Stepping Up to Supervision

The current workforce remains in constant flux. New job reports show positive gains in employment, and the summer job market is expected to be its most robust since before the Great Recession. College graduates may enter a less antagonistic job market, as the Collegiate Employment Research Institute estimates a 3% increase in college hiring over 2010. The makeup of the American workforce continues to morph as well, as older employees are holding off on retirement and working longer.

The influx of new employees is often a sign of new opportunities for management and supervision. Leaders are evaluating the current ranks for new supervisors, meaning that established employees will be expected to show new hires the ropes and best practices for success—all of which can create an exciting yet daunting advancement opportunity for the established employee.

The step up from employee to supervisor always has been a notable milestone, marked by opportunities and challenges. While the opportunities are usually in the forefront of your mind—increased status, pay raise, and new opportunities—the challenges can be downright frightening. Taking on new assignments, learning how to delegate, shifting from being a buddy to being a boss—any one of these transitions is a handful. Together, they can be simply overwhelming. However, the challenge of shifting from employee to supervisor is one that many employees are likely to face in the coming years.