Canadian HR Reporter is the national journal of human resource management. It features the latest workplace news, HR best practices, employment law commentary and tools and tips for employers to get the most out of their workforce.
Issue link: https://digital.hrreporter.com/i/1306273
22 www.hrreporter.com F E A T U R E S HUMAN resource professionals are known for being enthusiastic lifelong learners, but embarking on a master of business administration (MBA) program may seem like a daunting investment of time and money for those busy grappling with the people and operational challenges of today's economy. However, with the move to increased online learning and working from home against the backdrop of a global pandemic, many are considering a return to school to boost their business acumen. "We were up 20 to 25 per cent by the end of last year, and when COVID hit, I think people decided it was the perfect time to upskill," says Rodrigo Porto, director of recruitment and admissions at the UBC Sauder School of Business in Vancouver. "We also saw international numbers continue to rise, but the "HR was a second career for me," says Smith. "I had the business experience, but I felt as I went through my HR career [that] I was missing that piece to be that strategic business partner. HR has a dual role in that it supports the employee perspective but also supports the business, and you need to find that link in between and understand the business behind it all." Shift in thinking Megan Hall had her own human resource consulting business before enrolling in an MBA program at the Lazaridis School of Business at Wilfrid Laurier University in 2015. "I had always wanted to do a master's, but the longer I worked, the more I realized an unstructured research master's wasn't my style," says Hall, head of people and culture at Ten Thousand Coffees, an online mentoring and networking platform. "The MBA appealed to me because I had a certain level of business experience but had focused on HR up to that point and IMPRESSIVE ROI FOR MBAs IN CANADA gets people promoted — the ability to EQ yourself into a role and grow," says Porto. HR people often bring a unique skill set to the MBA program, says Catherine Chandler-Crichlow, executive director of career management and corporate recruiting at the Ivey Business School at Western University in London, Ont. "[HR is] often seeking to get more rigour around understanding strategy and operations. They understand the people side but want to better understand the operational side — that's what they want from an MBA program," she says. Christina Smith is in the MBA program at the DeGroote School of Management at McMaster University. As director of operations and business development at Kangaroo Trailers, she is looking to add more strategic business management skills after working in HR roles for many years in the advertising sector. $56,328 Average tuition for an executive MBA in 2019-20 $27,397 Average tuition for a regular MBA in 2019-20 33% Average difference in salary for MBA grads compared to undergrads in 2015 $91,900 Average salary for 2017 MBA grads in business, management and public admin. $87,700 Average salary for 2017 MBA grads in health and related fields $87,500 Average salary for 2017 MBA grads in education WHY MBAs MAKE SENSE FOR HR Pursuing an MBA may seem like a daunting prospect, but with more online learning and people working from home amid the pandemic, many professionals are considering a return to school to boost their business acumen, says Jennifer Brown of Course Compare domestic uptake was something beyond what we were expecting." Data analytics, EQ skills People with HR backgrounds are interested in learning how to make the best use of data analytics to assist in attracting and retaining talent — using data to identify patterns in high performers and to build out teams across an organization, he says. "It's about how we can attract the right workforce and get the business to the next level," says Porto. "With the impact of COVID-19, that need will be enhanced even further." There is also greater interest from HR professionals in emotional intelligence development, looking at emotional quotient (EQ) competencies such as self- regulation, adaptability and optimism. "It gives you that ability to coach other managers and directors, and it's what Source: Statistics Canada T R A I N I N G & D E V E L O P M E N T