Best Practices Manual for New Supervisors - Essay Example

Best Practices Manual for New Supervisors Table of Content Content Page No. Introduction 02 Communication Skills 03 Orientation and Training Methods 05 Exercise 10-2 OJT 11 Conclusion 14 Reference 15 1.0 Introduction Supervisors form the backbone of any organization, be it a manufacturing unit or a trading company. It is the duty of every supervisor to maintain staff discipline and decorum. One of the basic forms of work that a supervisor does is staffing. The staffing activities of a supervisor begin with recruiting, selecting, orienting, training, and finally implementing it at the work place. Recruiting involves seeking and attracting qualified candidates to fill job vacancies, selection is the choice of the right person for that vacant job, Orienting relates to the introduction of the selected candidates to other members of the organization, training to the acquisition of skills, information, and attitudes to improve effectiveness, and finally supervise these skills at their workplace. Supervisors may not be primarily responsible for all of the staffing activities, but they are usually involved in one or more of them. Thus, if supervisors are to be effective in the staffing function, they must understand each of these activities. How does one become a good supervisor Among the primary factors that distinguish supervisors from operative employees are the level and types of decisions that they must make. A supervisor must be concerned with how a decision might affect his or her employees and the organization. An operative employee, in contrast, is primarily concerned with how a decision affects him or her individually. People who don't like making decisions usually do not make good supervisors. The purpose of this chapter is to acquaint the supervisor with the activities and procedures of the staffing function. It also takes a look at the various training programs that best matches the selected workforce in an organization that is into production and another that is in retail business. 2.0 Communication Skills Communication is an important factor in understanding and interpreting information between individuals and groups. A clear, precise and effective communication is what makes a person stand out in a crowd. It is best to talk to the point than describe in detail which could ultimately create a doubt in the mind of the listener. Effective communication determines how to influence negotiations more effectively and build confidence, staying in control when negotiating, and avoiding manipulation. Communication skills also include listening and empathy; Appreciative inquiry, a major breakthrough in organization development, training and development and in "problem solving," in general. Communication can also be non-verbal, that is, it could be also sign language. Good posture and clear language are hallmarks of good communication skills. It is imperative that any individual who believes in a good communication and shows real concern and respect for the other person's view listens with interest and care. During training, supervisors take it upon themselves to teach their trainees the art of proper communication. It must be understood that it is these same trainees who will be representing the organization while addressing customers. If an employee is found to be rude or uncooperative, customers will leave the company without doing any business, which is detrimental to the business. Thus, communication plays an important role in the development of business. 2.1 Technical Systems in Communication Another method of communication to enhance production is by the use of the electronic media. This could be termed as the "Productivity Paradox". To solve the productivity paradox (Brynjolfson [1993]) implied obtaining a better understanding of the relationship between the spread of Information and Communication Technologies (ICT) and the organizational transformation of firms, markets and other economic coordination devices. Facsimile machines can be implemented in an organization without having to innovate or research, since they are just a way to accelerate and dematerializing the exchange of written material. They do not have any fundamental impact on the information management processes within an organization. However, when a computerized production management system is implemented, many basic information management procedures are affected. The design of the system varies from one organization to another and this necessitates modification of information and style. This leads to organizational changes. It is important to take such differences into account. The three major types of electronic communications systems are: Isolated Computer Systems Telecommunication Systems Telematic Systems From an organizational point of view, the above systems have very diverse features. Telematic systems are more specific since they support and automate information management among the diverse organizational components. This system supports and automates coordination. They are proactive and are more suited for planning and execution. To coordinate operations however, they need to be formalized and foreseeable. On the other hand, the two other types of system do not "embody" coordination processes. In other words, isolated computer systems can only automate local decisions, but can not interact between the diverse local decisions. This is a big let-down. Telecommunications systems, on the other hand, support interactions, but do not bound and structure them. Since they do not embody the coordination processes, they do not require these interactions to be formalized and foreseeable for them to be implemented. That is why, from an organizational point of view, the key systems will be the telematic ones (Brousseau & Rallet, Three types of technical systems, Page 2-3, Beyond Technological or Organisational Determinism: A Framework to Understand the Link Between Information Technologies and Organisational Changes, http//www.brousseau.info/pdf, referred on 05.23.2006). 3.0 Orientation and Training Methods Orienting employees to their new workplaces and their jobs is one of the most neglected functions in many organizations. An employee handbook and piles of paperwork is not what is expected of the new employer when it comes to welcoming a new employee. The most common complaints about new employee orientation are that it is overwhelming, boring, or the new employee is left to fend for him or herself. The end result can have catastrophic impression on the employee. Instead of being productive and pro-active, the employee is more likely to leave the organization at short notice (Employee Orientation-Keeping New Employees on Board, www.humanlinks.com, referred on 05.20.2006). Orientation is about making a new entrant (employee) feel part of that organization. Introducing the new employee to the organization and the job is very important in the development of his or her character and productivity. This usually includes such things as the job duties, working conditions, and pay. Both the supervisor and the human resources department handle orientation. If an organization has no human resources department, or has only a small one, the supervisor is generally responsible for conducting the orientation program. Most people come to a new job with a positive attitude. However, if a new employee is made to feel unimportant by the lack of an orientation program, this attitude can quickly change. New employees will receive some type of orientation from either their fellow workers or the supervisor. Good, well-planned orientation programs reduce job learning time, improve attendance, and lead to better performance. Just what is the purpose of this orientation program and how important is it in the context of performance and productivity There are a few points that are addressed by either the Human Resource or the supervisor in imparting this program. The most important factor of the orientation program is the welcoming of the employee to the organization's family. The supervisor then familiarizes the employee with his or her work and responsibilities. For this, the supervisor may depute someone from that department to handle any queries arising from the work. This is followed by an introduction of colleagues from other departments. An orientation program is never complete without the mention of policies and conduct. This is necessary to inculcate a sense of responsibility and belonging. Every organization looks to its employees to contribute to its success. The training and hard work should be translated to quality and quantity. The personal conduct of the employee is also important in maintaining harmony and professionalism. If ever an employee disrupts the smooth functioning of an assembly line or administrative duties, it can have an adverse effect on the organization. Supervisors must make sure that employees get recognized for their effort and are rewarded suitably. This will create a healthy competition among the workers to perform well. Team work is utmost important in production. No single individual can out-perform his or her colleagues by being independent. As mentioned earlier, it is mandatory for the supervisor to familiarize the new employee on the surroundings. The various departments, their functioning, the personnel involved in them are a few points that can be mentioned in brief. Safety is of prime importance. What would one do in the event of a fire How should one react on seeing a potential danger What are the best possible solutions available What sort of equipment and personnel are available to fight such catastrophe These issues must be addressed and the employee must be trained to fight such eventualities. Finally, the supervisor must mention the job performance review criteria. This is a report that registers the employee's performance from time-to-time and decided promotion and salary hike. This is an incentive that most employees look forward to. This is the ultimate driving force behind success and productivity. In summary, it is essential that the supervisor have a checklist of the items to be covered in the orientation. The supervisor should also provide an opportunity for questions from the new employee (Supervision, Chapter Ten, Section Three, Page 178, Staffing and Training Skills, Staffing Skills 10. Staffing and Training The McGraw-Hill Edition Skills Companies, 2004). Training is imparted to all new and old employees from time-to-time. This helps in keeping the employees focused. Training imparts skills, concepts, rules, and attitudes to employees in order to increase their performance. A supervisor's primary role as a trainer falls in the area of on-the-job training (OJT) or job rotation. OJT is usually given by the supervisor or a senior employee. The employee is shown how the job is performed and then actually does it under the trainer's supervision. The major disadvantage of OJT is that the pressures of the workplace can cause the supervisor to either neglect the employee or give haphazard training. In contrast, the biggest advantage of OJT is that the new employee not only learns by hands-on experience, but also contributes to the production by undergoing "live" training. 3.1 Forging an Alliance Another method to help supervisors and managers in production and quality is by forging an alliance with UITT (university/industry technology transfer). A new organizational entity has emerged at research universities: the technology transfer office (TTO). TTO was established to facilitate commercial knowledge transfers from universities to practitioners or UITT. The program highlights the importance of organizational and managerial behaviors and skills in facilitating effective UITT. The managerial implications of the results are relatively straightforward. Administrators wishing to foster commercialization had to be mindful of the following: Reward systems for UITT Staffing practices in the TTO Designing flexible university policies on technology transfer Devoting additional resources to UITT, if that is consistent with the university's mission Working to eliminate cultural and informational barriers that impede the UITT process. Several scientists were of the opinion that knowledge transfer worked in both directions. Formal and informal commercialization could actually lead to more scientific discoveries. By interacting with industry scientists, academic scientists could refine their experiments or even spark ideas for new experiments. Furthermore, involvement in formal or informal commercialization often helps academics purchase additional laboratory equipment and graduate student assistance. Boundary spanning on the part of TTO managers could develop relationships that help to facilitate effective communication and forge alliances between scientists and industry (Siegel, Waldman, Atwater & Link, Toward a model of the effective transfer of scientific knowledge from academicians to practitioners: qualitative evidence from the commercialization of university technologies, www.minetech.metal.ntua.gr, referred on 05.23.2006). 3.2 Fighting Stress A program that helps prevent and relieve stress can save money, improve staff performance, and enhance the safety of workers and the public. It may also assist support staff, supervisors, and others. Keys to success: Selecting talented and dedicated staff: The quality of the staff can make or break a program, especially because well-developed interpersonal skills are so essential. Selling the program: A stress program can promote staff members including all middle-line managers and line supervisors to other supporting staff members from breaking down under pressure. Invariably we see that workers find themselves under pressure to perform and break down. Such a practice will help overcome such a situation. Assessing effectiveness: Evaluation should be built into program design and planning. This allows calculating baseline measures Reducing organizational sources of stress: Counseling, training and regular physical exercise are strongly recommended to relieve stress. (Gonzales, Schofield & Hart, Stress Among Probation and Parole Officers and What Can Be Done About It, U.S Department of Justice, www.ncjrs.gov, referred on 05.23.2006). 4.0 Exercise 10-2 OJT As the training supervisor of a large, local retail company, Judith had to draw up a plan to impart training and orientation to a few newly recruited salesclerks. The management had asked her to ensure that the program was for three days only. This was a challenging assignment, and she knew that she had to bring all her experience to the fore to see this through successfully. This is how she planned her training and orientation program: Day One: Orientation: Getting the new salesclerks introduced to the already existing colleagues would come first. This would be followed by a free session wherein, the new recruits would mingle with each other and get to know them. This will be followed by a workshop on work ethics and company policies. Information on the company, salary structure, incentive plans and other benefits for the employees would follow this. A visit to the various departments of the company would follow this. This is followed by a session of brainstorming at the sales desk. The methods followed by the staff in handling the cash register and customers are observed. Safety measures employed by the company to fight any eventualities are shown. Day Two: A brief outline of the preceding day's orientation program is discussed. Training begins in earnest. First the new recruits are imparted training in communication skills. This helps the salesclerks to face customers with ease and grace. Salesclerks are the face of an organization and it is imperative that the salesclerks put up a professional showing in front of their clients to improve business. Communication thus forms the first line of training. Communication is the act of exchanging information. It is used as a tool to convey a command, instruction, assess, influence, and persuade other people. Supervisors use communication every day. In fact, they spend as much as three-quarters of their time communicating. Good supervisors develop effective communication skills. They use these skills to absorb information, motivate employees, and deal effectively with customers and co-workers. Good communication can significantly affect a supervisor's success. Good communication leads to better productivity and understanding among the workers (Chapter Three, Developing Communication Skills, Supervision Dilemma). Next is the computerized cash register. Not all salesclerks would have had the option of working on these machines. An over-stretched session to impart training on handling these machines would follow. To do this, the assistance of experienced salesclerks in other stores would be called for. Cash transactions and ledger entries would be made. Next is the product line. Understanding the numerous products in the store is a must. Customers tend to ask for details and it is in the best interest of the company to arm their salesclerks with minute details of the products available to help assist in their purchase. Customers would love to visit a store where they know that their interests are taken care of. Salesmanship is important. Knowing how to handle different customers differently is the true mark of a good salesman. A pleasant personality to go with excellent communication skills can go a long way in promoting the company and its products. Day Three: The day begins with OJT. Here, all the trainees would be asked to perform one task or the other on a rotational basis to judge their strength and weaknesses. This helps the supervisor to balance the opportunities available at her disposal. She can use this as a yardstick to plan her staffing requirement for the present and in future. Time planning is an essential product in the training graph. By planning a workers time, the company can hope to increase production and output. A lot of workers are seen wasting precious time during work hours and this can be minimized by imparting this concept. A supervisor must plan his or her work if it is to be done effectively, properly, and on time. A supervisor's failure to plan can result in lost time, wasted materials, poor use of equipment, and misuse of space. The supervisor must also understand how his or her plans fit into the overall planning scheme of the organization. Finally, the recruits must be taught the importance of teamwork and trust. It is these qualities that succeed an organization. OJT is an important factor in the training hardware. As in the case of Sandra Hall, her first day at work had a demoralizing effect on her. This was not what she had anticipated. But the fact that she was left to fend for herself with whatever knowledge she had gained that morning made her attempt to work. Though in the back of her mind she had fear, she made every possible attempt to work on her own. This also pointed to a blatant hole in the OJT system. Sandra was not ready to face the music just yet and had anticipated a better start to her career at Lake Avionics. She was on the verge of giving up. Seeing this, Greg gave solace that what she had undergone was just a step in the right direction and that she would learn the finer and easier way to work on the system the next day. In a sense, what Greg and Ken did had a positive impact on Sandra. Sandra was now sure that she could handle her work the next day with consummate ease, having done the hard work today. She would be mentally prepared to work in any given situation. Such OJT tactics is welcome. 5.0 Conclusion Supervisors must be able to educate and motivate their staff by implementing programs to up-date their existing work force. They must be able to identify and work with co-workers. Staffing is an integral part of the Human Resource Department. However, in smaller organizations where is a dearth for work force, the supervisor takes on this responsibility. Communication is an expression of strength. Clear communication leads to better performance and productivity. Supervisors must be in a position to implement OJT practices with their new recruits in an effective manner. Orientation forms a major role in a company's success. A new employee should be made to feel homely and free. This is an absolute must for supervisors to implement. On the whole, a supervisor must take the responsibility to see that his staff performs to the best of their ability. This is what the company expects and this is what its employees expect. 6.0 Reference Employee Orientation-Keeping New Employees on Board, http://www.humanlinks.com/manres/articles/employee_orientation.htm Supervision, Chapter Ten, Staffing and Training Skills, Staffing and Training The McGraw-Hill Edition Skills Companies, 2004 Supervision, Chapter Three, Developing Communication Skills, Supervision Dilemma Staffing and Training The McGraw-Hill Edition Skills Companies, 2004 Eric Brousseau+ and Alain Rallet++, Three types of technical systems, Page 2-3, Beyond Technological or Organisational Determinism: A Frame work to Understand the Link Between Information Technologies and Organisational Changes, http//www.brousseau.info/pdf/1998_B_EBARTelSocEcDev.pdf Alberto R.Gonzales, Regina B.Schofield & Sarah V.Hart, Stress Among Probation and Parole Officers and What Can Be Done About It, U.S Department of Justice, http://www.ncjrs.gov/pdffiles1/nij/205620.pdf Siegel, Waldman, Atwater & Link, Toward a model of the effective transfer of scientific knowledge from academicians to practitioners: qualitative evidence from the commercialization of university technologies, http://www.minetech.metal.ntua.gr/download/papers_adop/paper_01.pdf Read More