In Right to Request Training is put on hold for SMEs we looked at why the right has been put on hold for small businesses. Let’s discuss how you can request time to train.
 
The Right to Request Time to Train allows eligible employees in businesses with 250 or more staff to ask for time off from work for accredited and unaccredited training to help them develop skills relevant to their job, workplace or business.
 

There is no limit to the amount of time or training that an employee can request. Employees can ask to undertake more than one piece of training in a single request.
 

To be eligible to request time to train a person must:

 
• Work for an employer with 250 employees or more
• Be an employee
• Have worked for the company for a minimum of 26 weeks
• Have not made a previous request in the last 12 months

This right however does not cover:

 
• Agency Workers
• A member of the armed forces
• A person of compulsory school age
• 16-18 year olds and already expected to take part in education or training



Types of Training

The right to request time to train gives members of staff the right to apply for time off to pursue training which will help them in their chosen employment. However employees can only request time off for certain types of training. This includes:

 
• Training that will help them improve their performance in their workplace
• Training that will lead to a personal qualification.

The most important requirement is that the training you want will help improve business performance and your effectiveness in your employer’s business. The training could be:

 
• In an area directly related to the type of work you are currently doing
• Something that will help you progress within the business
• Something that will help you progress in a different area

Employees can request training and choose a delivery method that they feel is most appropriate for them. For example, training which is:

 
• Undertaken on your employer’s premises or elsewhere, including at your home
• Delivered whilst you are working or separately, for example on-the-job training
• Provided or supervised by your employer or by someone else, for example a course run by a college or other training provider
• With or without someone supervising you
• Within or outside the UK

We are going to write more on how you can request the right to train, so keep reading this blog.

If you want to add or remove commands or customize the Quick Access Toolbar in Microsoft Excel, just follow these simple steps:

 
1. Right click on the Ribbon 
2. From the Menu, click on Customize Quick Access Toolbar
3. This opens up the customized options box
4. In the left column are the commands that are available, on the right are the commands that are on the toolbar
5. Select the Command you want to insert or to remove
6. Click on Add or Remove to add or remove it from the Toolbar
7. Click OK

 
Interested in learning more? Have a look at our Microsoft Excel Tips Page

In 5 Effective Time Management Tips we offered some techniques to manage your time more effectively. Using these techniques helps you achieve more in a day and significantly improve quality of your life. Let’s find out how.
 
 
 

Reduced Stress

A lot of us experience stress when we feel that we have far too much to do and don’t think we will finish a task on time. One of the main advantages of time management is its ability to reduce stress. By effectively organising your time you would be able to complete your tasks on schedule and have time to relax, thus reducing your level of frustration.
 

Increased Productivity

Managing your time not only allows you to concentrate on important tasks but it also increases your productivity. If you organise your work you would probably be able to complete more tasks within a certain period than you would have dreamt of. Instead of having to rush through all your tasks to try completing them, and perhaps not doing a good job, you can take your time and produce quality results.
 

Improved Satisfaction and Confidence

If you haven’t completed some of your tasks at the end of a day as you had no time, you probably feel guilty. With effective time management you will be able to complete more tasks and produce quality work. As your productivity will increase, you will feel proud of the results you’ve accomplished. Thus in turns will give you a sense of satisfaction and boost your level of confidence.
 
 

I hope you have found this information useful, if you would like to learn more about time management, please feel free to look at our Time Management Articles.

It’s always a good idea to protect your personal files with passwords. With Project 2007 you can create a password for your project to prevent it from being accessed by unauthorised users.

 
1. Click on File and choose Save As.
2. On the tools menu in the Save As dialog box, click General Options.
3. This brings up the Protection password box.
4. Type in a password in the Password Protection box to prevent your file from being opened by a unautherised user.
5. Type in a password in the Write Reservation Password box, to protect your file from being edited by a unautherised user.
6. Click OK.

 
Have a look at our Microsoft Project Courses to see if anything interests you

In Putting the ‘Wow’ into PowerPoint Presentations – Part 1. Readability we talked about how to make your presentations more enjoyable to read. And in Putting the ‘Wow’ into PowerPoint Presentations – Part Two. Images we learned how to make presentations more visually appealing. However even a visually great presentation can fail if something with your equipment goes wrong. Here are 3 Tips to ensure your gear passes MOT

Test the Equipment

Before you present your slideshow, ensure all equipment works properly. For example, if you are using a projector, test that it is working with your computer and it is projecting the image the way you want.
 
If you have a large audience you might need to use a microphone and speakers, so confirm that they both work as well.
 
Start your computer to ensure it works and check if it has the program you need to run the presentation on. Open your presentation file to verify it opens without any issues.
 
Navigate Through PowerPoint

PowerPoint is the most likely program to be used when you prepare a presentation. During your presentation, some listeners might want to look back at previous slides. Therefore practice navigating through your presentation by using shortcut keys on the keyboard to easily locate the slide your listeners want. You can also use the projector remote to select a specific slide instead of having to go through the entire presentation.
 
Have a Backup Plan

Think what can go wrong with equipment and have a backup plan.
 
For example, to avoid issues because a computer crashed, make sure that you have a copy of your presentation. Save a copy onto a USB memory card or CD so you can insert it onto another computer and run your presentation from there if required.
 
To avoid issues because the projector failed, have a printed copy of your presentation and use your notes to guide you.
 
Follow these steps and you’ll be prepared to run your presentation smoothly. Next time, we are going to write what else to prepare to deliver effective presentations.