Supervisors in Today’s Business

Introduction

Management involves getting things done either individually or through coordinating the efforts of others.  In order to guide others, a supervisor has to apply certain leadership skills. Successful supervisors tend to share numerous qualities, which include the aptitude to maintain the distance between them and people they manage and still being aware of their subordinates’ actions. Similarly, successful supervisors are fair and direct when it comes to dealing with staff. The aim of the paper is to discuss the issues facing supervisors in today’s business. It analyzes the different ways that enable successful management in business.

Issues Facing Present Supervisors

The supervisory position has never been an easy responsibility. According to current research, it appears to be so challenging that numerous employees reject promotions or believe they are unprepared for their new responsibilities. Rapid changes in the workplace tend to thrust brand new managers and supervisors into ranks of pivotal significance without allowing them time to get adjusted (Robbins, 2005). They usually cannot depend on busy coworkers for training but are still required to produce immediately. Along with the enduring challenges that supervisors have always encountered, such as a different workload and relationship changes, there are various new issues that today's supervisors have to contend with.

Diverse Workforce

Diversity can be described as admitting, understanding, valuing, accepting, and reveling differences between the people regarding their class, age, gender, ethnicity, mental and physical ability, sexual orientation, race, and spiritual practice (Morgan, 2006). Issues of diversity are currently regarded as essential and are expected to be even more significant in the future because of the increased differences in the American population. Present companies are required to emphasize diversity and search for ways to become entirely inclusive firms since diversity gives greater competitive advantages.

However, there are challenges associated with managing a working population that is diverse. Managing diversity tends to be more than merely acknowledging the differences seen in people. It entails combating discrimination, identifying the value of the differences, and encouraging comprehensiveness. Supervisors might also be faced with losses in work productivity and personnel because of discrimination and prejudice as well as legal actions against the firm (Morgan, 2006).

The negative behaviors and attitudes towards supervisors could be obstacles to the organizational diversity since they could harm the working relationships and work productivity. The negative behaviors and attitudes in the workplace comprise of stereotyping, discrimination, and prejudice, which must never be utilized by the company for retention, hiring, and termination practices.

Hiring

High turnover of employees means the firm must use money to train new staff. Also, high turnover could cost an organization lost productivity, which will require the supervisor's attention. As a result, the supervisor might have less time for other supervisory roles. This is the reason why interviewing and evaluating prospective staff could be trying. Making poor decisions in the process of hiring leads to complexity, including the increased turnover, which fuels the cycle (Robbins, 2005).

Organizational Restructuring

There have been important changes to organizations because of outsourcing and downsizing, which has greatly impacted the work of supervisors. Work practices have been changed because of the effect of technology and globalization as well as the new trend, requiring longer working hours. Restructuring means the supervisor has to regularly update his leadership skills like in instances of outsourced staff. Reorganizations would mean that few people end up doing more.

Ways of Managing a Business

Open Communications

Efficient communications tend to play a huge role in operating and managing any successful company. With open communications, changes and their impacts on a company are rapidly shared. As a result, the firm has the skills and time required to react to the changes and take advantage of the developing opportunities (Collins, 2007).

Balancing Schedules and Personnel

Without good management and organization, reduced time schedules linked to modern business could cause stress for the employees. A successful management structure could minimize the stress and transform the productive ability of staff into business growth.

Distributing Tasks and Responsibilities

A firm is characterized by the determination and nature of employees' responsibilities and tasks. While the majority of companies utilize diverse methods of determining the tasks, it is vital that they be adequately defined. For instance, normally, a firm begins with several people, frequently, one performing all the tasks. As it grows, other people are hired and trained to fill distinct roles usually on a functional level. The roles that were formerly handled by specialists and consultants outside the company can now be handled internally (Collins, 2007).

Controlling Conflict

Another feature of successful management falls under regulating the conflict. Conflicts cannot be removed from either interpersonal activities or the business itself. The measure of the success of a firm is the level to which conflict could be uncovered and the energies linked with it directed towards developing the company. Even though establishing procedures and policies represents the physical aspect of firm and management, mechanisms of tolerating and expressing challenges to the operation serve as the actual essence of a prosperous firm (Collins, 2007).

Conclusion

The managers of the 21st century appear to encounter significant challenges during their management process in firms such as creating a strategic mindset, hiring and maintaining the right employee, developing an innovative culture, and eliminating short term mentality. Supervisors require the skills to lead, motivate, and influence other people. Current organizations aim to employ individuals who could take on leadership roles and assist in developing business for the future.