Are You Ready To Hire Your First Supervisor For Your Cleaning Business? (Part Two)
This is Part Two in our series on hiring your first supervisor. In Part One we discussed when is a good time to hire a supervisor and some of the duties he/she will be responsible for.
So how do we find a good supervisor and should we promote from within? There are several qualities which an effective supervisor will possess. The most important is the customer driven philosophy that must flow throughout the entire company. The business owner and the supervisor must be “on the same page” with regards to customer satisfaction and service standards. It is often easier to find someone already within the organization who meets this standard. This person can easily make good decisions based on working knowledge of the company and its service standard.
Too often however, when employees are promoted from within, they are asked to take on roles without really knowing what they are getting into. Carefully describing the duties and the requirements for the position can help them ensure that they know what is expected before they begin.
Another pitfall is that they may lack the management skills necessary to direct and inspire other employees. Identifying a leader in your company is not an easy task. Here are some questions to consider:
• Is this person ambitious?
• Does he/she have patience and get along with others?
• Does he/she have the confidence to make decisions?
• Does he/she like solving problems involving human relationships?
• Is this person's customer satisfaction skill level where you want it to be?
• Does he/she encourage others to succeed?
• Does he/she have a thorough understanding of the technical aspects of the job?
Asking these questions can not only help you to evaluate potential supervisors but can also help the employee determine if they want a leadership role in your company.
Avoid the tenure trap! Another aspect to consider is the longevity of an employee when weighing in on possible supervisors. Often times companies promote based on length of service rather than skills needed for the job. Just because Mary has been with you longer than Ken, it doesn't mean that Mary is right for a supervisory position. Mary may have the technical skills but may be lacking in another area or may need more time developing some of the other tools necessary to make a good supervisor.
Start with small assignments so that you can evaluate the new supervisor's progress and make certain he/she is a good fit for the new responsibilities. Too much at the beginning is a sure recipe for disaster. Suggest he/she assist you with a training meeting or accompany you on a customer quality call. Provide positive reinforcement and constructive instruction to guide the new supervisor to a successful result. Review the progress and then give additional responsibilities as you see they can be handled well.
Finally, make sure your supervisor understands the boundaries of authority. Defining the role he/she plays in control or power is extremely important. Too little or too much will undermine the supervisory position and deem it ineffective.
The addition of a supervisor is a necessity if your business is to grow and develop. Your financial progress will be limited if you attempt to take on all aspects of your business without supervisory help. To delegate responsibilities and to follow up on the delegation is a management skill that is common among business leaders in all kinds of businesses. Learn to be a good coach with your new supervisor and you will find success and growth easier to achieve.
Sharon L. Cowan is the former President and CEO of a multimillion dollar regional commercial and residential cleaning company. She has a passion for helping fellow business owners reach their potential and realize their dreams. Sharon is a popular speaker and workshop leader. She has been a guest speaker and seminar leader for BSCAI and ARCSI and twice won marketing awards from the BSCAI. Sharon holds workshops throughout the country teaching cleaning business owners how to maximize profits and grow their businesses. Sharon can be reached at 772-563-7320 or www.cleaningbusinessconsultinggroup.com
This is a comprehensive series of 7 videos for training janitorial supervisors. There is over 2.5 hours of content here and they will never remember it all if you try to do it all at once. Break it up and do a little each week over time, or schedule it out over a couple months.
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