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Best Practices Manual for New Supervisors 1
Running head: BEST PTACTICES MANUAL FOR NEW SUPERVISORS
Best Practices Manual for New Supervisors
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Best Practices Manual for New Supervisors 2
Best Practices Manual for New Supervisors
The success or failure of supervisors in getting first-rate performance from employees is
paramount in determining the success or failure of the strategies and objectives of the entire
organization. The purpose of this manual is to provide a set of flexible and adaptable tools and
guidelines to support supervisors in the pursuit of improving performance in their departments.
This manual will cover a set of best practices that managers and supervisors need to succeed in
their position including demonstrating communication skills; determining effective orientation
and training methods; improving productivity for teams; conducting performance appraisals;
resolving conflict, and improving employee relations.
Demonstrating Communication Skills
Effective communication is the most important tool in a manager’s leadership tool chest.
Positive, enthusiastic and open communications with staff has the power to motivate them and
keep them engaged. Motivated and engaged employees are in turn instrumental in helping
organizations achieve their goals. Additionally Management can build trust through open and
honest communication. Listening and speaking skills are very important to effective
communication, because they are instrumental in team building and providing effective feedback
during performance appraisals.
Attentive listening is an important skill in leadership communication. It means thinking
and acting in a manner that connects the listener with the speaker. When a person chooses to
listen actively it increases the quality of his or her listening. When listeners engage in multi-
tasking instead of giving full attention to the speaker, however, they seldom listen effectively
(Wilson, 2005). Supervisors cannot be good listeners unless they maintain proper eye contact,
Best Practices Manual for New Supervisors 3
have good body language, and focus on the speaker, not on activity out in the hall, paperwork at
their desks or the incoming text message on their Blackberries (Linney Jr., 1995).
There are a number of straightforward steps supervisors can take to become effective
listeners. These steps include not interrupting the speaker or multi-tasking while listening,
recapping regularly, using connecting words, and using the correct body language. Using these
steps will improve the quality of information exchanged, the supervisor’s experience as a
listener, the experience of the employee the supervisor is listening to, and the relationship
between the supervisor and the employee (Wilson, 2005).
While face to face communication is still the chief method of communication in business,
the advent of electronic media has been a boon to improving internal organizational
communication. Online communication has brought with it an expanded need for effective
written communication skills. Such skills can make the difference in getting a supervisor’s
message across in reports, letters, and e-mails.
The ability to communicate well in writing can therefore improve the effectiveness of a
supervisor as a leader and enhance his or her ability to influence others. Many supervisors
receive their promotions to a supervisory position as specialists in their technical fields that
involve either little to no writing or writing of a highly technical nature. Neither style of writing
is suited to business leadership needs which demand both brevity and clarity. Writing coaches
and writing classes at local community colleges can improve supervisors’ writing skills and are
available for modest costs, which employers will often reimburse through their tuition
reimbursement or career development programs (Linney Jr., 1995).
Any supervisor can learn business communication skills essential to leadership if he or
she is willing to work on them. Local universities and community colleges can be a great
Best Practices Manual for New Supervisors 4
resource in learning communication skills of all sorts including public speaking, creative writing,
and business writing. Such courses will be great help in developing all the necessary
communication skills for supervisors (Linney Jr., 1995).
Determining Effective Orientation and Training Methods
Orientation and Training programs are essential in integrating new employees into a
company and helping them to acquire needed skills to enhance their performance. Clear and
effective employee orientation and training programs can significantly increase productivity.
Orientation
New employees often feel nervous about their new job. Supervisors should take basic
steps to acquaint new employees with all aspects of their new job and the responsibilities and
privileges that go with it. Supervisors should give employees appropriate documents and other
relevant material during the orientation program to keep as a reference guide (cheat sheet).
Orientation material must also clear any doubts that employees may have about their work and
the company’s culture. Supervisors must also include information regarding all benefits and
privileges along with rules that govern employee behavior, safety measures and policies in the
orientation material. Supervisors must point out to all employees in general where safety
equipment is located; what type of precaution employees need to take to promote a safe working
environment and explain emergency drills in case of an emergency. Supervisors should walk
employees through the premises and explain the process of how the company operates, because
getting this overall view will help employees to better understand how their work fits within the
company’s objectives. Supervisors should also introduce all new employees to co-workers to
make them feel integrated into the company’s environment.
Training
Best Practices Manual for New Supervisors 5
The training process is a very important because it can help new and existing employees
all require the skills they need to become more productive. Supervisors should use training
program that they have already carefully assessed, visualized and planned. This ensures that the
training program is aligned with the company’s strategic goals before presenting it to employees.
A best practices training program will:
• Focus on building highly motivated, effective and efficient employees who will
be capable of steering the company towards its competitive best.
• Include the advances in technology which the employees need to gain knowledge
and skills.
• Identify training needs by analyzing the long-term strategic plans of the company.
• Select trainers carefully to ensure that they have the necessary knowledge and
skills and know how to communicate with adults in the adult learning process.
• Determine the skill level of each employee prior to training through observation
testing and investigation and focus on enhancing individual skill sets
• Select trainees carefully based on their ability to learn the material provided and
using it effectively.
• Prepare new employees to learn and assimilate the new skills by having
supervisors explain the importance and place of the new skills and answering any questions that
arise.
• Focus on explaining the material thoroughly and making the tasks clearly
understandable to a new employee.
• Have measurable goals that relate to the strategic plans of the company and
include milestones to ensure employees are achieving what the company needs and expects.
Best Practices Manual for New Supervisors 6
• Include periodic supervisor evaluation of the employees’ newly acquired skills
against the objectives of the training program. If aggregate discrepancies exist, supervisors
should note these and adjust the training program accordingly.
Improving Productivity for Teams
The overall reason why teams fail, according to Kreitner and Kinicki, is the existence of
unrealistic expectations, which cause a number of mistakes for both team members and
management. One management mistake is that supervisors may think teams can rise above weak
strategies and poor business practices. In reality, however, teams who are pressed too hard try to
accomplish too much too quickly and fail as a result (2003).
Another management mistake is that supervisors often set up hostile environments for
teams such the existence of a command-and-control culture, and using competitive/individual
reward plans. Such management structure can result in team members clashing over differences
in personal work styles and/or in causing personality conflicts between team members. When the
team members have poor interpersonal skills and use aggressive instead of assertive
communication, and employ win-lose negotiation tactics this causes destructive conflict. Conflict
then takes on a life of its own consuming what should be productive time. Such conflicts thus
reduce productivity. Supervisors must also be aware of poor interpersonal chemistry among team
members as some maybe loners, dominators, self-appointed experts that negatively disrupt the
team (Kreitner &Kinicki, 2003).
Supervisors can also lessen team productivity if they think of teams as a fad or quick fix
with no long-term benefits. This can cause supervisors to have little to no commitment to their
teams and the teams can give up easily when they face a new or unforeseen challenge. It is
important for both supervisors and teams to focus less on results, and more on team processes
Best Practices Manual for New Supervisors 7
and group dynamics at the time of team formation. Once these processes are successfully in
place results will follow because of better team work (Kreitner &Kinicki, 2003).
Finally it is important for supervisors to take the lessons of past team experiences into
account when forming new teams. If lack of clarity has stifled team productivity in the past
supervisors must be aware and avoid assigning tasks to teams that are vague or conflicting. They
must also make certain that there is sufficient team skill training and adequate staffing of teams
to avoid repeating problems that have arisen out of overwhelming teams with unrealistic
expectations (Kreitner &Kinicki, 2003).
Conducting Performance Appraisals
The performance appraisal is the process where supervisors communicate to a
subordinate how well he or she is fulfilling the requirements of the job. It is not a system to
punish employees, rather it is part of a system of communication that helps employees better
understand their roles in fulfilling company objectives, company expectations and how to
achieve performance success. Performance appraisals are one of the most versatile tools
available to supervisors and can help bring about higher productivity for both the employee and
the organization (Bohlander & Snell, 2007).
Conducting performance appraisals is therefore an important part of a supervisor’s area
of responsibility, but it is also one of the most difficult parts of a supervisor’s job. The ideal
performance appraisal system will allow supervisors to make objective judgments about
employee performance which they can use for three principal purposes: (1) to improve employee
performance in the present job, (2) to prepare employees for future opportunities that may arise
in the organization, and (3) to provide a record of employee performance that supervisors can use
as a basis for future decisions (Rue & Byars, 2004).
Best Practices Manual for New Supervisors 8
Research has revealed that performance appraisal systems which show higher levels of
participation generate higher levels of acceptance. Such acceptance is an important factor in
generating appraisal system satisfaction, motivation, and productivity. A comprehensive
participatory performance appraisal system will allow both those who rate and those who are
rated to jointly develop performance standards, the rating form, employee self appraisal, and the
participation of those who are rated in the appraisal interview. Two key processes control the
effectiveness of participation. These are the amount and quality of informal performance
feedback and goal setting, which focuses on the future. These elements strengthen a
participatory, empowered work culture. If one or more of these factors are missing, the
probability of an unsuccessful performance appraisal system increases significantly (Roberts,
2002).
Participatory performance appraisal is a vital part of a fair and ethical evaluation of an
employee's performance. Because of the potential effects of performance appraisals on employee
career success, self-esteem, and mental health, supervisors have an ethical obligation to perform
this complex function in a fair and unbiased manner. Comprehensive employee participation
means supervisors must give employees meaningful input in developing performance standards
and the rating form, worker self-evaluation, and two-way communication in the appraisal
interview. When employees have a meaningful role in the appraisal process, their acceptance and
satisfaction with that process increases considerably. If supervisors fail to establish a
participatory system, performance appraisal will become and remain ineffective (Roberts, 2002).
When giving a performance appraisal to an employee with less than satisfactory
performance record, the effective supervisor must be able to clearly yet respectfully and non-
judgmentally communicate supervisor concerns and the concerns of the organization regarding
Best Practices Manual for New Supervisors 9
the person's performance and company expectations and the necessary behavior change that will
bring about better performance. The supervisor must also communicate how he or she and others
in the company can help the employee with a corrective action plan as well as the consequences
if performance does not improve (Linney Jr., 1995).
Resolving Conflict
Conflict is a concept that often calls negative images to mind especially conflict in the
workplace. Conflict is a struggle that two or more interdependent parties engage in when they
perceive incompatible goals, insufficient rewards, and interference from the other party in
achieving their goals. The supervisor/employee relationship and the employee/employee
relationship are interdependent relationships. Employees depend on their supervisors to impart
guidance and provide skills training that will enable the employees to accomplish their job
requirements. The employees also need supervisors’ feedback to get raises and advance their
careers. The supervisor depends on employees for cooperation to accomplish work related tasks
that go toward achieving company objectives. Employees similarly depend on each other for
cooperation. These interdependent relationships set the stage for conflict which can follow.
Conflict within these relationships is inevitable, but it does not have to be destructive or disrupt
business and productivity. Supervisors can reduce and manage the amount of conflict that they
and employees experience using several methods to minimize the frequency and intensity of
conflict (Korinek & Kimball, 2003).
First, supervisors should build good relationships with their employees. Supervisors can
do this by taking the time to learn the employees’ general approach to work and life and to
discern their particular method of learning. This will prove useful in providing the right kind of
Best Practices Manual for New Supervisors 10
guidance and training for employees. A supervisor should maintain a good connection with a
trainee by displaying a positive and supportive attitude (Korinek & Kimball, 2003).
A second way for supervisors to minimize conflict in the supervisory relationship is to
make the terms of the supervisor-employee relationship clear through effective communication.
An effective supervisor clearly outlines logistics, clarifies the supervisory relationship, identifies
goals, describes supervision methods, and specifies evaluation procedures. Good supervisors also
stay aware of and communicate formal methods of conflict resolution that the company uses. For
example if the company uses alternative dispute resolution (ADR) methods, the supervisor
should educate employees on the particular method of ADR that the company uses and make
certain that employees know how to access the ADR system. Supervisors should also make
perfectly clear what constitutes grounds for disciplinary action and termination (Korinek &
Kimball, 2003).
Balancing hierarchy and power is another way to minimize conflict between supervisors
and employees. The supervisory relationship is hierarchical by nature and the supervisor must
have final say in management matters since he or she bears the responsibility for them. To avoid
conflict supervisors must exercise their power over employees ethically and responsibly.
Employees should be empowered to do their jobs without constant overseeing from supervisors
especially as they gain in skill and confidence (Korinek & Kimball, 2003).
To reduce conflict between individuals, supervisors must again use team building skills.
Teams can become extremely effective through cooperation, trust, and cohesiveness. Individuals
are cooperating when their work is systematically integrated to accomplish a common goal. The
degree of cooperation increases as the level of integration increases. Cooperation is superior to
competition for inspiring successful and productive teamwork. Thus supervisors can minimize
Best Practices Manual for New Supervisors 11
conflict between team members by providing team-based rewards instead of individual ones.
This will decrease competition and conflict, and increase integration, cooperation and
productivity (Kreitner &Kinicki, 2003).
Improving Employee Relations
If supervisors are employing effective communication, team building and conflict
resolution skills, they are already well on their way to improving employee relations. There is
however one very important issue remaining and that is building trust between supervisors and
employees.
The absence of trust between supervisors and their employees can be a substantial drain
on team productivity. It can cause some or all team members to resist performing tasks according
to management plan especially if there are new work procedures involved. Trust is the give-and-
take faith in others’ intentions and behavior (Kreitner &Kinicki, 2003).
When employees see supervisors acting in a manner that implies they trust the
employees, the employees become more inclined to give that back by trusting in supervisors
even more. On the other hand, employees are inclined to distrust supervisors whose actions seem
to break employee trust or supervisors who seem to distrust employees. Supervisors can build
trust through open communication, and showing employees support, respect, fairness,
predictability, and competence. Members of a cohesive team literally stick together because they
enjoy good relations (Kreitner &Kinicki, 2003). Trust, between supervisors and their employees,
improves relations between them considerably and thus increases cohesiveness and productivity
in the process.
Conclusion
Best Practices Manual for New Supervisors 12
If supervisors use this manual correctly, they can significantly improve their
communication skills, orientation and training methods, team productivity, performance
appraisal and conflict resolution skills, and employee relations. The flexible and adaptable tools
that the manual provides will be a valuable resource to help new supervisors succeed in
improving productivity and performance within their departments and organizations.
Best Practices Manual for New Supervisors 13
References
Bohlander, G.W., & Snell, S.A. (2007). Managing Human Recourses (14th ed.). Florence,
KY: Thomson Learning Higher Education
Korinek, A. W. & Kimball, T. G. (2003, September). Managing and resolving conflict in the
supervisory system. Contemporary Family Therapy: An International Journal, 25 (3 0,
295-310. Retrieved March 4, 2009, from Academic Search Complete database
Kreitner, R., & Kinicki, A., (2003). Organizational behavior (6th ed.). New York, NY:
McGraw-Hill
Linney Jr., G. E. (1995, July). Communication skills: A prerequisite for leadership. Physician
Executive, 21(7), 48-49. Retrieved March 2, 2009, from MasterFILE Premier database
Roberts, G. E. (2002, Fall). Employee performance appraisal system participation: A technique
that works. Public Personnel Management, 31(3), 333 -343. Retrieved March 3, 2009
from MasterFILE Premier database
Rue, L.W. & Byars, L.L. (2004). Supervision: Key link to productivity (8th ed.). New York, NY:
The McGraw-Hill Companies
Wilson, B. (2005). How to listen: Attentive listening skills. BusinessListening.com. Retrieved
March 2, 2009, from .http://www.businesslistening.com/listening_skills-3.php
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