As you prepare your budget it seems logical…there are only so many resources to go around and when times are tight you have to cut something so cut professional development. When high school administrators have a budget crunch or their budget is voted down they go to austerity budgets which often cut things like sports, art and music. Strictly by the numbers, it makes a whole lot of sense but if you dig deeper you can see that solving one problem creates a whole new set of problems. High schools often find out by cutting the very things that make the educational process relevant and exciting they turn off students who have no other outlets for their energy and time. Behavioral problems often follow cuts.
The same can be said of professional development. Certainly we can live without travel to conventions, seminars and workshops but at what cost? Employers are only obligated to provide a safe working environment free from harassment of any kind. They should pay a fair wage and give everyone an equal opportunity for advancement. Unless contractually stated, employers do not need to provide their staff professional development.
But, cutting professional development can hurt morale, decrease learning opportunities and contribute to turnover.
But, what does professional development provide?
It provides many positive things including:
Continuing Education – a way to hone skills and learn new methods
Leadership opportunities – within the organization
Networking – someone to call when you have a question or to learn from when you don’t want to recreate the wheel
Mentoring – a way to share expertise with someone who needs guidance and has less experience
Relief – from the usual routine
Fun – reward for hard work and dedication throughout the year
“Start with good people, lay out the rules, communicate with your employees, motivate them and reward them. If you do all those things effectively, you can’t miss.”
Lee Iacocca
Way to go, Lee!
Until next time!
Jude Russo Caserta
AthleticBudgetCoach.com/blog
Twitter: JudeCaserta
Linkedin: Jude Russo Caserta
E-mail: judi_caserta@athleticbudgetcoach.com
