July 22, 2024
Workplaces are busy; it’s a statement of indisputable fact. Just about every employee’s day is rammed to the rafters with work to do and there is very little opportunity to take time out for anything, let alone commit to hours or days of training.
And yet, training is so important. It offers employees the chance to learn new skills, to keep up to date with the latest technology or legal issues and, vitally, helps to keep them motivated and engaged. Staff retention is a big issue these days. When employees move on to new jobs, they can take with them years of experience and knowledge, some of which is irreplaceable. Giving staff the chance to undergo training is important for their personal development with the added benefit of how it can improve their company and help other employees. But how do you ask your manager for training? Here’s some hints.
Be clear
Explain why you want training including what areas you specifically want to focus on. It pays to research what courses are available in advance so you can illustrate precisely what you are interested in as well as demonstrating your commitment. It is a good tip to send this request over in an email in the first instance to give your manager time to consider your application. You can follow this up with a request for a meeting so you can further explain your thinking.
Be positive
When you meet your manager, explain clearly why you want to undertake the training. Show that by wanting to do so, you are displaying not only your ambition but your enthusiasm for self-improvement, both of which are positive virtues. You should also demonstrate the ways in which your enhanced knowledge will benefit the company and other employees with whom you can share what you learn.
Be reasonable
There is no doubt taking someone away from their core job can be disruptive and some of the in-depth training can span years. As such, there might be some resistance from your manager to agree so be prepared to be conciliatory. If your manager feels he cannot commit to one particular training course, try to find another which might be less time critical such as one which is shorter and which can be done flexibly to fit into work commitments. Hopefully you will demonstrate the value of the course to the business and you will be able to undertake more training in the future.
Be grateful
Thank your manager for their support in giving you the opportunity to train during work time. It is not mandatory to do so and you could get a handy qualification while the business will benefit from your enhanced skills and shared knowledge.
Learn more about our range of management training courses by speaking to us at SVC Solutions to discuss how we can help you.
