The following are the characteristics of supervision:

1. The task of supervision is not concerned with materials and equipments but is primarily concerned with human relations that is, to get the work done through the efforts of other people.

2. Supervision is front-line management. It is that part of management function which is concerned with leading, directing, guiding and motivating of the office workers who are engaged in actual office operations.

3. Supervision is a delegated function. The authority enjoyed by supervisory management to exercise supervision over their subordinates, that is, workers engaged in operation, is delegated by higher levels of management. Conversely, supervisory management remains responsible or accountable to the next higher level of management.

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4. The autocratic methods of getting the work done cannot succeed in the modern democratic environment. Effective supervision requires that supervisory management should be able to exercise dynamic leadership which alone will ensure effective co­ordination and co-operation among the workers and motivate them towards better performance of work.

5. The position of supervisory management is mid-way between higher level management and the workers. A supervisor is a representative of both man and management. Effective supervision depends a great deal on the supervisor’s ability to interpret clearly and tactfully the view-points of management to the men and of men to the management.

Office Supervision

A supervisor is regarded as the key-man in management as he occupies a strategic position of strength in the organisation. He is the only member capable of linking management to operative personnel. The office supervisor, by whatever name he is called, occupies a very delicate and important position in the organisation structure of the office.

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He is the key figure in managerial actuating. Almost every plan and policy must pass through him for implementation. It is he who is responsible for the correct interpretation of plans and policies to his subordinates. For them, he is their guiding spirit. It is he who introduces team spirit among the subordinates.

Terry summarises his position in these words “An organisation unit is what it is largely because of the supervisors influence.” As a matter of fact, most of the problems are reduced to simple tasks when the supervisor is competent and gets full, co-operation from his subordinates.

A supervisor is an individual who is at the critical, focal point where work is to be got done. He is the one who ‘supervises’ performance of tasks assigned to a group of workers and is ‘responsible’ for their performance. It is he who accounts for the performance of his subordinates to the management.

The place of supervisor in the organisation and the nature and scope of his responsibilities, primarily, depend upon the nature and size of the activities of an enterprise.

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In large sized offices there may be several levels of supervisory authority, viz, the first line supervisors, who are in charge of the office workers engaged in actual operations; second line supervisors, who deal with first line supervisors and as such act as connecting link between them and the higher management; in some concerns there may be third line supervisors also called top level supervisors, who deal with and co-ordinate and supervise the activities of the second line supervisors, “the pyramid of supervision is formed in this way.”

Generally, a supervisor is a person who is primarily in charge of a group of workers in an organization. He is responsible for the accomplishment of work and for the efficient performance of equipment and workers under his charge. He is the real executor of the plans policies and programmes of the organization.

He is delegated authority by the departmental manager for getting the work done from the workers. He gives orders and instructions to the workers and is responsible to the departmental manager for their performance.

Effective Supervision

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Following are the elements that should be considered for achieving effective supervision:

1. Impartiality and fairness in enforcing discipline and in dealing with employees are essential for securing the loyalty and confidence of the employees. All workers must be treated similarly.

2. The supervisor should issue clear, simple and complete instructions so that the employees are at ease to perform their work efficiently and speedily.

3. A supervisor must have the knowledge of machines, equipments, tools, processes and materials that are under his control.

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4. He should guard against waste of materials and time.

5. He should be familiar with the organizational rules and regulations and policies which are applicable to his concern. He should also possess the knowledge of various labour laws that affect his section.

6. Satisfactory work outputs are the chief responsibility of the supervisor and therefore, he should stress upon the need for every employee to perform his best.

7. A supervisor should be a leader in the true sense of the term. As a leader, he will be able to guide the subordinates and promote harmonious relationship among them.

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8. Employees should not be kept in the dark regarding objectives, plans and policies framed by higher management. If they are kept informed, this will enhance their sense of participation and loyalty and will improve employee morale.

9. A good supervisor should be able to communicate clearly with the subordinates and issue them orders and instructions in such a way that the subordinates feel like following them. He requires communication skill.