There is a lot of responsibility when working as a supervisor. I have recently been promoted and although I was aware of the duties it wasn’t until I began working in the role that I discovered how much responsibility I was taking on. I have a great team of colleagues, and each day I am responsible for making sure the jobs get done and that they stay safe. It’s a lot of pressure and it’s something I have to take very seriously. Any slacking on the job and one of my team could end up in the emergency ward.
Tips on Being a Great Supervisor
When at work I try and follow these tips in order to have a great day and do the best for my team:
- Take all the safety training you can get. I have already been on a few courses and I am always looking for more. I don’t want to see my team suffer and I also don’t want to be prosecuted by the health and safety executive. I have attended courses set up by my employees and I have also put myself onto a couple of distance courses for my own piece of mind. I think that the dedication I have shown towards training and learning new skills helped me to gain the promotion at work.
- Learn the schedule and stick to it. Male sure that each job is performed on time and come up with workable solutions if you see the project is slipping. Improvisation is an essential skill which I have found as there are always problems which arise that can lead to coming off schedule.
- Maintain accurate records which include who is working on the job, what equipment is used and what the labour costs are. Know the abilities of your team and never give an untrained person tasks to do without training them first. Therefore it’s essential to know the team and work closely with them.
- Communication is a massive part of being a supervisor. You need to be able to talk confidently to your employees, designers, clients and your fellow workers. Let your team know they are able to come to you with any concerns or problems no matter how small they are, especially if it is to do with safety.
- Recognize any conflicts between your fellow workers and deal with any situations quickly and efficiently. You need to have a team behind you who are working together in order to help create a safe working environment. Deal with any issues head on to avoid anger and frustration getting in the way of safe working practices and communication.
- Perform risk assessments as and when needed. If you are faced with a new problem always consider how to resolve it safely. Risk assessments can be the fastest way of finding solutions to problems and most importantly how to recognize any new risks and hazards you and the team may be facing. Risk assessments are a vital part of being a supervisor and they can save lives. Never take the importance of these assessments for granted.
- Appreciate people and let them know they are a valuable member of the team. Don’t be afraid of telling your workforce how vital their role is in the bigger picture. Each person on the site will contribute to the health and safety of others and the success of the project. Let your workers know their worth for a stronger safety culture on site.
- Provide advice and feedback on the performance of others. This is a great time for problems to be addressed and to build on communication. Performance reviews can also help you to recognize when a worker requires additional training or if they are showing skills which are above their current duties.
Oh, don’t forget to be seen as you would want to see others around the work area. This can be seen as a general tip for life though – a super life. (Sorry.)
The sssts course is a perfect safety training course for site supervisors in the construction industry.