I've worked at companies where Friday mornings were training mornings. We bustled in early with the excitement of the weekend, the complimentary cheese toasties and the likely chance to take away a piece of knowledge which would genuinely improve our work glowing before us. Yes, we had a lot to get done before the week's end, but skipping out on training was a never an option because we knew that the information we'd gain would save us time in the long haul. And, did I mention cheese toasties?

Whether it was a new automated report, a new browser extension or time management training tools and client management skills for empathy and the art of pushing back, the value was always worth more the hour we had set aside for it.

Too often, training calendar invites are given the side-eye and met with the sentiment of: "Is this really worth my time?" or even worse the sentiment of "This isn’t for me, I'm not important enough"

In a world where time is money, it can be easy to see training sessions as a vehicle tearing you away from your work and even your commission. Instead of becoming disheartened that your carefully crafted training session or workshop isn't being recognised for the genius that is is, respect your attendees' position, and don't assume you have their automatic buy-in and attention. Sometimes you need to give a little to get a little.

For training sessions to work, you have to create an atmosphere which bodes i) openness to the fact that everyone has something to learn, whether it be addressing old habits or gaining an awareness of new tools/updates/concepts and ii) that the company values your skills and improvement, above your immediate output.

If you consider yourself a lesser cog in the corporate machine, whose value is to 'get the client report out by midday', then why would you allow yourself the morning off for training? You may not have the self-confidence, yet, to push yourself and your career forward.These trainees may need a welcoming nod from higher ups to actively encourage that they are valued for their wider contribution and future at the company.

For the know-it-alls, you need to gently remind them of the value of their training. Don’t assume that a killer training session will lead to their buy-in for future training sessions. Tearing someone away from their desk requires constant reassurance and reiteration. Like the old zen saying “You should meditate for twenty minutes every day, unless you are too busy, then you should meditate for an hour”. The same thing applies for training. It may seem counterintuitive, but if you are struggling to get your work done and playing catch-up after hours, you are most in need for training to increase your effectiveness and efficiency.

Arianna Huffington, is on a similar quest when she speaks of the ‘collective disillusionment’ towards our sleep needs. She proffers that sleep is a performance enhancer and not an obstacle to our productivity as it is often presented as. If you place value on your time, you must allow yourself time to learn new concepts, shortcuts and tools to increase your productivity.

The glowing excitement and openness for learning we had on those toastie-filled Friday mornings, was what made the training enjoyable and led to the willing reciprocal sharing of new ideas.

Showcase your value, reiterate their value, debunk counterintuitive intuitions about productivity and let your training sessions glow!

I’m proud to offer bespoke training academies for specialist recruitment consultants who are excited to be there. If you'd like to learn more- get in touch!