Reading: Lesson 5 - Effective Supervision

1.5.A - Effective Supervision

1. THE SUPERVISORS JOB

1. Supervisors are critical to the success of a business. They are the managers who work directly with non-management employees and are responsible for translating the company’s plans into the everyday work of the business. One of their most important tasks is to create a work environment that motivates employees to do their best. They make sure all of the work assigned to their area of responsibility is completed on time and that it meets established standards of quality.
   
2. As first level managers, supervisors are responsible for the day-­to-­day activities of the company’s employees. They need to understand and work with both employees and other levels of management. They serve as the communication link between management and non-management employees. Supervisors must implement the decisions of senior level managers. At the same time, they must solve employee problems and present employee concerns to management.
   
3. Supervisors are often promoted into management in the same part of the business where they work. Usually, supervisors are selected from among the most experienced and most skilled employees in an area. However, they will probably have little or no management training.
   
4. The job of supervisor will be quite different from the work that employees had been doing. They may not have the level of confidence or immediately succeed. They often need to develop different working relationships with employees than they had in their previous job. In the past, the employees they worked with were their coworkers. Now employees are their subordinates. A subordinate is any individual who is subject to the authority and control of another person. Supervisors must command respect from the employees who report to them but in a way that encourages employees to do their best. Moving from the role of coworker to the role of boss is not an easy change. Many supervisors fail due to their inability to make the change.
   
5. The effectiveness of a supervisor’s job is determined by three factors: (1) the quality of the work of the supervised employees, (2) the efficient use of the company's resources, and (3) the satisfaction of the supervisor’s employees. If the employees are not doing the work well, management will not be pleased with the supervisor’s performance. If they are not using resources efficiently, a company may not be able to make a profit. And if the employees are not happy with their work, they may not perform their jobs well and may decide to seek jobs elsewhere.
   

2. RESPONSIBILITIES OF SUPERVISORS

1. Supervisors often divide their time between management activities and other work. They are responsible for fulfilling the plans developed by the company’s executives. Supervisors must use the plans to determine what needs to be done and who will be assigned to complete the needed work. Then they must explain the work plans and assignments to their employees. Finally, they need to lead and motivate employees to perform effectively on a day-to-­day basis.
   
2. One supervisor’s job may be very different from another’s, especially from those of supervisors in other departments and companies. Employees have different levels of education, training, and experience. Some supervisors manage mostly experienced employees, whereas others may work more frequently with new employees. In spite of the differences in their jobs, however, supervisors still have a common set of responsibilities in all companies.
   
3. For employees to complete work effectively, they must understand what needs to be done and why. Supervisors must be able to communicate effectively with employees. Good supervisors can show employees the importance of the company’s goals and help them see how they can accomplish their own goals by helping the company succeed. They must use language and actions that are understandable and meaningful.
   
4. Employees want to feel that they are a part of the company and that management considers their ideas and opinions. Therefore, supervisors must take the time to talk with the people they supervise in order to learn about their concerns and ideas. Then they must communicate what they learn to management and follow up to find out what actions were taken. Employees like to work for a supervisor who is interested in them and their ideas. They will work hard for a company that is concerned about them, involves employees in planning and decision making, and takes their ideas and suggestions seriously.
   
5. Supervisors get work done through individual employees and work teams. They need to be sure that each employee is performing as effectively as possible. Supervisors regularly conduct performance reviews on each employee. A performance review is a procedure used to evaluate the work and accomplishment of an employee and provide feedback on performance.
   
6. Formal and informal performance reviews can reveal the employee’s strengths and weaknesses. Supervisors must be both positive and objective when they complete employee evaluations. Good supervisors discuss evaluations with their employees in ways that contribute to effective understanding, not conflict. They provide rewards and recognition for employees who perform well. They also provide help for employees who are not performing well, so that their skills can be improved. This help might be in the form of advice and coaching, or it might involve additional training. When serious problems occur, supervisors may be required to discipline employees or even start the process of terminating their employment.
   
7. How employees feel about their jobs affects their performance. If they are unsure about what they are doing or if the work environment is filled with conflict, employees will not be able to perform well. Supervisors can help to create a comfortable atmosphere in which employees can enjoy their work and do a good job. Employees want to feel accepted and respected. They want to know that they can get help if they have problems. They want others to realize that what they do is important and that they will be recognized for good work.
   
8. Companies won’t operate long if they are unable to make a profit. An important part of earning a profit is controlling the costs of the business. Because supervisors are responsible for the day-­to-­day activities of a business, they have a great deal of control over whether a company makes a profit or suffers a loss. Good supervisors continually look for ways to operate more efficiently and to use resources more effectively. They seek advice from employees and make suggestions to managers on how processes can be improved and costs can be controlled.
   

3. MANAGING DAY-TO-DAY ACTIVITIES

1. Supervisors are essential to most businesses, because they are directly responsible for the work of employees. Each employee gets direction from a supervisor, and the supervisor is responsible for the work of each employee. Supervisors must be able to complete their own work as well as manage the work of the employees for whom they are responsible. Supervisors are responsible for planning, organizing, staffing, leading, and controlling the daily work of their units. Several management activities are important for day-­to-­day management. 
   

   
   
   

4. SCHEDULING WORK

1. Supervisors complete daily planning through the use of work schedules. Work schedules are documents that identify the tasks to be done, employees assigned to the work, and the time frame for completion of each task. Supervisors may be responsible for both full-­time and part-­time employees. The business may operate 7 days a week and 24 hours a day. Supervisors will have to decide what days of the week employees will work and which tasks each person will complete. If they schedule too few people, the work will not get done. If they schedule too many employees, costs will increase. Tasks may be assigned to individuals or to groups. The people assigned must have the skills to complete the work, as well as the motivation to do it, and must work well together if they are part of a work team.
   
2. Managing time is an important management skill for supervisors. Time management involves managing work schedules to achieve maximum productivity. In other words, not wasting time. Supervisors must be able to determine the work to be done, set priorities for the most important work, and ensure that it is completed accurately and on time. They not only must use their time effectively, but also must help their employees determine how to use their time most effectively each day.
   

5. COMMUNICATING WITH EMPLOYEES

1. Supervisors communicate every day with their employees. Some communications are with individual employees, while others are with the entire work group. Though much of the communication between supervisors and employees is oral, written communications are also common. Electronic communications such as email and text messaging are frequently used.
   
2. Whether oral or written, communications must be specific and clear. Supervisors need to plan the content of their communications and determine the best method, place, and time to communicate the information. Supervisors should follow up on communications and ask for feedback to ensure the recipients understood the messages. Listening is an important communication skill for supervisors.
   

6. CONTROLLING QUALITY

1. The final daily management skill for supervisors relates to the quality of the work produced. Quality control is the process of making sure work meets acceptable standards. In some companies, employees spend a great deal of time on re­work, or correcting errors and redoing work that was not done well the first time. Supervisors can reduce those problems by planning work carefully, developing quality standards, and regularly checking the quality of the work being done. Also, supervisors can help employees recognize the importance of quality work, so the employees will take responsibility for reducing errors and directly helping to control costs.
   

7. IMPROVING SUPERVISORY SKILLS

1. One of the most difficult challenges facing new supervisors is understanding the need to spend less time on non-managerial activities and more time on management functions. Because supervisors are usually skilled employees, they often want to continue to do the same work they were doing before the promotion. At times, they may think that their employees are not doing the job as well as it can be done. Therefore, new supervisors are often tempted to step in and do the job themselves.
   
2. If a supervisor spends a little time helping an employee improve his or her work procedures, the employee will usually value the supervisor’s support. However, if the supervisor steps in and takes over the employee’s task, the employee will resent that action. Both the quality and quantity of the employee’s work will suffer, and the supervisor will have less time for important management work. Supervisors must rely on their employees to complete tasks, so they can concentrate on management activities and use the talents of the people with whom they work.
   
3. Today, more companies help supervisors develop and improve their management skills. Many companies provide formal training programs for new supervisors. Employees moving into supervisor positions might, for instance, participate in management classes full time for a few weeks and then continue training through a series of meetings and short training sessions during their first weeks and months in the new job. Supervisors might study training materials, such as books, podcasts, and videos, for several months after they begin their new duties.
   
4. Many companies help supervisors develop their skills by paying for them to attend management classes at a nearby college or sending them to management development programs offered by companies specializing in training and development. A newer method of helping supervisors is to provide an experienced supervisor or another manager to serve as a work coach for the new supervisor. A work coach is an experienced manager who meets regularly with a new manager to provide feedback and advice.
   
5. If companies do not provide training, the new supervisor needs to develop management skills individually by enrolling in classes, attending meetings, read­ing management books and magazines, participating in professional associations for managers, and other similar activities. Supervisors can also use computers and tablets to access training programs online to continue their professional development. Talking with and observing the work of experienced supervisors is another way to improve management skills.