have participated in life and medical insurance certification programs for many years to promote individual and company expertise.

“American Fidelity promotes certification because we want our employees to strive for and be recognized as experts,” says McBryde. In addition to insurance-related knowledge and skills, Microsoft Office skills have become an integral part of almost every employee’s job tasks. Microsoft Office certification provides American Fidelity the opportunity to recognize employees who have mastered these skills.

When an employee earns certification, his or her supervisor and division head are alerted of the achievement, and it is posted on American Fidelity’s intranet. An employee who earns Master level certification receives additional recognition in an e-mail announcement that is sent company wide. Fabian says recognition of skills can be just as significant as the actual acquisition of skills. By substantiating employee proficiency with a benchmark such as Microsoft Office certification, the employee, and all who interact with the employee, can be confident in the employee ’s abilities.

K.C. Wong is an actuarial analyst at American Fidelity and recently earned Master level Microsoft Office certification. He’s noticed a difference since his colleagues learned of his accomplishment. “Many of my co-workers didn’t know about my computer skills before I earned certification. Now that everyone knows, I am more of an asset to my co-workers and employer because they more fully utilize my skills. ”

Wong also appreciates the opportunity certification offers to demonstrate to his employer that he’s serious about his job and willing to keep improving.

Charmaine de Jager-Riley, a marketing research analyst at American Fidelity agrees. “Since earning Master level Microsoft Office certification, my manager knows she can give me more challenging and complex projects and, more importantly, that I can handle it. ”

A key benefit of investing in employee training and certification is the ability to attract new employees and retain current employees. McBryde says, “It’s important to give employees skills that will enable them to grow with the company, enhance their careers, and increase job satisfaction. ”

Not only is Microsoft Office certification a win for employees, it's also a win for employers. “With the return we receive in the form of recruiting and retaining employees and increased productivity, Microsoft Office certification more than pays for itself, ” says McBryde

De Jager-Riley, an eight-year veteran of the company, doesn’t plan on changing employers any time soon. “I am proud to work for a company that cares about its employees and gives opportunities and tools, such as certification, for growth.” With her Master level certification, de Jager-Riley knows she has learned skills that will enable her to continue to advance at American Fidelity.

While American Fidelity is quick to declare that certification is not a prerequisite for promotions and hiring, training manager Bev Wood acknowledges that “managers look for people who are willing to put in the extra effort. Employees who prove their expertise will always find they have additional career avenues open to them, ” she says.

American Fidelity prides itself on providing customer service that “delights the customer by exceeding their expectations.” That’s a pretty tall order in a marketplace where customers expect information and answers at their fingertips.

While it’s not always possible to quantify the results of certification, Fabian estimates that employee productivity usually increases about six percent with Microsoft Office certification. Customers benefit directly and indirectly from this increase in productivity, because as Fabian points out “individual efficiency translates to overall company efficiency.”

In her responsibilities as marketing research analyst, de Jager-Riley has experienced increased productivity thanks to certification. “I would say my overall productivity has increased at least 10 percent since earning certification,” she says. “I produce numerous reports that require advanced database, spreadsheet, presentation, and word processing skills. Through the certification process I learned skills that allow me to more quickly and accurately create forms, compile and analyze data, and communicate the results of surveys. ”

De Jager-Riley’s ability to perform her job more effectively allows her to also support other American Fidelity divisions more efficiently. Bev Wood concludes by explaining what this means to customers: “Improved employee productivity means support areas within the company can function more efficiently. Ultimately, the customer benefits in the form of quicker turn-around times. ”

American Fidelity will continue its tradition of investing in employee skills by encouraging help desk personnel to become 100-percent Microsoft Office certified this year.