Organizations Find Value in Offering Tuition Assistance Programs

November 1, 2011 (PLANSPONSOR.com) -  A study of the benefits of tuition assistance programs shows that the vast majority of employees who have advanced their education through such programs report that their job satisfaction, efficiency, quality, and productivity were positively influenced, and that the knowledge they acquired was useful in their jobs.

More than 96% of the respondents reported that the education they received through their tuition assistance programs was valuable and a good use of their organizations' resources. Additionally, 77% of respondents reported that the program was the reason they pursued furthering their academic/professional development.

More than 86% of the respondents reported that employee satisfaction, efficiency, quality, and productivity were positively influenced by their participation in a tuition assistance program. In addition, more than 94% of the respondents reported that the knowledge they acquired was useful to their jobs.

"This study provides quantifiable measures and insights into the value of tuition assistance investments, and it demonstrates the impact a tuition program can have for an organization and the development of its workforce," stated John Zappa, CEO of EdLink, in a press release.

The "Tuition Assistance Value Study" was conducted by EdLink, the ROI Institute, and Capella University to determine the benefits of investing in tuition assistance from the private-sector organization perspective. It was distributed last April to employees participating in the tuition assistance programs at a variety of prominent organizations across the country and across multiple industries, such as telecommunications, financial services, health care, energy, and consumer products. More than 2,000 employees responded to the survey.

Tara Cantore
editors@plansponsor.com