How to reimburse Sidebar?
There’s a common misconception that employees shoulder the financial burden of their own development, but many employers actually offer reimbursement options for coaching and skill-building initiatives.
See it in action
If you know your company has a learning and development budget
After you join Sidebar, you will receive a receipt for your purchase. You can forward this receipt directly to your team for reimbursement.
If you’re unsure, we can help you make the case
Learning and development is usually an investment the company makes in their employees that helps the company build a better business in the long run. That's why you must frame Sidebar in terms of how it benefits your manager, team, and organization.
Companies that invest in learning and development see:
- 34% higher retention rates at organizations that offer employee development opportunities
- Companies that spend at least $1500 a year on employee development enjoy a 24% increase in profits
- 87% of millennials say that professional development is a major priority and raises their job satisfaction
- Provides visibility for your organization for focused networking, recruiting and brand building
Copy me
At Sidebar, we’ve made it easy. Copy this email template below you can use to chat with your manager:
Hey {manager},
There's a program named Sidebar that I'd love to enroll in. It's an online, bi-weekly, confidential peer-to-peer professional development program for people who are in similar roles to me. There are leaders from companies like Meta, Microsoft, Nike, and The New York Times.
A few highlights:
- Gain direct access to an expert facilitator with executive coaching experience to ensure consistent progress.
- Participate in 90-minute, professionally facilitated biweekly sessions focused on working through challenges and pursuing audacious goals.
- Engage with 6-8 exceptional leaders who uniquely complement your skills and experience, providing valuable opportunities for mutual learning.
Gain direct access to an expert facilitator with executive coaching experience to ensure consistent progress. Participate in 90-minute, professionally facilitated biweekly sessions focused on working through challenges and pursuing audacious goals. Engage with 6-8 exceptional leaders who uniquely complement your skills and experience, providing valuable opportunities for mutual learning.
The course costs {price}. If you like, you can review course details here.
What do you think?
Thanks,
{Your Name}
P.S. Other teams have sent a few people to the program together because it's an efficient way to get shared context. It might make sense for us to send a few folks to this program.
Still Unsure?
Most companies have professional development funding
Because professional development has so many benefits to companies, most organizations have a budget for this! You can learn more about what’s covered for you by:
- Reviewing company policies on professional development funds
- Chatting with HR, your colleagues to see what is covered
- Exploring alternative funding sources that are potentially aligned
Even if your company doesn’t have a specific budget for professional development, you could see if there are other budgets, like travel, that can be redirected.
Getting to the Yes
If your company doesn’t already cover professional development, you can create a strategy for how to talk to your manager about covering Sidebar.
You should be able to answer questions such as:
- How much will this cost?
- What is the program’s duration?
- When will it take place?
- What will you learn? How will your new knowledge benefit the company?
You can get more information on FAQs here.
Your growth through Sidebar isn't just your win; it's a victory for your team and your company.