A person with a laptop at WCUS 2017

How to Convince Your Employer Attending WordCamp is a Smart Investment of Time

So you want to attend WordCamp US this year and you are worried that taking a day off from your daily work tasks will be challenging. But you work with WordPress as part of your job, so wouldn’t it make sense to incorporate attending WordCamp as part of your workday? Makes sense, right? But how do you convince your employer that taking a whole, or even a part of, a day, is a good investment for the company and yourself?

From the employer’s perspective, they want you to produce value for the organization. Many employers believe that if you are not directly working on a project, then your time is being wasted. These are often the same employers who do not understand the merits of investing in their employees through education, training, professional development, and benefits, in general. However, some organizations are simply much smaller and feel that their staff need to be focused on immediate deliverables versus long-term education.

Here are some points you can share with your employer to help justify attending WordCamp (or really any conference.)

Gain new perspectives

Conferences expose you to new perspectives, tactics, and approaches to solving old problems. Maybe your organization has been stuck in a rut on how to address a challenge or capitalize on what you perceive to be a market opportunity. Attending sessions on topics related to what you do on a regular basis might expose you to a new way of thinking about an existing challenge. Sometimes speakers can create “a-ha” moments where you are exposed to a simple tactic that you just haven’t tried yet. Other times, you might learn about a tool or process you previously were not aware could benefit your organization.

Get inspired with examples and case studies

One of my favorite ways to learn is to hear about how other people approach challenges and opportunities, and this is usually through a case study or story about their personal journey at their own organization. Of course, their journey will be different from yours, but you can often find inspiration through these case studies, along with some practical tactics you can bring back to your organization. In fact, in prior years, as a speaker at various conferences, I would always try to keep my case studies grounded so that attendees would be able to bring back specific tactics they could implement quickly at their organization. It’s one thing to hear about a multi-million dollar campaign that a team of six worked on; it’s another to hear about a free tool you downloaded that helped you better engage with customers.

Network to gain resources for your organization

Networking is extremely important to your professional development, career development, and even to your organization. By meeting new people and making these important connections, you’ll be exposed to new ideas and business opportunities. You might gain new clients, partners, customers, or opportunities to advance your career.

Connect with speakers for further expertise

Most speakers are flattered when you hang around (either in-person or virtually in the chat rooms) after their session and ask questions. Speakers may not always have enough time to chat (after all they have day jobs like you.) However, be sure to connect with them on social media and follow up after the event. Maybe they can provide additional advice to help you with a particular challenge or opportunity. Maybe your team is seeking to hire a consultant, and the speaker might be a perfect fit.

Learn about new features in the software 

Conferences focused on software and technology almost always feature product demonstrations on new features, clever applications, and success stories. With new features always in the pipeline in a project like WordPress, being exposed to the latest enhancements is paramount to taking advantage of the platform’s full capabilities and staying relevant in your own career. There just might be a new feature that really resonates with your organization.

Make you better at your job

Lifelong learning is an important aspect of remaining relevant in your role, advancing the value you bring to your organization, and making a real impact. We should all endeavor to be continuously learning. A conference can expose us to new ideas, workshops, and case studies, all filled with tactics and strategies that can empower us to be more successful.

It’s free

Attending WordCamp US 2021 this year is free. That’s a pretty good deal and removes a significant hurdle to attending conferences for many organizations. In fact, you do not need to travel whatsoever to attend, eliminating essentially all costs associated with attending the conference. The only commitment is just the time away from your daily tasks. This seems like a good trade-off when you consider the prior six points I have shared.

Okay, I get it, but how do I convince my employer?

Present your attendance at WordCamp as an opportunity for the organization, not just yourself, to learn something new. Explain that you’ll take notes and provide an executive summary of your learnings as a follow-up deliverable after the event. 

As part of your “pitch” to your employer to permit you to attend during work hours, include the conference agenda, and list out the sessions that are of interest (and how they are applicable to your work.) Be concise!

Pull this all together into a brief proposal sent as an email to your manager so they can reference your request. (If this is not consistent with your company processes and culture, skip this recommendation.)

When you are submitting your request, be sure you are able to clearly address how attending will not interfere with any mission-critical responsibilities, deadlines, or daily tasks. If there is a potential conflict, then explain how you will work around those issues.

Prepare to hear a “no” and learn from the exercise on how to make a better case for a future event. If you still feel like the conference is too good to miss, consider making an investment in your own career by attending and taking time off to do so. Request a half or full day off, in advance, and dive into the conference without distraction.

Workplaces vary greatly on supporting staff who desire to attend conferences. Understanding your organization’s policies in advance will help you craft your “pitch” and justify the investment in time away from your daily activities.