BOSSES are refusing workers key training opportunities that would make them more effective and productive, according to new research. A survey of 1,003 US workers, carried out by the US largest training provider, The Knowledge Academy, revealed that almost half (47%) say their employer has refused them training opportunities in the past. This is despite 1 in 3 of those who had had their requests declined reporting that they believed it would have significantly impacted on their abilities to do their current job.

But the last laugh could be on bosses, as the data shows more than 1 in 4 (26%) workers felt training would make them more productive at work. Of the reasons bosses gave for declining these requests, a lack of budget was the most common, with 23% reporting that was the reason given. 19% said their boss didn’t want them to take time out of the office for training. Meanwhile, 7% said they had said they didn’t feel the development in question was relevant and 5% claimed their boss didn’t feel it would be beneficial.

Barinder Hothi, Managing Director at The Knowledge Academy commented: “It is a real shame that requests for training are not being taken more seriously by employers. This research clearly shows that undertaking relevant training can not only increase workers’ abilities to do their job, but also improve their productivity levels. “The 1 in 5 (19%) of bosses who said they did not want workers undertaking training as it would mean they would be out of the office are therefore losing out on the potential gains in productivity and quality of work that extra training could provide.”

As the world’s largest globally accredited training organisation The Knowledge Academy offers more than 30,000 courses in a range of fields across 230 countries in more than 1000 locations, from IT technical, personal development and human resources and management, to project, programme and IT service management.