Quality control supervisors shoulder a great deal of responsibility when it comes to making sure that quality standards are maintained and that all policies and procedures related to the quality control and quality assurance objectives are consistently met. In order to manage this type of activity, a quality control supervisor will often make use of several different strategies that include the use of remedial training, continuing education, and helping others involved in the operation to have some input into the quality control standards embraced by the company. While the exact nature of these approaches will vary based on the setting, all three can be translated into just about any effective management of a quality control program.
One of the most important tips for any quality control supervisor is to never consider the process of learning to be complete, either in terms of what the supervisor knows or the knowledge base of others who labor in the department or area that the supervisor oversees. To this end, the supervisor must be willing to embrace continuing education opportunities that provide exposure to new ways of managing people and processes. At the same time, the quality control supervisor must be willing to consider how this new knowledge could be integrated into the current policies and procedures, project the outcome, and determine if making some changes would help or hurt the current level of quality control.
Along with staying abreast of new information, the quality control supervisor must also be willing to promote relevant educational opportunities for those whom he or she oversees. This means being on the lookout for seminars and workshops that would be practical for certain members of the employee force and helping to arrange for them to attend those events. Often, those employees will return with some ideas that can help to further enhance the quality control protocols in a lab, a production operation or even in an information systems department. The investment in those employees will also sometimes have the effect of reinforcing their commitment to quality control within the area of their responsibility, which helps to make the quality control supervisor’s job a little easier.
Creating intentional processes that allow employees to freely discuss issues concerning the quality control polices and procedures that the company currently utilizes is very important. While the quality control supervisor is ultimately responsible for upholding whatever standards are set by the company ownership, being open to what employees observe and think can benefit the process in several ways. In some cases, employees will notice little details that escape the notice of those who are taking a broader perspective and bring them to the attention of the supervisor.
The result can be identifying and resolving a small issue before it becomes a major concern. At other times, this approach allows the supervisor to provide employees with additional training that helps them to understand how the quality effort works across the company as a whole, including why certain protocols are in place. With either outcome, the quality control supervisor helps to make those employees more involved in the process of maintaining quality and helps them feel like more of a part of the company’s success.
