Running a successful business and having a great career means always looking for ways to improve on what you already have and stay ahead of the competition. Getting further specialized, especially in something that can prove valuable in different niches, is always a smart move. Because moving forward is an integral part of keeping your business prosperous, it's important to understand what the Six Sigma process is and the reasons that make it a good certification to have.

1. What Is Six Sigma?

Six Sigma is a set of techniques and tools that, when implemented in an organization, give them the ability to improve their business processes. It's important to note at the very beginning that, following its own teachings, the

Six Sigma Certification training and exams

can be done in the most efficient way possible - entirely online. The Six Sigma process aims for near-perfection in every step of a company's workflow, from selecting clients and hiring employees to delivering products and providing excellent customer service. The process uses five distinct phases in order to improve your business's workflow:

  • Defining - the process of creating the project specification, including all aspects that are to be improved.
  • Measuring -  the process of measuring the current workflow and determining if it can be improved and by how much.
  • Analyzing - using tools such as FMEA (Failure Mode and Effects Analysis) to highlight possible problem areas in your business flow.
  • Improving - all changes introduced by Six Sigma are tested for effectiveness before they're implemented on a larger scale.
  • Controlling - once the changes are made, they need to be monitored and controlled in order to ensure that there is no regression.

In other words, it's an improvement methodology that makes a business more efficient and profitable.

2. Decrease Waste

Among the most common reasons why businesses lose money is by producing unnecessary waste - whether that's in materials used to create products,  the time it takes for a project to get done, or any other element of the process. One of the

main qualities that make a successful business

is having a good business plan - and a part of that means knowing exactly how much certain elements of your business cost. In order to achieve this goal, Six Sigma employs a series of techniques and tools that help you map every step in the process and determine where it's necessary to make changes. For example, if you've got industrial equipment that is becoming outdated or difficult to maintain because the industry itself has changed, it might be time to sell it and invest in equipment that can better assist your business. Additionally, Six Sigma allows people who are not directly involved with certain processes to determine how to improve them - even if they're employees at different levels of the company hierarchy. By encouraging your employees to get the certification, you'll ensure that you have highly-trained people at all levels that are capable of making valuable contributions to your company's growth.

3. Improve Efficiency And Productivity

The Six Sigma certification allows you to implement new, more efficient ways of doing things in your business. Because it relies on

collaboration between different employees

with different job titles, everyone is able to contribute their ideas and input on how they think changes should be made. This makes the process less subjective and more objective since there are specific tools that are used to check the work, and because the entire process is mapped out in advance. When employees are properly trained to participate in this kind of objective analysis, the company as a whole will make decisions that lead to greater efficiency - which can be seen by improved productivity numbers. The same tools that are used for improvement are also important when it comes to data analysis and measuring things such as customer satisfaction. Companies that take advantage of Six Sigma will benefit from having a well-trained workforce capable of completing the process in the most efficient way possible.

4. Fewer Errors

The Black Belt certification is all about subjective analysis and improvement. Six Sigma requires a

standardized

, detailed process that every employee should follow. This means that there will be no way for them to skip elements of the project, or make changes without consulting their colleagues first. In other words, it makes your company less prone to errors since there is a clear protocol with defined paths and procedures to follow. This also makes it easier for employees who are less experienced in the domain of your business to make valuable contributions. When they're properly trained, they'll be able to follow the same protocols and methods that more seasoned colleagues use, resulting in similar outcomes. Because there's no subjective judgment involved in the process, less time than before is needed to fix errors that do show up.

5. Wide Application Options

Six Sigma can be applied to almost any type of industry - although it's particularly useful in fields such as IT, retail and hospitality,  medical care, manufacturing, energy, construction, and more. The principles behind Six Sigma are great for improving each of these types of companies because they rely on collaboration between different employees that have specialized roles in the company's hierarchy. Mapping out how everything works allows you to make changes to certain processes while also measuring the results throughout the process thanks to statistical tools available. However, having just a few of your employees who work in the right position with this certification can also provide benefits, particularly if they are able to train colleagues who work in different departments. If they are in an upper managerial position where they have insight into the way the business runs as a whole, they can make changes or introduce new standards for process improvement that will have a cascading effect across the entire company.

6. Increased Earnings

Companies that have successfully implemented Six Sigma have also seen an increase in their earnings. This is because by measuring things through the entire process, you can be sure that any decisions made are based on facts - not just subjective judgments. With objective measurements, every change has a chance of positively affecting your business' numbers across the board, which leads to increased earnings. This success can be replicated by businesses that opt to start using Six Sigma principles, which means you'll lead the industry simply by keeping up with trends and implementing them into your own company's processes - well before it becomes a requirement for most other companies in your industry.

The Six Sigma certification is used by thousands of companies all over the world because it offers so many advantages. By hiring employees who have this qualification, you'll gain access to a workforce that can complete projects with greater efficiency than before, thanks to standardized processes and procedures that everyone follows.