Construction Supervisor Job Description

Construction supervisors are responsible for directing, planning, coordinating and budgeting activities related to the maintenance and construction of facilities. The scheduling, organizing and implementation of a construction project is a part of the job. Construction supervisors are involved in quality control programs.

The duties of a construction supervisor include directing and supervising other workers, obtaining all of the necessary licenses and permits, evaluating construction methods and determining the cost-effectiveness of each plan. They dispatch workers to construction sites. Construction supervisors prepare contracts and negotiate revisions, as well as explain contract terms and plans to co-workers, staff and clients.

Critical thinking and math skills are required to become a construction supervisor. Construction supervisors use logic and reasoning to find strengths and weaknesses in alternative solutions. They use their math skills to make adjustments to blueprints.

Constructions supervisors should have good problem-solving skills. Construction supervisors should have knowledge of the methods, materials and tools used in the construction of buildings and other structures. They must have knowledge of economics and accounting, sales and marketing, administration, management and design techniques, and the principles involved in the production of precision technical plans, models, blueprints and drawings.

Construction supervisors should have knowledge of security procedures. The requirements for becoming a construction supervisor include a background in building science, business and management or related work in the construction industry. A bachelor's degree in civil engineering, construction management or construction science is required to work in that field.

The Foreman: How the Supervisor Communicates with His Team

The foreman is a critical link between management and the workforce. The foreman plays a crucial role in managing productivity, quality, and safety by virtue of the fact that they to some degree oversee, organize, direct, and control the work during field operations. To accomplish this, the supervisor must be able to be an effective communicator, be able to forge good working relationships with the crew and management personnel as well as others, be an effective planner, good decision-maker, able problem solvers, etc.

One needs to understand the organization's culture and climate to be an effective supervisor. The organizational culture is the underlying shared core values, norms, beliefs, and assumptions held by its members. The culture influences the policies that represent the standards for the organization.

The organizational climate is the meaning members assign to various aspects of the workplace. The employee's perception of the organizational culture and leadership's actions and behavior in a way helps define and shape its climate. The supervisor needs to be able to communicate vertically and horizontally to function as a foreman.

People spend over three quarters of their time in a relationship. Communication skills are a liability. Employees and supervisors who do not communicate effectively are less effective in their jobs.

Communication is more complex than just saying something. The workforce's superior performance is due to the effective competencies of the supervisor. Managing people is more about empowerment and support than control.

How to be a good construction project manager

Construction managers can be found working on a variety of projects. There is a lot to think about when managing a construction site, from deadlines, weather, availability of materials, and staff to managing the site. Staying on top of the project helps the project flow.

A bad organization can cause a domino effect. If one trade is out of schedule, everyone's schedules are pushed back, causing delays at the construction site. Slow work can lead to overtime, missed deadlines, and unhappy clients.

There are many steps in construction and time management is important. Unruly employees are one of the hardest things to manage. A recent survey shows that construction business owners and managers spend 11 hours a week traveling between job sites to check on their crews.

If you are a good construction manager, you could ask everyone if they are clear on the task before sending them off. If they are new or have never done it before, show them how to do it. Great teams are made of great individuals.

You don't want people working for your company. You want the best. To attract the best, you need to stand out from the competition.

A Personal Safety Responsibility Development Action Plan for Supervisors

The construction industry has over emphasized technical skills over soft skills in the past. This and the battle of production versus safety creates an importance on safety competencies of supervisors. The biggest deficiency that leads to supervisors not fully understanding or performing up to the safety expectations of their positions is that many companies do not define the safety competencies embedded within the assigned supervisor roles and responsibilities.

A personal safety responsibility development action plan was created with the help of a separate self-assessment for safety leaders. Safety performance improvement objectives are developed for supervisors by asking them to assess their safety performance. The director of risk management or safety director is the best place to reach out for additional training, coaching or mentoring.

Supervision Skills Questionnaire

Communication skills are important for a good supervisor. They need to communicate important information to their staff. Supervisors should strive to keep an open door for employees to approach them with their needs or issues.

The supervisor should be an example to their staff. They must make their employees want to follow them as they take their organization through normal business changes. A strong leader will encourage their team.

There are some tasks that a supervisor needs to deal with that require good critical thinking skills. There are more responsibilities and decisions to be made in a high-level position. Critical thinking skills make the decision process simpler.

Time management is important in a business. Being able to juggle timelines and meet goals regularly means supervisors must have both the awareness of when things need to be completed and how long it takes to do them. Supervisors should use their skills to deal with issues in the workplace.

A manager can use great problem solving skills to assess the situation and develop a plan to tackle it. The overall work of their employees needs to be directed by their supervisors. Their view of work is different than that of their employees.