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2. INTRODUCTION
Good supervision affects organizational results and the overall
work environment. A strong supervisory team that contributes
to a positive work environment and enables employees to be
and feel successful can provide your organization with a
competitive advantage in attracting and retaining talented
employees - which is critical in a sector that faces challenges
in recruiting and retaining top employees. Good supervision is
based on clearly defining the role of supervisors in your
organization, and ensuring supervisors have the requisite
competencies to carry out their role effectively.

3. Although there are various definitions of supervision there
are commonalities between them. Some place more
emphasis on the organisational purpose of supervision
while others focus more on the individual. When
analyzing the different aspects of supervision, some
authors identify three functions, while others see the
process10 as having four (or more) functions. When
reading this section, you will want to consider which
definition has resonance in your practice context
including how this has influenced your organisation’s
supervision policy.

4. When considering how the overall purpose of supervision is
broken down into different functions Inskipp and Proctor15
identify three.
• Normative – which they define as the shared responsibility of
both supervisor and supervisee to monitor standards and
practice in a way which is ethical and reflects the value base16 of
the profession.
• Formative – which they see as the shared responsibility for the
supervisee’s development.
• Restorative – given the nature of the work supervision needs to
provide a restorative space to explore the impact and for the
practitioner to re-charge.

5. Morrison uses different language and adds a fourth element in the functions of
supervision:
• competent, accountable performance/practice (this may be referred to as the
managerial function)
• continuing professional development
• personal support
• engaging the individual with the organisation (mediation)

6. ROLE OF SUPERVISOR

7. PLANNING AND ORGANIZING
Supervisor’s basic role is to plan the daily
work schedule of the workers by guiding
them the nature of their work and also
dividing the work amongst the workers
according to their interests, aptitudes, skills
and interests.

8. PROVISION OF WORKING CONDITIONS
A supervisor plays an important role in the physical
setting of the factory and in arranging the physical
resources at right place. This involves providing
proper sitting place, ventilation, lighting, water
facilities etc. to workers. His main responsibility is
here to provide healthy and hygienic condition to
the workers.

9. LEADERSHIP AND GUIDANCE
A supervisor is the leader of workers under him. He
leads the workers and influences them to work their
best. He also guides the workers by fixing
production targets and by providing them
instruction and guidelines to achieve those targets.

10. MOTIVATION
A supervisor plays an important role by providing
different incentives to workers to perform better.
There are different monetary and non-monetary
incentives which can inspire the workers to work
better.

11. CONTROLLING
Controlling is an important function performed by
supervisor. This will involve
1. Recording the actual performance against the time
schedule.
2. Checking of progress of work.
3. Finding out deviations if any and making solutions
4. If not independently solved, reporting it to top
management.

12. LINKING PIN
A supervisor proves to be a linking pin between
management and workers. He communicates the
policies of management to workers also passes
instructions to them on behalf of management. On
the other hand, he has a close contact with the
workers and therefore can interact the problems,
complaints, suggestions, etc to the management. In
this way, he communicates workers problems and
brings it to the notice of management.

13. GRIEVANCE HANDLING
The supervisor can handle the grievances of the workers
effectively for this he has to do the following things :-
1. He can be in direct touch with workers.
2. By winning the confidence of the workers by solving
their problems.
3. By taking worker problems on humanitarian grounds.
4. If he cannot tackle it independently, he can take the
help and advice of management to solve it.

14. REPORTING
A supervisor has got an important role to report about
the cost, quality and any such output which can be
responsible for increasing productivity. Factors like
cost, output, performance, quality, etc can be
reported continually to the management.

15. INTRODUCING NEW WORK METHODS
The supervisor here has to be conscious about the environment of market and
competition present. Therefore he can innovate the techniques of
production. He can shift the workers into fresh schedules whenever
possible. He can also try this best to keep on changing and improving to
the physical environment around the workers. This will result in
1. Higher productivity,
2. High Morale of Workers,
3. Satisfying working condition,
4. Improving human relations,
5. Higher Profits, and
6. High Stability

16. ENFORCING DISCIPLINE
A supervisor can undertake many steps to maintain
discipline in the concern by regulating checks and
measures, strictness in orders and instructions,
keeping an account of general discipline of factory,
implementing penalties and punishments for the
indiscipline workers. All these above steps help in
improving the overall discipline of the factory.

17. TYPES OF SUPERVISION

18. ONE-TO-ONE SUPERVISION
One-to-one supervision is widely used and the supervisor is usually the supervisee’s line
manager. Sessions are formally pre-arranged and take place in a confidential setting
and protected place. Most organisations using one-to-one supervision require it to be
undertaken once every four to six weeks with each supervisee.
One-to-one supervision sessions present a safe place for reflecting on complex practice
and provide support in exploring practice and making j decisions. Effective one-to-one
supervision can
• provide accountability for practice, governance and quality of service
• provide an opportunity to manage resources, delegate and manage workload
• provide an opportunity for performance review, support and development.
As with all forms of supervision, developing people with a specific focus on achieving
better outcomes for individuals who use services and their careers should be at the
centre of the process.

19. FOR THE SUPERVISEE
Supervision is the main way in which an organisation monitors and reviews work. It also
ensures supervisees receive proper support, both with the personal and professional
challenges they face and in continuously developing skills. It is important that both parties
fully participate, making the most of the opportunities supervision offers. With this in mind
it is important for a supervisee to:
• Prepare in advance for each session, reviewing notes from the previous session and
reflecting on the things they want to raise and discuss with their supervisor
• Be open about what they have found difficult, but also about what has gone well – reflecting
on what has gone well will help the supervisee to build confidence and reinforce good practice
• Be prepared to share their own thoughts and ideas around solving problems or promoting
efficiency
• Be ready to plan and take training or other development activities agreed with the supervisor
• Review their notes from the meeting afterwards making sure they follow through on any
agreed actions.

20. FOR THE SUPERVISOR
Being a supervisor comes with significant responsibility, an opportunity to make a real
difference in the development of supervisees, the success of the organisation and
the outcomes for individuals who use the service. With this in mind it is important for
a supervisor to:
• Plan in advance, reviewing notes from previous sessions
• Provide an appropriate environment free of interruptions and only cancel in
exceptional circumstances
• Consider starting with a practical coaching technique to put the supervisee at ease •
avoid ‘telling’ the supervisee what they are doing wrong, or giving solutions to
problems. Instead supervisors should use a coaching style to help supervisees reflect
on their actions and come up with their own solutions

21. • Avoid placing too much focus on areas for improvement, encourage reflection on what
has gone well too
• In delegating tasks and projects, adapt their management style to the individual and
their current stage of development
• Consider the supervisee’s emotional challenges and development, remembering that
people respond in different ways
• Use these sessions to help the supervisee understand the values of the organisation
and what these mean in practice
• make a record of what is discussed and any actions agreed together in the supervisee’s
notes.
• consider their own personal development as a supervisor

22. GROUP SUPERVISION
Group supervision is facilitator-led via a formal, prearranged process that is agreed by the
supervisor and supervisees. The makeup of the group depends on the goals of the
supervision. Group supervision is a complement to, rather than substitute for, one-to-
one supervision, though it may reduce the frequency with which one-to-one
supervision is needed.
The supervisor should discuss with the group, and agree, how the agenda and focus of
supervision sessions will be centred on individuals who use services and their careers
- ultimately, effective group supervision should result in better outcomes for people..
This is the important distinction between group supervision and team meetings or
other group sessions – group supervision is always centred on developing people with
a specific focus on achieving better outcomes.

23. MAIN BENEFITS OF EFFECTIVE GROUP
SUPERVISION
Effective group supervision can result in faster, more effective problem solving by drawing on
the expertise of a group of people. It allows for learning from the diverse backgrounds
and experiences of different social services workers and practitioners, who may provide
different perspectives on situations. Group supervision presents an opportunity to
address the concerns and issues of individuals and also an opportunity to develop
teams. Sharing in a group setting:
• can give supervisees an increased sense of support by realising others have similar
concerns
• allows supervisees to find new and better ways of dealing with their own situations by
listening to others
• can allow supervisees to explore different ideas about how they will solve problems by
obtaining a range of feedback from others about issues or concerns
• provides a safe environment where individuals can discuss their limitations and problems
without criticism – some individuals may find that they are more confident about opening
up in a group situation than in a one-to-one situation.

24. ROLES AND RESPONSIBILITIES OF THE
FACILITATOR
EFFECTIVE FACILITATORS:
• Plan in advance
• Take a neutral position and focus purely on the group process and desired
outcomes.
• Listen actively and ask questions that encourage and direct participation
relevant to the goals of the group.
• Draw out quieter members of the group and allow everyone a chance to
participate.
• Are not afraid of silence – they recognize when the group needs space to
think.
• Check for mutual understanding
• Keep the group focused on the agenda.

25. ROLES AND RESPONSIBILITIES OF THE
PARTICIPANTS
SUPERVISEES (AND INDEED THE FACILITATOR) SHOULD:
• be prepared to listen actively and share openly
• avoid taking the conversation off in directions that are not useful
• show respect towards others
• avoid dominating the discussion
• be mindful of their duties regarding confidentiality.

26. SHARED SUPERVISION
Shared supervision allows teams to share responsibility for
supervising individuals. Shared supervision is still conducted one-to-
one, but the supervisor in this case will not be the supervisee’s line
manager, instead he or she will be a practitioner who has skills and
experience relevant to the supervisee’s current projects or caseload
and so is able to provide specifically relevant support.
According to the SSSC Code of Practice for Employers of Social
Service Workers, it is essential that individuals have access to
support from a competent and qualified worker. Shared supervision
provides an opportunity to achieve this. Supervisors and supervisees
can be matched depending on the current workload, allowing for
creative and innovative practice and resource efficiency through
shared responsibility for leadership and management.

27. • As well as the resourcing benefits derived from shared supervision there is
a further benefit in that risk is reduced where more people are able to act in
a supervisory capacity. A shared supervision approach can also provide an
opportunity to develop supervision skills in individuals who do not have line
management responsibilities. This is not to say that a supervisee
participating in shared supervision will not receive supervision from their line
manager - they will.
• However such supervision will focus on the day-to-day management and
performance aspects that are not directly related to providing care. Since
shared supervision is conducted on a one-to-one basis, the tips provided in
the ‘One-to-one supervision’ resource on this section of the site also relate
well to shared supervision. Explore also the resources on ‘Professional
supervision’ and ‘Group supervision’.

28. PROFESSIONAL SUPERVISION
Professional supervision is for professionally qualified workers in social services.
Professional supervision supports supervisees to maintain professional identity,
knowledge and meet post registration training and learning requirements. For
example a Social Worker would be matched with another, more senior, Social
Worker to provide additional, professional, supervision where their line manager,
who normally provides their supervision, is not a Social Worker. This may
become more common as services become more integrated. It forms an
essential input to maintaining and developing practice outcomes for individuals,
professionals and agencies.

29. Professional supervision can be conducted one-to-one or in a group setting and
much of the guidance provided in the resources for these supervision models
can be adapted for professional supervision. Professional supervision could
also be ‘shared’ to improve resourcing and minimize risk by widening the pool
of available practitioners.
When effective professional supervision is in place it can :
• enable and support quality practice by providing opportunity for reviewing and
reflecting on practice issues
• provide opportunity to review roles and relationships, evaluating the outcomes of
the work and maximizing opportunities for wider learning
• support Post Registration Training and Learning (PRTL) through maintaining
professional competency

30. SUPERVISOR COMPETENCIES

31. The combination of process and people responsibilities results in a requirement
for supervisors to have a combination of process management competencies
and people management competencies. Those identified below are meant to
provide examples of typical competencies required of supervisors; it's not an
exhaustive list. Each organization needs to develop a unique set of supervisory
competencies that reflects the job requirements and the organizational culture.
PEOPLE MANAGEMENT COMPETENCIES
• Coaching
• Managing conflict
• Communication
• Group leadership

32. COACHING
In today's work environment, the role of a supervisor is not that of the
authoritarian taskmaster. Supervisors are expected to coach their
employees, not to micro-manage every aspect of how activities or tasks
are accomplished. Coaching means providing direction, guidance, and
support as required on assigned activities and tasks. Additionally, as a
coach, supervisors need to recognize strengths and weaknesses of
employees and work with employees to identify opportunities and
methods to maximize those strengths and improve weak areas.

33. MANAGING CONFLICT
Supervisors are responsible for ensuring a positive work environment and
effective teamwork, which often involves managing interpersonal dynamics and
conflict. Supervisors need to allow and promote healthy conflict and prevent or
resolve destructive conflict. Constructive conflict focuses on ideas, methods,
facts and alternative ways of looking at a particular issue or situation.
Constructive conflict can result in increased creativity, innovative solutions, and
better decision-making. Destructive conflict focuses on personality,
communication and work style differences and competition for resources,
recognition or rewards. Destructive conflict can result in unmotivated
employees, loss of productivity, employee turnover and, in extreme situations,
legal action.

34. COMMUNICATION
Communication is a key competency for supervisors. They are
responsible for communicating information up, down and across the
organization hierarchy, as well as with parties external to the
organization (volunteers, donors, clients, etc.). A strong competency
in communication encompasses an ability to articulate messages
clearly, to actively listen to others, and to develop appropriate
responses. Depending on the specific job, there may be more or
less importance placed on written versus verbal communication, but
most supervisor positions require at least moderate business
writing skills.

35. GROUP LEADERSHIP
In the course of carrying out their functions, supervisors are often in the position of
leading team meetings and group work. Successful group leadership results in
increased productivity and employee morale.
Successful group leadership involves:
• Establishing goals and agendas
• Creating focus and purpose
• Minimizing distractions and interruptions
• Planning group activities
• Managing participation to ensure involvement of all team members
• Following through on action items

36. TRANSITIONING INTO THE
SUPERVISOR ROLE

37. Taking on a supervisory role is an exciting and challenging opportunity. While
becoming a supervisor may be a desired and positive move, the transition into
the role can be stressful. There are a number of factors that contribute to the
stress of taking on a supervisory role:
• The change in the nature of the relationships with coworkers
• Additional time demands that can create stress during the workday may also
conflict with personal demands
• Increased responsibility and decision-making
• New skills and knowledge required

38. RE-ESTABLISH RELATIONSHIPS AND BUILD
NEW RELATIONSHIPS
There is often a period of discomfort between new supervisors and their former coworkers,
particularly when those coworkers become direct reports of the supervisor. Given that so much
of our day is spent at work, it is inevitable that friendships develop and those friendships can
be threatened when the nature of the work relationship changes. The truth is, some friendships
will withstand the change while others will revert to collegial relationships.
The challenge is to maintain positive relationships through the transition period and going forward.
To maintain positive relationships with former coworkers and friends, the new supervisor
should:
• Discuss the changing nature of the relationship with coworkers and friends to establish
expectations around working behaviours and relationships going forward
• Be careful to avoid favoritism (or perceived favoritism) both in seeking input and in delegating
work
• Examine motivation when providing positive or negative feedback. It is important to ensure that
s/he maintains objectivity in performance feedback, and doesn't avoid conflict or provide
unwarranted positive feedback due to concerns over friendship

39. ESTABLISH WORK-LIFE BALANCE
Time management is a key supervisory competency and has been discussed
above. Establishing a balance between the time demands of work priorities
and personal priorities (work-life balance) poses additional challenges. The
new supervisor needs to take time to evaluate work and life priorities and
determine the time and energy that s/he is prepared to commit to both (ideally,
the new supervisor should go through this process prior to taking on the
supervisory role).
It is important for new supervisors to establish expectations of themselves and
expectations others have regarding work and personal commitments. They
should discuss their commitment to work and personal life with those
individuals that will be impacted by the change in priorities - including their
supervisor and family members.

40. ACQUIRE NEW SKILLS AND KNOWLEDGE
Typically, individuals are promoted to positions in which their
supervisor believes they are capable of performing well. There is
normally an expectation that the newly promoted individual will
have some abilities and experience required of the job and will
require development in other areas of the job. A new supervisor
should work with his or her supervisor to evaluate current
knowledge, skills and abilities against those required in the
position. He or she should then establish a development plan that
includes formal and informal learning opportunities

41. FIND A MENTOR OR COACH
New supervisors can benefit greatly from a mentor or coach to act as a
sounding board and support person. If your organization does not have a
formal coaching/mentoring program, seek out a mentor for yourself. Your
mentor should be someone who:
• Has a greater level and breadth of experience than you
• Is someone you trust and respect
• Is comfortable giving honest feedback
• Is willing to spend a dedicated amount of time with you on a regular basis