diff --git a/rich/progress.py b/rich/progress.py
index 1e086ef1..6e9e9fbd 100644
--- a/rich/progress.py
+++ b/rich/progress.py
@@ -716,9 +716,16 @@ class TaskProgressColumn(TextColumn):
             table_column=table_column,
         )
 
-    def render_speed(self, task: "Task") -> Text:
-        """Show data transfer speed."""
-        speed = task.finished_speed or task.speed
+    @classmethod
+    def render_speed(cls, speed: float | None) -> Text:
+        """Render the speed in iterations per second.
+
+        Args:
+            task (Task): A Task object.
+
+        Returns:
+            Text: Text object containing the task speed.
+        """
         if speed is None:
             return Text("", style="progress.percentage")
         unit, suffix = filesize.pick_unit_and_suffix(
@@ -731,7 +738,7 @@ class TaskProgressColumn(TextColumn):
 
     def render(self, task: "Task") -> Text:
         if task.total is None and self.show_speed:
-            return self.render_speed(task)
+            return self.render_speed(task.finished_speed or task.speed)
         text_format = (
             self.text_format_no_percentage if task.total is None else self.text_format
         )
diff --git a/tests/test_progress.py b/tests/test_progress.py
index 995467db..8a90ad80 100644
--- a/tests/test_progress.py
+++ b/tests/test_progress.py
@@ -647,6 +647,20 @@ def test_wrap_file_task_total() -> None:
         os.remove(filename)
 
 
+def test_task_progress_column_speed():
+    speed_text = TaskProgressColumn.render_speed(None)
+    assert speed_text.plain == ""
+
+    speed_text = TaskProgressColumn.render_speed(5)
+    assert speed_text.plain == "5.0 it/s"
+
+    speed_text = TaskProgressColumn.render_speed(5000)
+    assert speed_text.plain == "5.0×10³ it/s"
+
+    speed_text = TaskProgressColumn.render_speed(8888888)
+    assert speed_text.plain == "8.9×10⁶ it/s"
+
+
 if __name__ == "__main__":
     _render = render_progress()
     print(_render)