Majority would pay for an MBA programme for talent
The majority of organisations would be supportive of employees who want to take MBA programmes to advance their careers, a People Management mini-survey has suggested.
Just over 45 per cent of HR respondents say their company would be likely or very likely to pay for such a programme, compared to 44 per cent saying it would be unlikely. Over six in ten (64 per cent) would be likely to allow the individual to take a sabbatical or work flexibly in order to complete the qualification, the mini-survey found.
Most HR practitioners had a positive view of MBA programmes, with 64 per cent saying they were very or somewhat valuable for both an individual’s career advancement and for benefiting the organisation, while only 11 per cent thought they were not valuable. Asked about the standard of UK business schools, a much greater proportion thought they had improved in recent years (39 per cent) than those who thought they had declined in quality (10 per cent).
“Our mini-survey shows that MBA programmes are still considered the gold standard in business learning, with employers happy to support key talent through the programme and many of them to pay for it,” said People Management’s news editor James Brockett. “Budgets may be tight in these straitened times, but it’s interesting to see that employers still believe business schools offer value for money and that firms have faith in the graduates of UK business schools to provide the leadership they need to see them through the tough times.”