OPM Rolls Out Mandatory Training as Trump Administration Accelerates Workforce Overhaul

As the Trump Administration tries to remake the federal workforce and places additional emphasis on performance management, there is a new mandatory training program that all federal supervisors must take.

The Office of Personnel Management (OPM) announced new governmentwide training called “Performance Management for Supervisors.” 

The program will provide training on a wide range of issues that supervisors routinely deal with including employee recognition and awards, hiring, discipline, drafting effective performance goals, delivering meaningful feedback, and taking timely corrective actions. 

“Effective supervisors build effective agencies and a stronger government,” said OPM Director Scott Kupor. “This training advances President Trump’s priority of strengthening accountability and performance across the federal workforce, giving our leaders the tools, clarity, and confidence they need to set expectations, reward excellence, and take action when needed.” 

The training is available through the Federal Performance Management Toolkit. 

Agencies were told to announce the new training to all supervisors by December 17, 2025. Training must be completed by February 9, 2026. New supervisors must complete the training within one year of their appointment. 

This comes just days after OPM issued guidance telling federal supervisors that they will back them in cases where disciplinary action must be taken against an employee. OPM reminded supervisors that they have “extremely limited scope of personal liability” in such cases. 

SES and GS-14, GS-15 Programs

The supervisor training comes after OPM announced two additional training programs for members of the Senior Executive Service (SES) and GS-14 and GS-15 federal employees. 

The Senior Executive Development Program (SEDP) provides on-demand videos and podcasts on a wide-range of topics including constitutional governance, executive power, budgeting, policymaking, performance management, human capital strategy, and more. 

The self-paced modules must be completed within six months. 

For GS-14 and GS-15 employees preparing for greater responsibility, OPM is providing Leadership for an Efficient and Accountable Government (LEAG), an 80-hour intensive program. OPM says LEAG participants will learn to “connect strategic policy with practical implementation while building a powerful professional network.”