Whenever there is an item that needs to be completed on a state evaluation, such as training and development, supervisors legitimately feel that they need to send their employees to training to meet that criterion.

In most cases, I would agree that the majority of employees need to attend training courses. It keeps them fresh, updated and alive. I feel that you are never too old to learn more.

On the other hand, I do feel some employees should not be shoved into training, but rather steered toward training that is appropriate for them.

Your first instinct is to send him to training anyway, but is that truly fair to the employee, the agency or the poor instructor who will have an employee who really doesn't want to be there?

Give him the courtesy of not attending training. If he is ready to retire, chances are he has had a multitude of training classes over the years. Instead, offer him something he might be interested in, such as a retirement seminar.

Another example is an employee who has been in the same position for years and loves it. I've always secretly admired these people because they have found their niche and enjoy it. We had a receptionist at the office of the insurance commissioner who was in the position for 15-plus years. She loved her job and was excellent at it. She knew more about the agency than the rest of us combined. Did she need more job skills? No; she had mastered them.

But training can come in handy for people such as this as a reward. Supervisors should share training opportunities with their staff and allow them to choose training that will refresh and revitalize them.

I'm not saying employees should be able to choose any training regardless of cost or relevance to their jobs. But training can be a great reward for consistently high performers.

Then there are employees who think they are too busy for training. Some jobs in state government definitely are overloaded. But supervisors owe it to those employees to give them a break and to recharge their batteries.

In fairness to overworked employees, have them sign up for training that works around their busiest days, and work with them to choose training that is not too time-intensive.

There are many half-day classes through the Department of Personnel, or they can learn online with DOP training that gives them access to more than 2,000 courses.

Smart managers will place training at the top of their strategic planning, for they know that it is the surest means to having an efficient and productive work force.

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