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.
