I was talking with a friend who tells me his company has stopped reimbursing for attendance at conferences and for fees for participation in professional memberships and communities of practice. When I asked their reason, he noted, “The company doesn’t see the value to supporting such things. My boss told me the company can’t continue to pay for something that benefits only the individual and not the company.” How shortsighted!
Attendance at conferences, participation in professional associations and in communities of practices have value to both the individual and the organization! Let’s look at just some of the benefits:
- Learning and sharing best practices
- Hearing about new ideas, approaches and trends in the industry
- Learning about others’ challenges and how those challenges are being addressed
- Increasing skills and knowledge
- Making valuable new connections
These translate to the following for organizations:
- Better skilled and knowledgeable employees
- Fresh ideas for new products and services
- Engaged employees committed to an organization that is committed to their professional and personal development
Not enabling an employee to develop by providing support for attendance at conferences and membership/participation in professional associations is just plain shortsighted!
