Role of Shop Floor Executive - First Line Supervisor or Executive

 

Role of Supervisor

 

Objective: Front line supervisors are to  carry out approved programs within a budget, to obtain and use service and staff help, and to meet the requirements of their superior managers. (Koontz and O'Donnell, 4th ed. pp.518-521).

 

To carry out the work assigned to them, supervisors have to be planners and leaders of operators under them. To be leader of men, they have to study the motives of men

 

Supervision is management. It involves functions like planning, organizing, directing, and controlling. A supervisor takes decisions after careful consideration of the facts.

 

A shop floor supervisor is responsible for the quantity of production and timely delivery of production. He is responsible for the quality of the output. He has to see that production is achieved in budgeted cost and he is also made responsible for cost reduction that occurs due to learning effect.

 

Activities of Supervisors

 

A. Organizing Work of the Shop

 

Planning of resources (to meet a production plan for a month, week or a day)

Determining priorities regarding jobs to be taken

Allocation of jobs to operators

Communication with upstream and downstream sections

Communication with production planning

Communication with technology section

Making sure that work place is a safe place

 

B. Directing Men

 

Training workmen

Allocate and explain the job

Building teamworking

Frequently checking the methods for correctness and safety

Checking to see that equipment is being kept in proper condition

Understanding motives and providing motivating rewards

Settling grievances

Encouraring new ideas for quality improvement and cost reduction

 

C. Initiate Development

 

Develop men for variety of jobs and promotion

Investigate breakdowns

Maintain equipment

Improve methods or suggest improvements

Prevent waste

Maintaining morale of the section

Investigating and controlling idle time

 

A supervisor requires technical skills and people handling skills. He has to employ both in equal quantities in his every day work.

 

Difference between an operator and a supervisor

 

Operator

 

Follows plans and instructions given for his own job.

Is responsible for his own output

Uses equipment, materials and tools personally.

Produces specific components or does specific operations on a component.

 

Supervisor

 

Deals with plans. He may have to prepare plans himself.

He deals with people in his section.

He has to make decisions for allocating work to others.

He is responsible for work of others.

His duties are more varied as he is supervising number of operators

Objectives: To develop skilled employees with good morale. Have proper relationships with people under him to get production on time, according to quality standards in required quantities efficiently and economically.