This month we are going to put the focus on your supervisors. Are they all they could be and you need them to be.

I remember the first time I was made a supervisor. It was for Blockbuster Video almost 30 years ago. Yes, I was the guy collecting your late fees. Looking back on that experience I was quite simply a terrible supervisor. I had no idea how to treat the people working for me and there was simply no one to help me learn these skills.

After trial and many bad errors on my part I eventually learned how to be an effective supervisor and motivator of my workers. Hopefully the tips below will help move your supervisors to the next level.

On a personal note, I will be having hernia surgery in early July and will be out of commission until mid-August. I will not be able to do any working at heights training during this period as I will not be able to lift my equipment in and out of my vehicle.

Effective Supervisors

Why is having an effective supervisor important? Good supervision leads to fewer workplace incidents and injuries, lower WSIB claims and premiums, better productivity, and happier employees.

Here are some questions to ask yourself.

1. Are you providing all your supervisors with the same training, education and tools to do the job?

2. Are you communicating effectively with your supervisors so they know what you need and expect?

3. When your supervisors have an issue are they able to come to you for help in finding a solution?

4. Do your supervisors know how to effectively speak and listen to their employees and motivate them to do exceptional work?

5. Do your supervisors know how to cope with today’s diverse workplaces when it comes to different cultures, ethnicities, genders and ages?

6. Have you designated a supervisor on all your sites? Who is in charge when you are not there?

Here is an article from The Niagara Institute which will help you with the questions we have raised above. https://www.niagarainstitute.com/blog/skills-for-a-supervisor

Show Your Employees You Care

When I worked for The Brick as a warehouse manager, the first question I would ask an employee when they came to work was “how is your family?” I got to know the names of their wives and children. Oftentimes they would be having issues at home, as we all do, and this would give me a great insight into why they might not be 100% that day. Not many of us can separate home from work. This also made them feel they were more than just another worker who no one actually cared about.