Academic Prospective
The role of the 21st century supervisor is in high contrast with the retrospective role as indicated by Dawson (2003, p.85), and as seconded by McConnell (2010, p.6). The supervisor is considered to be a very important person in any organization because he/she acts a link between the floor level employees and the upper management (Mosley, Mosley & Pietri, 2011, p.452). Their bridging role ensures that organization human resources objectives are achieved by delegating daily duties to employees, and by selecting, appraising and disciplining them.
The supervisory role cannot be successfully carried without building mighty strong relation cornerstones, which include “fairness, trust, confidence, competence and respect”, for the organization (Imundo, 1991, p. 3). Despite the fact that a supervisor has power and the right to exercise this power on his/her juniors, the relation cornerstones should be part of him/her.
The 21st role and functions of a supervisor do not only entail being authoritative and commanding, rather they entail an array of elements that should help to bring out the best form the employees. Regardless of the fact that supervision is essential, a supervisor’s function in ensuring that employees remain dutiful is equally important. This is accomplished by the supervisor’s function as a coach, facilitator, team developer and expediter (Mosley, Mosley & Pietri, 2011, p. 118).
McConnell (2007, p. 53), has outlined the following as the functions of a supervisor in the 21st century: scheduling activities, giving instructions, controlling and regulating execution of duties, motivating employees, effectively communicating decisions made by the upper management, settling disputes, planning on how objectives will be met through planning policies, presenting grievances of the employees to the management, and preparing reports on progress and performance of duties.
These 21st century functions of a supervisor aim at staffing, leading, planning, monitoring and organizing the various components that make up an organization. The supervisor’s planning role focuses on the future of the organization by setting long-term goals that would be guided by a logical set of objectives. The supervisor schedules and prepares a detailed plan of action that shows how the organization would achieve its long-term goals (Cole, 2001, p. 157). Progress towards achievement of these long-term goals requires the supervisor to continuously monitor and review activities carried out, checking whether these activities are inclined towards achievement of these goals.
Non-Academic Prospective
The non-academic version of the perspectives on the roles and functions of the supervisor in the 21st century is similar with that of the academic one. Supervisors are no longer the arrogant and dictatorial persons that were once believed to be. They are currently perceived to be like parents, meant to guide and direct their juniors in the same way that parents guide and direct their children with love, care and respect.
The supervisor should have good knowledge of the workers and their capabilities so as to assign workers duties that are commensurate with their capabilities. A supervisor keeps himself updated with the ongoing of the organization in relation to the subordinate units. This is important so that timely changes are made if need arises. It is the supervisor’s obligation to ensure that an organization’s objectives are achieved, and the way to do so is by articulately defining the short-term and long-term goals and carefully planning out how they should be achieved (Coachdian, 2009).
The supervisor is a manager with regard to the operations of an organization. The supervisor schedules and makes a review of the duties hence, a more reason why they are operational managers. As operations managers, they have an important function of seeing to it that the working environment is conducive for employees to avoid mishaps (Whoswaiting.com.au n. d.). A manager is often seen as leader, who is meant to ensure that his subjects, and operations running under his/her jurisdiction, are executed according to instructions given.
A leader should always show his/her concern for the people, and in so doing, should be a good listener, and courteous to the employees, who consider him/her to be the highest level of authority (teamsafetyinc.com, 2010). As a leader, the supervisor should help bring out the best from his/her employees as he/she acts as a great motivator.
A supervisor has a more direct link with the employees, and as a representative of the upper management, he acts as a spokesperson for the management, and the employees (Managementstudyguide, 2008). This mediator role of a supervisor is very effective in settling disputes involving the concerned parties. The supervisor, more than any outsider understands the views and interest of the concerned parties and he/she is in the best position to help the concerned parties reach a favourable solution without involving outsiders.
The supervisor therefore functions as a peace-maker by uniting the concerned parties. A good supervisor therefore should possess good communication skills that enable him/her to communicate effectively with his/her superiors, as well as his/her subordinates (Department of Chemical Analyst, 2010). The supervisor also functions to settle disputes among employees so as to foster production, and good working conditions.
Popular Culture Prospective
Perspectives on the role and functions of the supervisor in the 21st century are based on media fiction, with more attention on movie and TV shows. The role and functions, of a supervisor in relation to the popular culture prospective are described as having both negative and positive characteristics. This is because, as seen in the movie, “Devil wears Prada”, the supervisor, Miranda, fits the description of a traditional supervisor since she is authoritative and inconsiderate (Oskary, 2008).
According to this movie, the supervisor’s role and functions do not put the employee’s interests at heart. The supervisor assigns employees assignments regardless of the fact that they are commensurate with their capabilities or not. In the movie, “The Apprentice”, the supervisor fires the employees based on his/her own jurisdiction (Dyranios, 2008). This is unjust because, the supervisor may be biased and may act out of mere prejudice.
“The Proposal” is another movie that shows the cultural perspective on the role and functions, of a supervisor as those depicting the hard-to-please, menacing, vicious and ferocious character of the supervisor (Bionytt, 2009). In addition to these negative characteristics of a supervisor, he/she is also deemed to be a controller, overseer, commander, inspector, instead of a coacher, or coordinator.
Such negative roles and functions of a supervisor lead to establishment of negative relationships between the supervisor and his/her employees. In the long-run, the organization may fail to achieve its objectives because, when one’s hostile reputation becomes widely known, no one will want to be associated with such hostility. Subsequently, there will be no employees to help achieve an organization’s objectives.
On the other hand, popular culture shows s positive perspective on the role and functions of the 21st century supervisor. This positive side describe the supervisor as a facilitator, leader and coach. These elements as discussed earlier o, are very important in ensuring the success of any organization. The supervisor in this sense is a helper, not a commander, and he/she ensures that he has prepared his/her employees adequately so that they are ready for the tasks prepared for them.
This positive side describing the role and functions of a supervisor based on the 21st century is the ideal description of a supervisor. A supervisor is not an intimidator; rather he is more of a mentor, who is supposed to assist his/her juniors to reach their fullest potential (Getintofootball, 2010).
References
Bionytt, 2009. The proposal. Web.
Coachdian, 2009. The Five Functions of Supervising. The Supervisor’s Survival Guide. Web.
Cole, K., 2001,Supervision: The Theory and Practice of First-Line Management. 2nd ed. Sydney: Prentice Hall.
Dawson, P., 2003. Understanding Organizational Change: the Contemporary Experience of People at Work. London: Sage Publication.
Department of Chemical Analyst, 2010. The Supervisor’s Role in Organization. Web.
Dyranios, 2008. The Apprentice: Donald Trump Fires Remainder of Team. Web.
Getintofootball, 2010. Get into Coaching with Fabio Capello. Web.
Imundo, L., 1991. The Effective Supervisor’s Handbook. New York: Amacom.
Management Study Guide, 2008. Role of a Supervisor. Management Study Guide.com. Web.
McConnell, C., 2010. Umiker’s Management Skills for the New Health Care Supervisor. 5th ed. London: Jones and Bartlett Publishers, LLC.
McConnell, C., 2007. The Effective Health Care Supervisor. 6th ed. London: Jones and Bartlett Publishers Int.
Mosley, D. C., Mosley, Jr. D. C., & Pietri, P. H., 2011. Supervisory Management: The Art of Inspiring, Empowering, and Developing People. 8th ed. Canada: South Western Cengage Learning.
Oskary, 2008. Devil wears Prada. Web.
Team Safety, Inc, 2010. Building Organizational Excellence. Team Safety, Inc.com. Web.
Who’s Waiting, 2009. The Importance of Supervision. Sydney’s Hospitality Blog. Web.