The Guide for Frontline Supervisors (and Their Bosses)

AuthorHouse

Contents

Preface..............................................................................................................................viiiIntroduction.........................................................................................................................xi1. The Role of the Frontline Supervisor..............................................................................................12. The Business of Your Business.....................................................................................................73. Performance Management and Compensation...........................................................................................174. Communications and Employee Relations.............................................................................................295. Legal Requirements................................................................................................................416. Recruiting, Hiring, and Retention.................................................................................................497. Training and Development..........................................................................................................618. Labor and Union Relations.........................................................................................................719. Leadership and Team Building......................................................................................................8110. Occupational Safety..............................................................................................................9111. Management of Your Time..........................................................................................................10312. Fundamentals.....................................................................................................................113Part A: Company (Senior Management) Fundamentals: The (Hopefully Formal) Structure You Need to Run Your Business.....................114Part B: "Everyday" Fundamentals for Supervisors......................................................................................117Part C: A Sample Contract of Engagement with Employees...............................................................................119

Chapter One

In Chapter one we provide a summary of the high level concepts that enable an employer and its Frontline Supervisors to understand the "balance" of this book and how the specific Tools we provide help the employer and supervisor succeed.

1. The execution of an organization's day-to-day operations is the primary responsibility of the frontline supervisor (FLS). Senior management has given that responsibility to the FLS. To a large extent, the level of an organization's long-term success relies on the effective execution of daily operations by the FLS. If the FLS can be relied on to effectively run daily operations, the rest of senior management can then focus their attention on longer term and more strategic business issues such as business development, acquisitions, market and technical research, and employee growth and development programs.

It seems obvious that the FLS plays a major role in an organization's success. Then why do many organizations struggle with daily operations and the relationship between senior management and the FLS? We believe one reason for this struggle is an absence in the business world of any effective tools that link senior management with the FLS. Senior management always has the best intentions, but as they face market challenges on a daily basis there is simply not enough time or any effective tools to address the linkage between senior management and the FLS.

The primary purpose of this book is to provide the tools that can make any organization more successful by linking all levels of the enterprise.

2. The FLS comes into her business role initially from a foreign perspective from the rest of management. In many cases, the FLS is selected for the position from the nonmanagement group because she is good at the work and probably shows some initiative. But she has very little or no supervisory experience. Frequently the FLS is placed into a situation where she is expected to supervise her old team. At best this is a very tricky situation for everyone. It should be avoided if at all possible until appropriate training is provided. The promoted individual needs to be prepared for this career change.

At the start, the FLS has one foot in the new world and one foot in the old world. She is neither "fish nor fowl." Without immediate and appropriate training, the new FLS will struggle and possibly fail. The failure of an FLS normally negatively impacts the business in myriad ways, such as lost profits, poor customer service, and poor employee relations—longer term, even lost customers.

In this book we intend to define the tools an organization can employ to assist in the effective transformation of an FLS. We want to explore some of the individual tools and concepts that will help make a new FLS more effective in her job.

3. The new FLS must quickly realize that he or she is now part of management. Their daily routine and job responsibilities will likely be drastically different than before they became an FLS.

4. While it is always desirable for all employees to feel like they are part of a larger team, the FLS will likely feel this in a profound way. The FLS will likely be a part of a group of supervisors that are not only linked by common goals and objectives but also linked by operations. The output of each department will impact the output of the other departments. The FLS must embrace the concept/reality that she is now part of a larger team—each member relying on the other.

5. Planning will be a big part of the FLS job duties. In addition to supervising day-to-day departmental operations, the FLS will need to set aside time to plan departmental job activities, prepare and execute employee performance appraisals of some type, budget, forecast and prepare periodic management reports, communicate to employees the company news on a regular basis, and the list goes on. Developing effective time management skills is a must for everyone in management but especially for the FLS. This is the type of basic training that management should make available to everyone in management. By the way, being able to delegate certain job duties can be an effective time management tool, although this may be difficult for most. (Who's available to delegate to?)

6. The FLS must remember her primary allegiance is to the organization, and in most companies this usually means a responsibility to her boss and to her direct reports. Unfortunately, in many companies there is the element of politics. In our experience the best way to avoid or manage the politics is to communicate frequently, openly when appropriate, and honestly. And always remember who your boss is.

7. The FLS must be responsible for her own continued development and learning. This development and learning goes beyond company-sponsored training. The FLS needs to find opportunities to learn more about the overall business operation. Those opportunities may present themselves in less formal ways such as a discussion with a manager from another part of the business at lunch, a coffee...