cre·den·tial krəˈden(t)SHəl noun
plural noun: credentials
a qualification, achievement, personal quality, or aspect of a person’s background, typically when used to indicate that they are suitable for something.
“recruitment is based mainly on academic credentials”
a document or certificate proving a person’s identity or qualifications.
synonyms: documents, documentation, papers, identity papers, bona fides, ID, ID card, identity card, passport, proof of identity;
What is credentialing?
The word credentialing gets thrown around a lot in the business world, but what does it really mean? Are you credentialed for your job? Usually, credentialing means a verification or validation that a person has the skills, tools, or certifications to perform a job or service. Usually, credentials are required for liability protection or risk reduction. Credentials can vary among different industries as well. For instance, the credentials required for health workers are different than what is required for a welder or undersea diver. Most people who have credentials store them either at their house (As a certificate or diploma) or have their credentials stored by an authority such as a university (for a transcript).
Enter Digital Credentials
Since credentials can expire and be updated, it’s really difficult to represent them using traditional methods, such as a paper or plastic badge. Enter digital credentials. If you need to prove your competencies, rather than carry around a binder full of certificates, wouldn’t it be easier to have an electronic representation on-hand at all times? As an organization who does high-skilled services, wouldn’t it be easier to just store and update your workers’ credentials on the cloud?
Digital credentials let people represent their skills on a mobile device at any time. Typically, digital credentialing services allow organizations to select the required documentation and then require their workers to upload their certificates and licenses. These credentials typically have expiration dates and must be updated on a regular basis to stay within compliance. A good digital credentialing system will greatly reduce risk and liability.
How To Use Credentialing
Using digital credentials isn’t that hard. If you run an organization that needs to store documentation, you can require your workers to upload required credentials. Once your workers are fully credentialed, they can display their competencies to any clients, regulators, insurance companies, and more. Digital credentials can be used as a competitive advantage in the marketplace as well – imagine being able to show prospective clients proof that all your contractors are background checked and have their valid OSHA training. In short, digital credentials are something that any business should consider adding.