Should study leave apply to all employees?

Dear Caroline,
In our company, study leave is given selectively. A senior colleague asked for study leave and was granted. However, when a junior colleague asked for study leave, his request was denied. He was advised to resign. Aren’t study leave policies supposed to apply to all employees in a company regardless of their level in the company?
Faith
 
Hello Faith,
Hello Faith, an organisation’s philosophy supporting staff through skills development, either through granting time off or financial support, is always an aspiration and a vision.

However, the reality is that this ideal has to be balanced against many factors, including the availability of funds to support staff, the cost benefit to the organisation, and what is in the best interest of the staff member in the context of their career path.  

While the policy’s spirit is to support all staff, there is a reality that the decision makers will consider other essential factors in their decision-making process. I do not doubt that there is a clause that allows the decision makers to review the context of the application in the detail of the policy.    

An example where context is critical is the consideration of the  employee who is making the application. Who and how will their absence be covered and at what cost?

 Is the employee a star performer whom the organisation wants to retain when they come back from their study leave? Is the employee applying for study leave to pursue a qualification that is core to the business?

While all of these may not be written explicitly in the policy, these are questions discussed and debated while deciding to support an employee.

As mentioned above, supporting talent development is an essential aspiration of any organisation. However, we need to be mindful that the employment landscape has changed by shifting the responsibility of learning and development from the organisation to the employee.

This shift speaks to how employees perceive their career development and growth. If an organisation has asked you to resign so you can study,  it may well be a case of being the only viable option for both parties.

If, on the other hand, an organisation has not supported one’s application, the question remains can you study and work without compromising the quality of your work?  If the answer is yes, I can assure you your employer will strongly consider supporting your next application for study leave.

Caroline Mboijana,
Managing Director, The Leadership Team (U)  [email protected]