Supervisors often make up part of a company’s management staff, though they may not represent the highest managerial level. In many cases, supervisors are responsible for watching over employees and ensuring these individuals meet a company’s requirements. Supervisor goals can be wide ranging in nature, from improving a department’s output to training employees in new skills. Executive management is often responsible for creating supervisor goals. A common process for this activity is to identify gaps in the supervisor’s area, conduct an assessment, and develop corrective actions with the supervisor to close identified gaps.
Gap analysis is a very common business activity, though it may not always go by this name. Setting supervisor goals often comes after owners and executives review a supervisor’s work and operational area. Upper management review what they expect to see in the supervisor’s work and the actual results during the gap analysis process. The differences between these two represent opportunities for goals that will bridge the gap between expectations and actual activities. Supervisors may undergo a formal review here when conducting gap analysis.
Assessments are quite common for supervisors, who often undergo annual reviews of their actions and supervised areas. In some cases, a supervisor may undergo a personal self-assessment with the intent to grade him- or herself prior to the formal review. This provides data for upper management who will assess how well the individual can meet personal goals. The self-assessment can provide insight for upper management and assist in setting specific goals for the supervisor. The supervisor goals set here then frame future reviews of the individual’s effectiveness in the company.
In some cases, gap analysis and self-assessments can lead to corrective actions as part of supervisor goals. These actions will alter how the individual completes his or her tasks and handles problems. The development of lower-level supervisors is often necessary so a company can promote from within those individuals best suited for higher management positions. The corrective actions may also improve an entire area in a business. How a supervisor responds to these changes and corrective actions may also be a part of supervisor goals.
Not all supervisors have the same goals. Upper management should tailor each review process to a supervisor and review each independently. Creating one measuring stick for all supervisors can be a dangerous tactic. Upper managers must invest the time and effort into each individual supervisor in order to make him or her a success.
