Half of the chief financial officers in a recent poll said that their organizations don't reimburse staff for the continuing education credits required to maintain their professional certifications.
Developed by financial recruiting firm Robert Half Finance & Accounting, the survey was conducted by an independent research firm and includes responses from more than 1,400 chief financial officers in a random sample of U.S. companies with 20 or more employees.
The survey question specifically asked the executives if their company reimbursed employees for the continuing education units needed to maintain their professional designations, such as CPA or certified management account.
Half of the respondents said their company offered no reimbursement benefits, while 17 percent said their company offered partial reimbursement and 29 percent said they offered full reimbursement. The remaining 4 percent either didn't know, or didn't answer the question."Companies that support continuing education signal they are committed to the professional development of their staff, which could give these firms an edge in their recruitment and retention efforts," said Robert Half International chairman and chief executive Max Messmer, in a statement. "While education benefits rarely are the sole criterion for accepting a position, they can tip the scales in an employer's favor in a competitive hiring environment."
