Understanding Your Employer’s Perspective
First and foremost, it is important to understand your employer’s perspective on why he should finance your studies. This will also ensure you maintain a good professional relationship and to maximize the benefits that this education can offer you careerwise.
Communicating the Benefits of Your Studies to Your Employer
Your employer can see financing your studies as an investment in your professional development and a way to keep you motivated and committed to the company. By investing in your training, your employer can hope you acquire news skills and knowledge that can benefit the company in the long term.
From another side, your employer can also see financing your studies as an additional cost for the company, especially if the studies are not directly related to your current position. It is important to communicate clearly with your employer on your what your studies goals are and how these could benefit the company.
It is also important to take into account the company policies in terms of financing your studies and ensuring that you respect all the related conditions and requirements. Finally, it is always recommended to show your employer your gratitude for the support that he brings into your academic endeavor.
Tips to Convince Your Employer to Finance Your Studies
Here are some tips to convince your employer to finance your studies:
- Highlight the many benefits for the company: Explain to your employer how the investment in your training will benefit the company by allowing you to acquire new skills which will enable you to better contribute to its success.
- Propose a training plan: Present a detailed plan for your studies, detailing the subjects and skills you will acquire and explaining how you would put them into practice in your work.
- Mention the motivational factor this would add to your employment: Show your employer that you are motivated and determined to succeed in your studies, explaining how this will go to help you achieve your professional goals.
- Suggest a compromise: If your employer remains reluctant to fully finance your studies, propose a compromise by suggesting sharing the costs or by finding other sources of financing.
- Highlight the potential tax benefits: Explain to your employer that financing your studies can be tax deductible and that he could benefit from tax advantages.
Following these tips and being well prepared will increase your chances of convincing your employer to finance your studies.
Balancing Work and Studies Effectively
Assuming you have succeeded in convincing your employer, there is another challenge not to be underestimated. Managing your work time with your studies requires careful planning and organisation, as time management in online learning is crucial for staying on track and maintaining balance. You will need to identify the most important tasks to accomplish for your studies and work and assign priorities to them. You will have to develop a weekly or daily schedule integrating learning hours, working hours and times dedicated to assignment/revision. It will be essential to limit distractions as much as possible (such as social media, television, etc.) during work/study periods in order to stay focused and productive. A mistake would be to overload your timetable by wanting to accomplish too many things at once. You should be realistic about what you can really accomplish in a day’s time while providing time slots for your work, your family, your leisure, etc. If necessary, you should not hesitate to inform your employer of your studies workload/deadlines in order to find arrangements that allow you to best reconcile your studies and your work.
Time Management and Avoiding Burnout
Finally remember to take regular breaks for yourself in order to avoid the risk of burnout. This will allow you to be more productive in your work and studies. Like with many endeavors in life, time management, discipline and organization will be key to your success.
Online courses like MBAs or Masters in HR Management are specially designed to allow you to achieve both your objectives: coping with a demanding job while completing your studies successfully.
Written by Philippe Riewer,
GROUP CFO, Stafford Global
