I have been working in a company for two years. This boasts of encouraging the development of talents. However, training is still offered to managers. Never anything for the employees! How do I go about convincing my boss to invest in training for my development? – Julien
It is regrettable that Julien has to convince his employer to invest in his development and, by extension, in that of all the staff. However, there is no shortage of arguments. Here are four that he could pass on to his boss or a human resources manager.
• The Conference Board of Canada, a major research and intervention organization, found that employers spent, in 2021, on average a little more than $1,000 per employee per year while an amount of $1,800 would be necessary to face current challenges. This money is in fact a real investment since staff development is clearly associated with the productivity and profitability of organizations.
•Studies from large consulting firms show the advantages for companies of undertaking a vast project to upgrade the skills of their staff. It is estimated that at least 50% of all employees would benefit from upskilling to deal with rapid obsolescence in today’s environment.
• A more qualified workforce allows for greater accountability and autonomy within teams. It is therefore wise to consider that, tomorrow, all members of a team can benefit, like managers, from the development of interpersonal, cognitive and leadership skills.
• As Julien demonstrates with his question, benefiting from development opportunities corresponds to one of the most important expectations among employees. Meeting this expectation helps to increase their satisfaction and commitment, and therefore attract and retain them.
Like Julien, many want to benefit from structured and formal training offered by their employer. However, according to studies, it is important to realize that 60 to 90% of organizational learning takes place informally in the field and in action through personal initiatives. This could mean seeking more feedback to identify your skills needs and clarifying your blind spots, learning through experience by getting involved in projects that take you out of your comfort zone, setting aside time for reflection to learn lessons , learn by observing the best in your field, or ask more questions from a mentor or fellow expert.
Maintain a learner posture. Through his question, Julien lets us see that he has a valuable asset. He wants to learn and progress in the organization. Nurturing your curiosity, believing in your ability to learn, seeking challenges, realizing that even a mistake can be a learning experience and that the success of others can also be a source of inspiration are all factors that set you apart from the large cohort of individuals who limit themselves to their past knowledge and achievements, thinking they have what it takes to face the future.
Target the skills you want to develop. Learning on your own requires a deliberate or intentional approach. To be effective in your development, you must take a step back to identify the strengths you wish to consolidate, the new skills to acquire and the weak points to neutralize. Next, determine your priorities and take it one skill at a time, but really invest in it.
Go get support. Developing yourself does not mean that you are alone in your approach. There are several options for mobilizing a collaborative learning network made up of people who share the desire to develop and who have targeted similar or complementary needs. This can be through the creation of a community of practice, co-development, sponsorship or peer coaching.
Seek to position yourself as a high-potential employee. It is normal for an employer to pay particular attention to the development of high-potential individuals who will ultimately take over in key or strategic positions. One way to not remain in the shadows is to make known your motivation to progress, your interest in developing, volunteer to be part of projects, take initiatives, then make your achievements visible. Also, do like thousands of people throughout Quebec and take advantage of reasonable tuition fees to register for short training courses (firmware, certificates, quality training accessible on the web) in order to obtain certification by recognized organizations which will demonstrate your new skills.
Finally, demonstrate that your organization does not need to look for talent externally since the employee pool contains many hidden talents who are eager to come to light. Not developing them is running the risk of losing them.
