A to Z - Activities, Competencies, Education and Training of Engineering Supervisors - Article Series
Supervisors have to forecast and have to understand forecasts used by the organization.
Every manager must forecast the demand on his department for the coming period. Is it going down or going up. If it is going down he has to think why it is going down. Then he can think of how it can be increased.
Supervisors are considered as first line supervisors. In the earlier days of the factory system, there are actually production managers reporting to the general manager of the full facility. Today in the expanded, there are many more levels. Still every supervisor has to ensure that his section has sufficient future work and his operator will have jobs in the coming days. They should be able to talk to customers of the organization and also do statistical calculations. In diploma courses that prepare supervisors, statistics is taught.
I am not in business, however foresight and forecasting are applicable to so much in other areas of life I think.
ReplyDeleteIt's true how supervisors need to have foresight in scheduling, or they will be short coverage in retail!