The careful use of shop supervisors within the scope of their management and industry background can be an asset in a small business. Manufacturing and technical service companies can benefit from the assistance of a shop supervisor who: dispatches work, coordinates schedules, manages workflow and oversees quality checks. The supervisor assumes some of the responsibilities of the manager or foreman to help oversee the output of work moving through the business. This supervisor can have a positive affect on scheduling, productivity and customer service.

 

A supervisor typically assigns work, sets up jobs, trains new operators or technicians and inspects the final project. A working supervisor may also perform certain bench operations. However, the most effective use of a shop supervisor is to supervise. A shop supervisor can generally manage the workflow for 10-25 workers depending upon the number of tasks and frequency of turnaround on the specific jobs.

 

The supervisor is the vital link between the owner and the production force. In that role the supervisor plays a major role in the success or failure of the business. The relationship between the owner and key management employees should be close. The owner doesn’t have time to necessarily take the pulse of the business on a daily basis. The shop supervisor provides valuable feedback to let the owner know how sales volume, production and quality are working together for the company.

 

In some firms, there will be a service or production manager, who oversees the shop supervisor and overall shop operations. As a small firm grows, this is a desirable arrangement. The owner can give more sales and production goal responsibilities to the manager, who works with both the owner and shop supervisor. As staffing permits, the owner can handle major sales responsibilities with the support of the service or production manager. As much as possible, you want to free up the time of the shop supervisor to be a resource to technicians, so those employees can successfully meet production goals.

 

If you would like to discuss shop production goals, shop supervisor roles or how to effectively manage a production operation, contact the SCORE® Association (Service Corps of Retired Executives). More than 12,000 volunteer, business counselors donate their time and expertise to assist small business owners. SCORE® is a nonprofit association, which has helped more than 3.5 million entrepreneurs. SCORE® counseling is offered as a free and confidential community service. For a referral to the SCORE® chapter nearest you, call 1 (800) 634-0245.