Do you remember becoming a supervisor for the first time thinking, “Here it comes… more money, responsibility… getting to tell people what to do and how to do it.” Then the day comes, and it actually happens. You take over the position and gradually begin to realize that along with the responsibility that you thought you were going to have came all sorts of other accountabilities; those legal responsibilities in Occupational Health and Safety, Wellness, Employment Standards, budgets, not to mention just getting workers to get along and do the work on time.
According to a recent study by the Harvard Business Review 50% of new supervisors and managers, feel under-supported, overwhelmed, and regret the decision to take on that responsibility within the first year of taking it on.
For employers there is the added responsibility of compliance with the Occupational Health and Safety Act, the Employment Standards Act and the Ontario Human Rights Code when appointing a new supervisor or manager.
First, a few definitions under the Occupational Health and Safety Act a supervisor is any person who has care of control of the workplace or delegates work, whereas a person who has managerial function is anybody who hires fires or disciplines. This of course means the manager can also be a supervisor under that act.
An additional wrinkle added by the occupational health and Safety Act is that the supervisor has to be a competent person as per the definition of the act. A competent person is:
• A person who has knowledge and skill of the work to be performed.
• A person who is aware of what hazards are present in the workplace.
• A person who is aware of the laws and regulations which are applicable to that workplace and the work being done.
Frequently employers will promote somebody from the ranks of the workers to become the new supervisor lead hand or charge person, because they have exceptional skills in the function which they've been performing as a worker for a period of time. This is problematic because while somebody is capable of doing a task well, does not mean that they are able to supervise it, teach it, or is knowledgeable about the hazards, the laws and regulations covering the work. The most common missing skill is that of leadership…do they know how to work with other people and guide a team.
As a quick aside we want you to think about professional sports… how man astounding players later become outstanding coaches. The answer is VERY FEW…because they require different skills.
In order to provide some guidance to employers and also to people who wish to become supervisors, managers, and take on that accountability which comes with it, we propose a curriculum which will assist anybody following it to become a more aware worker, second a competent supervisor, and third a person capable of more growth in their professional life than they ever thought was possible.
In the two decades that we’ve been working as H&S consultants, one of the first things we recommended to employers is that when you spot somebody who has the potential to be a good supervisor, expand their knowledge and challenge them to grow. Place them on the Joint Health and Safety Committee (JHSC). The JHSC by its nature is often the only committee required by law in a given workplace. By joining the committee, the worker gains a big picture perspective and starts learning about mission, vision, values, and goals of management, while at the same time learning about the expertise of the workers and finally they learn to respect the role of the supervisor, the communications expert and who is an expert on team building and team maintenance.
When they have successfully navigated the year on the committee, we suggest getting them certified through the Ontario government because that joint health and safety certification is a credit to them, it goes on the resume, it shows is that they have a basic knowledge of the skills and regulation laws and regulations of the province and that will give them the understanding of the role of the supervisor in the internal responsibility system.
A person who has completed two years on Joint Health and Safety Committee and is certified is now ready for promotion to a junior supervisory position (lead hand charge nurse, etc.).
Once promoted don't just throw them into the deep end…designate somebody to act as a mentor for them; a more senior supervisor, or manager who they can ask questions of when they are not officially on the clock. After a few months when they've got their feet under them it's time for their next course and the one we suggest first is the Basics of Supervision.
The course which focuses not only the legal requirements but also on the effective skills of team building addressing difficult situations, and beginning to understand the role of the supervisor as mediator an arbitrator and will give and help them to develop skills to bring into the workplace that will allow them to prosper and grow more.
In combination with reviews and key point indicators, building a scorecard for them to achieve developing a plan for how they're going to go forward is essential. On top of that follow up by creating an individual training plan which could include:
• Violence and Harassment
• Diversity, Inclusivity, Understanding Unconscious Bias
• Soft Skills and Better Communication
• Accessibility for Ontarians with Disabilities Act
• Mediation and Arbitration
• Accident and Incident Investigation
• Effective Business Meetings
Those three steps will give a person a good footing and build a solid foundation, from which they can grow. If you take up the challenge to create an environment where people can learn and grow, you will benefit through being an Employer of Choice, and be able to retain the workers who make your business prosper.
