Shift Supervisor

Shift work is the backbone of America’s economy. Employees punch timecards, and focus their attention on creating new products, caring for others, or serving customers. As a Shift Supervisor, you have earned your first management stripe. Through your experience on the job, you have been promoted and now occupy the Supervisor ’s seat.

That means you’re the go-to guy (or gal) for all employees on a specific shift. The work of a Shift Supervisor can take place in any of a wide range of environments—manufacturing facility, hospital, grocery store, retail establishment, hotel, restaurant, or repair shop.

Scheduling is a major component of a Shift Supervisor’s job. Not only do you create the weekly schedule for the staff, but you also factor in breaks and lunches. You ensure that there’s adequate staff if someone is on vacation, and find a replacement if an employee calls in sick. In a pinch, you jump in to complete the work, which isn’t a problem since you’re familiar with all the jobs in your department.

The staff looks to you when problems or questions arise, so it’s your job to put out fires as they are presented. To limit such problems, you adequately educate and train staff to handle equipment failure, customer complaints, and myriad other issues. Safety and quality are other chief concerns—ones that you address through staff meetings, memos, and one-on-one conversations.

Your attention to detail and organization ensure that the department runs smoothly, the company profits, and the customers are happy.