How to get the time to do your course
Getting the time to train, learn and grow
1. Build Your Case
Do your research. Look in your Employee Handbook to see if there’s a sabbatical/leave program or talk to your union or HR to see if they can shed any light on the situation.
In addition, map out the details. Have a solid timeframe in mind for when you want the sabbatical to start and for how long it will be. Reducing the amount of friction that you might cause within your company’s schedule will do you big favours.
For example, if you tell your manager you want to take a sabbatical but do not know for how long, they may say you're only allowed two weeks off. However, if you say that you want to take 3 months off, they will be more likely to grant you extended time, or at least it opens up a point of negotiation.
Learning and planning as much as you can upfront will help you construct your case and set you up for success.
2. Plan in Advance!
Asking for a sabbatical is not the same as quitting your job, so a few weeks notice will never ever work.
If you decide to notify work way in advance, be sure to emphasise to your boss and HR that you want to be proactive in order to create a win/win situation for both parties and to leave as little to do whilst you are gone – they will love this!
3. Know Whom to Consult First
Every organisation operates in a different hierarchical manner. Knowing whom to consult on sabbaticals will help set you up for success.
For example, I read an article for a female who worked for a small firm where rumours spread like wildfire and secrets are nonexistent. Knowing this about her company, she thought it would be wise to reach out to her boss about her intentions prior to HR. The thought of your boss finding out ‘second-hand information’ would not only make the process very difficult but you make find the atmosphere in your current place a lot more uncomfortable.
4. Schedule a Meeting
Etiquette and respect matter! Get some time booked on the calendar to sit down and discuss the sabbatical with your employer.
5. Prepare Anyone Directly Involved in the Meeting
When you schedule time to meet with your boss to discuss taking a sabbatical, make sure you inform them on the topic of your meeting. The discussion will more than likely be counterproductive if the sabbatical topic gets brought up for the first time five minutes into the meeting.
6. Start the Meeting off on a High... and do a Little Crawling
Make it about them. Start the conversation off by saying that you truly enjoy being an employee for such an esteemed and people-centric company. If the company knows how happy you are in your job, they will more than likely try and keep you happy and worry less about replacing you.
7. Get the 'Why' out on the Table
Now that you've made your manager feel all warm and fuzzy on the inside, start breaking down your rationale for wanting to take leave: Why is it important to you? What do you hope to get out of it? Why is now a better time than ever to improve yourself?
If you have a good relationship with your management, they will want to help out!
8. Tell the Company how it Benefits Them
If a manager has a clear idea of how it will benefit them before and after you leave, this can help your case.
You need to tie your request into your career growth and discuss how your time off will benefit you on both a personal and professional level.
They also do not have to pay you for your time off, thus saving money. What CFO doesn’t like that arrangement?!
9. Be Flexible with Your Employer's Requests
Even if you are dead set on your plans for taking the sabbatical (and the reasoning’s behind them) your manager will appreciate if you ask for his or her feedback. This shows that you value their opinion. Some questions to ask are as follows:
- How can I make this work for you?
- Do you have any concerns?
- What are some next steps that I need to take to prepare for this leave?
10. Get Ahead of Your Work... I Mean Really Ahead
Making sure that you are ahead of your goals, putting in more time and making yourself appear a more indispensable member of the team might seem like a backwards way of getting time off but it will also show the business that you are worth keeping. If you are adamant that you want the time off, finding someone of your skills and work ethic would be a greater inconvenience to them than waiting for your time off.
