In the present competitive age, education is a necessity to succeed in all walks of life. Employees in large and small organizations alike have to keep developing their skill sets through continual learning in order to stay updated with the current industry trends and improve their chances of moving up the hierarchy or gaining better job opportunities. The qualifications achieved through training, which are relevant to the employee’s role in the organization, will not only help their career but will also benefit the employers. Companies such as AT&T provide an annual tuition aid of $5250 for full-time employees and reimburse them for up to $20,000 for an undergraduate course and up to $25000 for graduate degree courses.
Many employees prefer Lean Six Sigma Green Belt or Lean Six Sigma Black Belt Certification Online because of its benefits and even organizations prefer their employees to take up this training as it helps them to reduce waste and streamline operations. Some organizations demark a fixed budget for role-specific career advancement training while others need to be convinced by their employees to pay for the training program. Employer-funded training is quite rare as the high cost involved makes them believe that it is unnecessary. But in reality, investing in an employee’s career growth is far more effective than undertaking the task of training new recruits. In the long run, employees can save a lot of money by getting funding for their training from their employer. The only challenge the employees face is to convince them.
Here is how employees can convince their company to pay for their Lean Six Sigma Green Belt and Black Belt Certification Training:
Do Adequate Research:
The knowledge that can be gained through the training will help the professionals in their current role in the organization as well as in the future. Specific qualifications are required for participation in certain projects and therefore it becomes imperative for professionals to keep updating their skill set.
The professional must first find out who has to be convinced to sign off for the training. It might be the manager or someone higher in the hierarchy. Some organizations do not have a standard structure set up for employee learning and development. In such cases, professionals might have to speak directly with the boss. The employee will also have to find out other details such as the educational opportunities available to them and the cost and logistics of those opportunities. Whoever has to be convinced, their knowledge of Lean Six Sigma Green Belt and Black Belt has to be known beforehand. If they have a good understanding of the subject, only a small amount of time will be sufficient to convince them of the benefits. However, if their knowledge is little to none, every aspect of Lean Six Sigma Green Belt and Black Belt including the benefits to the organization, personal benefits, and payback periods must be outlined clearly. And this must be precise and up to the point.
Some organizations have different processes for signing off on the training. For example, some companies prefer accredited training providers to be chosen by the employee whereas other organizations require that the employee provides quotes from different training providers. The employee needs to know the exact procedure and follow it. The employee can then leverage this data to prepare the perfect pitch.
Prepare the Perfect Pitch:
Once the employee has done all the necessary research, a pitch can be put together. The success of making the company pay for the Lean Six Sigma Green Belt and Black Belt certification training will largely depend on the pitch and therefore the employee must carefully prepare for it. The employee must follow a positive approach during the pitch and have a plan.
The pitch must ideally cover three important points. Organizations will not invest in an employee’s personal development unless they are assured of some returns. But covering these points comprehensively will give no reason for the organization to be concerned.
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The employee must show the organization that they are worth it:
With hundreds of other employees at the organization, the organization needs a reason to invest in the employee. The employee must bank on other aspects such as dedication and past performance records and showcase recommendations from colleagues who wield considerable power and influence in the organization. The employee must also include other notable achievements and accomplishments during his/her time at the organization.
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The employee must show the organization that they are in it for the long haul:
This is one of the biggest concerns of the organization. Employees who leave the organization as soon as the training is complete incur a huge loss for the organization and this is what they try to avoid. Therefore the most important thing that organizations look for is assurance. Contracts are usually drawn up which makes the organization confident enough to invest in the employee. However, the employee must consider both the positive and negative aspects of the contract before signing the dotted lines. It must benefit the employee as well as the organization.
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The employee must show the organization that their professional development will benefit the business:
For an organization to invest in the Six Sigma Green Belt and Black Belt certification training for their employees, they must be sure that investing in their employee’s training will benefit them. Research by Destiny Solutions Inc. has found that close to 70% of business leaders agree that constant learning is necessary for employees to keep up with their jobs. Moreover, the more knowledgeable an organization’s employees are, the better the organization can perform.
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Before the employee puts forward their pitch, they must practice their approach with a colleague or friend and give them the liberty to criticize any flaws in the pitch in order to refine it even further. Confidence is the key here.
Influence your Boss/Manager to say YES:
This may not be necessary for smaller organizations but larger ones require concrete reasons as to how the certification will benefit the employee and subsequently the organization. Even after preparing the perfect pitch and addressing all the possible questions, some employees are still not able to sign off on their training because they are not effective at influencing. The first thing an employee must identify is the kind of boss/manager they will be dealing with. By doing so, an effective strategy can be developed that will help the employee in influencing them. The employee must also consider the time during which they can talk to the boss/manager. The best time would be first thing in the morning as they are not usually that busy.
Simple verbal persuasion is a big no. It is better to have a strategy in place and paint a clear picture about why the Green Belt and Black Belt certification training will be beneficial to themselves and the organization. A tinge of enthusiasm and passion must be included in the pitch to ensure that the training gets signed off.
