Since its creation in the 1980s, Six Sigma has stood out as the prominent standard for quality management. Major big names like Amazon, General Electric, Tata Motors, and of course, Motorola have reaped the benefits of Six Sigma. From meeting customer requirements to optimizing business processes for efficiency – Six Sigma remains crucial to maintain quality benchmarks!
In this blog, we’ll be looking into the benefits of Six Sigma for organizations as well as professionals, and also explore if pursuing Six Sigma certifications is worth it in 2024!
Benefits of Six Sigma
Six Sigma is quite a big deal in quality movement. It has been around for decades for a reason. It is so popular because it is efficient. Six Sigma is also a go-to for professionals and organizations looking to improve their products and processes.
Some key benefits of Six Sigma include –
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Reduce Waste:
Six Sigma aims to reduce waste in operations. It seeks to remove any variation or flaw that occurs in processes. Defects can range from manufacturing flaws to excess resource use. Six Sigma detects the agents that cause these errors. Then it uses the tools derived from its principles to eliminate those agents. When an organization can minimize waste and make operations error-free, it can increase profits and ensure efficiency.
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Process Optimization:
The benefits of the Six Sigma methodology also include process optimization. When we eliminate defects and run the operation without errors, the overall process becomes smoother. Six Sigma also encourages continuous improvement, which helps organizations pursue process optimization further.
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Customer Satisfaction:
One of the benefits of Six Sigma is its customer-centric approach to quality management. When the quality of products and processes improves, it results in customer satisfaction. Quality improvement is initiated in the first place to ensure that quality products and processes are provided to the customers. So, when customers are satisfied with products, it ensures a long run for businesses.
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Conserves Resources:
With increased efficiency and reduced defects, organizations save precious resources like time, money, labor, etc. Fewer defects mean less need for revision and fewer additional costs. Thus, optimizing processes to work on limited resources also makes Six Sigma a sustainable tool.
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Reliable Method:
Six Sigma Methodology is a data-driven tool, which means it is based on evidence and not assumptions. Data makes it a reliable source for long-term implementation. It is efficient in itself which thereby adds to its reliability as a business methodology.
What is Six Sigma Certification?
Six Sigma certification is a recognized standard in quality management. It endorses your skills of improving process efficiency and reducing product defects or “waste”. You earn the Six Sigma badge after completing specific training and the following assessments that demonstrate your understanding of Six Sigma principles and methodologies.
A certificate in Six Sigma means you have been trained to follow standardized industry practices in quality management. It shows you are “competent to practice” and apply these methodologies in your organization.
The Six Sigma Certification is based at different levels namely Yellow Belt, Green Belt, Black Belt, and Master Black Belt. The belts show the proficiency level of individuals – with Yellow Belt as the beginner, and Black Belt and Master Black Belts as experts of Six Sigma. There are multiple trusted Six Sigma Certification providers like ASQ, IASSC, CSSC, etc.
Six Sigma Belt Levels –
- Six Sigma Yellow Belt: It is the entry-level training course in Six Sigma. Yellow Belt training consists of an introduction to the language of Six Sigma Methodology. In this belt, the instructors train and test you for basic awareness of the tools and techniques under Six Sigma.
- Six Sigma Green Belt: Higher in the order of Six Sigma Certification is the Six Sigma Green Belt. It is focused on the practical knowledge required to improve quality within an organization. Individuals must complete a series of training sessions to get certified as Green Belt.
- Six Sigma Black Belt: The Black Belt is a more advanced level and is suited for the practitioners of Six Sigma methodology willing to advance further in their careers. Black Belt indicates the expertise of individuals in leading process improvement initiatives. Training for Black Belt is more comprehensive and usually includes capstone projects as well to ensure a complete understanding of Six Sigma methods.
- Master Black Belt: It is the highest level of Six Sigma Certification. It helps experts in Six Sigma demonstrate their ability to adapt Lean Six Sigma principles across an organization. Master Black Belts are also responsible for training other Six Sigma practitioners at different belt levels.
Benefits of Six Sigma Certification
Professional Certifications have become an integral resource for employers as well as employees. It marks a standard for guaranteed performance. Six Sigma comes with its associated benefits for individuals as well as organizations and so does its certification.
Let’s look at the benefits of Six Sigma Certification for Individuals as well as Organizations separately:
Benefits of Six Sigma For Individuals:
Upskilling is the new trend and is due to its credit. Upskilling manages to close the skill gap required for successful careers. Six Sigma Certification is one such prominent way of upskilling. It can help you gain a better footing in your current job and also help you build skills that are essential to sustain a long-term career.
Some of the notable benefits of Six Sigma Certification are as follows –
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Establish Credibility:
Six Sigma Certification will help exhibit your proficiency in process improvement methodologies. The credential is an industry-recognized validation that will vouch for your knowledge and ability to drive excellence at an organizational level. Six Sigma Certification assures employers that you understand data-driven methods, conduct root-cause analysis, and apply problem-solving techniques effectively. Six Sigma is associated with a decree of improvement methodology and your efficiency in it as proved by the certificate ensures your mobility in your field.
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High-Paying Jobs:
Organizations often reward certified professionals for their ability to deliver quantifiable improvements in quality. Key competencies like data analysis, risk management, and process optimization are tied to Six Sigma which are high-in-demand skills. Getting certified in Six Sigma makes you a valuable resource in your industry, and further helps you get better remuneration. According to Skillsoft’s IT Skills and Salary Report, 2023 – The average salary for a Business process certification like Six Sigma is $83,033 in the Asia Pacific Region.
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Career Advancement:
Six Sigma Certification can help you transition to better job roles with leadership opportunities. Nowadays, Organizations constantly strive for higher efficiency and reduce overall operational expenses. Six Sigma experts with advanced certification can bank on this opportunity. Process improvement and quality management are complex measures that require a higher level of expertise. With advanced skills like project management, project leadership, and change management you can attract better career development opportunities.
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Collaboration and Community:
The training and certification process includes interaction with fellow professionals from the same field. This can bring you valuable networking opportunities and access to industry events. Collaboration within your network can facilitate better connection and awareness of industry-specific insights.
Benefits of Six Sigma For Organizations:
It has become imperative for employers to understand the need for providing training and investing in upskilling programs. According to the World Economic Forum’s Future of Job reports, almost 44% of worker’s skills are going to be disrupted, and 6 in 10 employees will require training before 2027.
The organization that invests in training and upskilling early can benefit immensely.
Businesses looking to transition to more optimized processes and quality products can use the Six Sigma methodology. They can leverage the benefits of Six Sigma by employing experts who are equipped with the tools and techniques of Six Sigma. Professionals with Six Sigma Certification can aid organizations in achieving their quality goals.
Some of the benefits of Six Sigma training also include:
- Increased Efficiency: Employees adept at applying Six Sigma Principles can streamline operations throughout the organization. This helps bring efficiency to the business process.
- Competitive Edge: Six Sigma practitioners use the customer perspective to improve their products, which results in customer satisfaction. Loyal customers give a competitive advantage to the product and the business.
- Standard Metric Design: Six Sigma is a tool that functions on measured data. While analyzing the data, the employees also set standard metrics for future use and improvements.
- Sustain Results: One of the core ideals of Six Sigma is continuous improvement. Leaders ensure the quality initiative works on this objective, which makes it easy to respond to changing market needs. This helps organizations to sustain success long term.
Is Six Sigma Certification Worth It?
We have laid down the benefits of Six Sigma methodology as well as Six Sigma Certification. Are you convinced yet? If not, here’s an additional reason why you should consider Six Sigma Certification.
It has been established that Six Sigma promotes analytical thinking. Even its approaches like DMAIC and DMADV, consist of an analysis phase. In this phase, the measured data of variations and defects are analyzed to understand how to implement improvement tracks.
According to the Future of Jobs report by the World Economic Forum, “The highest priority for skills training from 2023-2027 is analytical thinking, which is set to account for 10% of training initiatives, on average.” The report suggests that the demand for analytical thinking is on the rise, making it an essential area in training and worth the investment.
Six Sigma is a methodology credited with improving process efficiency, eliminating defects, promoting analytical thinking, cost reduction, customer satisfaction, etc. Organizations often seek professionals with Six Sigma Certification to lead quality initiatives as well as to train all participants involved. If you want to hear our thoughts, we think Six Sigma Certification is undoubtedly worth it!
How To Get Certified in Six Sigma?
Are you ready to get certified in Six Sigma? Here’s a step-wise process to help you navigate your way toward Six Sigma Certification:
- Identify Your Objective: The certification can serve different goals depending on the objectives of individuals and organizations. The objectives can be switching to a different career, applying for roles that require the credentials, or doing better at your current role. Identify and understand your objectives beforehand to get better results.
- Know Your Proficiency Level: Six Sigma Certification has different levels depending upon the experience of Six Sigma. If you are a beginner, you can opt for Yellow Belt or go for higher levels like Black Belt and Master Black Belt if you have prior knowledge and experience about the workings of Six Sigma in quality management.
- Choose a Six Sigma Training Program: A Six Sigma Training program is your gateway to the certification exam. You should choose a Six Sigma Training Program after careful consideration. Think about factors like training costs, mode of teaching, the study materials available, the reputation of the certifying body, etc. Choose a program that best suits your learning needs and fits your scheme of things!
- Take The Certification Exam: The final step of getting Six Sigma certified is to take the certifying exam and pass it. With thorough preparation and proper training, you will easily crack the exam.
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Conclusion
Six Sigma is a quality control framework that optimizes processes by reducing waste and variations. Six Sigma benefits both employees and employers. The benefits of Six Sigma include high levels of customer satisfaction, more revenue for business, higher remuneration for employees, and higher quality products. Thus enhancing an organization’s value to customers and end consumers.
