How to Convince Your Company to Pay for Training

Will companies and managers will pay for outside supplemental training such as online courses or facilitated workshops?  

First some background...

• Types of Learning Providers (01:10–02:21)
  Larger companies often have in-house training or contract external providers, while smaller companies may lack such resources, leading employees to seek outside courses.

• Personal Learning Preferences (02:21–02:57)
  Individuals often seek different learning styles, such as video-based and practical content, which may not be offered through company-provided resources.

80% of Managers will say, "YEs, if..."

• Reasons for Refusal (06:05–06:45)
  Only 20% of managers may not reimburse training due to the availability of in-house options or concerns about confidentiality, especially in industries like pharma, high-tech, and finance.

• Survey Results: Manager Willingness (03:31–04:51)
  But, 80% of surveyed managers would reimburse online training if it aligns with the employee's job tasks. For larger corporations, training must fit within specific budgets and invoicing requirements.

• Conditions for Reimbursement (04:51–06:05)
  Many managers would reimburse training if it falls within budget, provides an invoice, and directly supports the employee’s role. These are key factors for approval.

• Benefits of External Training (07:56–09:42)
  External courses are often more efficient and less costly than in-house programs, providing companies with motivated employees ready to apply new skills at a fraction of the cost.

• Boost in Employee Motivation (09:09–09:42)
  Managers see value in approving training, as it significantly boosts employee motivation and engagement, leading to better job performance and faster results.

So yes, this is why you should consider asking...

• Encouragement to Ask for Training (12:07–12:41)
  Employees are encouraged to bring training requests to their managers, as even a refusal signals an interest in development and can lead to future opportunities.

• Career and Development Impact (12:41–13:16)
  Requesting training shows initiative, opens dialogue about career development, and helps employees shape their personal growth path within the company, improving how they are perceived.

And this is How You Can Ask...

If you believe you need to improve some skills to grow in your career and you can benefit from some outside training class, don't be afraid to talk to your supervisor about it! 

Take the initiative to have the conversation with your supervisor, understanding that not taking the chance guarantees a negative outcome.   You have Nothing to lose!

Before the conversation:

• Understand the course content and benefits, and link it to your job scope to showcase how it'll make you a better employee.
• Identify the pain points in your organization and connect them to how the course can address those challenges.
• Approach the conversation with the assumption that your boss wants your growth and success; start with a positive mindset. 
• Make the discussion with your boss about your development needs and link them to how the course can enhance your weaker areas.

During the conversation:

• Maintain a respectful and gracious tone to emphasize the win-win scenario.
• Inquire about your career journey, leveraging their story if they took classes or if it took them a lot of trial and error (costly mistakes) that made their development take a lot longer.
• Focus on how it benefits the company, not just personal development.  What are you going to be able to do for your company after taking the course?
• Use past training sessions (or other people in your organization taking some training) as examples to highlight the impact of training on both personal and organizational growth.

Preventing objections:

• Ensure commitment to other responsibilities while requesting both financial support and time for taking the course.
• Offer to coach others as a means to deepen your understanding while benefiting the company.

• Be understanding if your boss hesitates due to concerns about you leaving the company after taking the course.  
• Negotiate options (smaller course, spacing it out, delaying payment, etc.) if the initial investment seems daunting for the company.
• Handle a potential refusal gracefully, keeping the conversation open for future reconsideration.

Course Forward:

To understand these tips more in detail, the video below can help you understand a particular point that wasn't clear.  We hope that this empowers you to have that conversation with your boss.  If we can help you prepare for that conversation by answering any of these questions related to the course you're looking to take, we'd be glad to help.  Just email us at [email protected] and we can discuss how we can help.

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