A Case Study on Supervisory Skills

Introduction

Supervisory skills play an essential role in the workplace, and they define the dynamics of working teams, levels of productivity, and job satisfaction among employees (Leitão et al., 2019). This essay explores a case study outlining problems afflicting a project team under the leadership of Mr. Chan, looking at his supervisory style as it reflects on the performance of his team members. The sections further elaborate on the general discussion related to the role and skills of a supervisor, understanding the problems that the site team on the project has identified, evaluation of causes behind the problems, and solution suggestions based on the literature review.

Body

Supervisors are some of the core people in organizations that ensure the performance of tasks and the provision of a conducive environment. Practical supervisory skills include communication, problem-solving abilities, conflict resolution, and the motivation of the team he is in charge of. This report presents another side where a practical supervisory approach appears absent, thus leading members to frustration and inefficiency (Leitão et al., 2019). Problems for Mr. Chan’s site team in his project are multi-dimensional. His inability to match up with the schedules of meetings hampers workflow and inconveniences. One primary source of reduced morale and increased stress among members is the lack of consistency. In this way, Mr. Chan does not reveal any hesitation in handling insignificant issues while completing other vital matters of the project. An inability of the team to take the initiative and resolve significant examples of schedule slippages further suggests a lack of outstanding leadership and management time away from work.

The literature review shows how negative supervisory behavior could negatively impact employee well-being and organizational performance. For instance, Mohr et al. (2021) point out that supervisor support positively impacts daily employee well-being in that effective supervision results in an organization’s employees experiencing positive emotions. Min et al. (2020) also suggest supervisory behavior as a determinant of sustainable employee performance, given the mediation role of conflict management strategies. These findings, therefore, expose the necessity to prepare and develop supervisors with skills that will enable them to manage these challenges in the workplace.

The site team’s problems involve needing to improve leadership and communication skills. Holding meetings during the last possible minutes alludes to poor organizational capability and respect for his team members’ time. Moreover, the focus on minor issues draws attention away from critical concerns about the project, which proves that the problem was not appropriately addressed (Leitão et al., 2019). Mr. Chan’s failure to give feedback and further respect his team’s input only creates a more disengaged and demotivated workforce.

These issues can only be addressed through the delivery of good supervision practices. Mr. Chan must be trained and developed in correlation with leadership skills, communication strategies, and time management. By persistent attempts to foster open communication and cooperation, Mr. Chan may obtain helpful suggestions from his employees while increasing their ability to voice concerns and requests for help in problem-solving (Mohr et al., 2021). Creating clear goals and priorities for the project framework would streamline operations and delays successfully.

Conclusion

The case study revealed the role of good supervisory competencies in channeling a cordial and productive work environment. Mr. Chan’s weak supervisory competencies have created frustration and inefficiency in his project team, resulting in the necessity for corrective and improvement action. Organizations can improve performance in all areas and reduce workplace conflicts by creating an approach to address communication gaps, emphasizing issues related to major projects, and promoting an environment that encourages teamwork. Organizations can only maintain productivity and remain healthy if the supervisory practices become effective and superfluous for better organizational success and employee well-being.

References 

Mohr, C. D., Hammer, L. B., Brady, J. M., Perry, M. L., & Bodner, T. (2021). Can supervisor support improve daily employee well‐being? Evidence of supervisor training effectiveness in a study of veteran employee emotions. Journal of Occupational and Organizational Psychology, 94(2), 400-426.

Min, J., Iqbal, S., Khan, M. A. S., Akhtar, S., Anwar, F., & Qalati, S. A. (2020). Impact of supervisory behavior on sustainable employee performance: Mediation of conflict management strategies using PLS-SEM. PloS one, 15(9), e0236650.

Leitão, J., Pereira, D., & Gonçalves, Â. (2019). Quality of work life and organizational performance: Workers’ feelings of contributing, or not, to the organization’s productivity. International journal of environmental research and public health, 16(20), 3803