First-Line Supervisors of Helpers, Laborers, and Material Movers, Hand

Description

Directly supervise and coordinate the activities of helpers, laborers, or material movers.

Tasks

  • Plan work schedules and assign duties to maintain adequate staff for effective performance of activities and response to fluctuating workloads.
  • Collaborate with workers and managers to solve work-related problems.
  • Review work throughout the work process and at completion to ensure that it has been performed properly.
  • Transmit and explain work orders to laborers.
  • Check specifications of materials loaded or unloaded against information contained in work orders.
  • Inform designated employees or departments of items loaded or problems encountered.
  • Examine freight to determine loading sequences.
  • Evaluate employee performance and prepare performance appraisals.
  • Perform the same work duties as those supervised or perform more difficult or skilled tasks or assist in their performance.
  • Prepare and maintain work records and reports of information such as employee time and wages, daily receipts, or inspection results.
  • Conduct staff meetings to relay general information or to address specific topics, such as safety.
  • Counsel employees in work-related activities, personal growth, or career development.
  • Inspect equipment for wear and for conformance to specifications.
  • Resolve personnel problems, complaints, or formal grievances when possible, or refer them to higher-level supervisors for resolution.
  • Recommend or initiate personnel actions, such as promotions, transfers, or disciplinary measures.
  • Assess training needs of staff and arrange for or provide appropriate instruction.
  • Schedule times of shipment and modes of transportation for materials.
  • Quote prices to customers.
  • Estimate material, time, and staffing requirements for a given project, based on work orders, job specifications, and experience.
  • Provide assistance in balancing books, tracking, monitoring, or projecting a unit's budget needs and in developing unit policies and procedures.
  • Inspect job sites to determine the extent of maintenance or repairs needed.
  • Participate in the hiring process by reviewing credentials, conducting interviews, or making hiring decisions or recommendations.
  • Inventory supplies and requisition or purchase additional items, as necessary.

Knowledge

Customer and Personal Service
Knowledge of principles and processes for providing customer and personal services. This includes customer needs assessment, meeting quality standards for services, and evaluation of customer satisfaction.
Production and Processing
Knowledge of raw materials, production processes, quality control, costs, and other techniques for maximizing the effective manufacture and distribution of goods.
Administration and Management
Knowledge of business and management principles involved in strategic planning, resource allocation, human resources modeling, leadership technique, production methods, and coordination of people and resources.
Education and Training
Knowledge of principles and methods for curriculum and training design, teaching and instruction for individuals and groups, and the measurement of training effects.
English Language
Knowledge of the structure and content of the English language including the meaning and spelling of words, rules of composition, and grammar.
Transportation
Knowledge of principles and methods for moving people or goods by air, rail, sea, or road, including the relative costs and benefits.

Skills

Active Listening
Giving full attention to what other people are saying, taking time to understand the points being made, asking questions as appropriate, and not interrupting at inappropriate times.
Reading Comprehension
Understanding written sentences and paragraphs in work related documents.
Management of Personnel Resources
Motivating, developing, and directing people as they work, identifying the best people for the job.
Speaking
Talking to others to convey information effectively.
Critical Thinking
Using logic and reasoning to identify the strengths and weaknesses of alternative solutions, conclusions or approaches to problems.
Coordination
Adjusting actions in relation to others' actions.
Time Management
Managing one's own time and the time of others.
Negotiation
Bringing others together and trying to reconcile differences.

Abilities

Oral Expression
The ability to communicate information and ideas in speaking so others will understand.
Oral Comprehension
The ability to listen to and understand information and ideas presented through spoken words and sentences.
Written Expression
The ability to communicate information and ideas in writing so others will understand.
Problem Sensitivity
The ability to tell when something is wrong or is likely to go wrong. It does not involve solving the problem, only recognizing there is a problem.
Speech Clarity
The ability to speak clearly so others can understand you.
Information Ordering
The ability to arrange things or actions in a certain order or pattern according to a specific rule or set of rules (e.g., patterns of numbers, letters, words, pictures, mathematical operations).
Speech Recognition
The ability to identify and understand the speech of another person.
Written Comprehension
The ability to read and understand information and ideas presented in writing.

Work Activities

Handling and Moving Objects
Using hands and arms in handling, installing, positioning, and moving materials, and manipulating things.
Establishing and Maintaining Interpersonal Relationships
Developing constructive and cooperative working relationships with others, and maintaining them over time.
Organizing, Planning, and Prioritizing Work
Developing specific goals and plans to prioritize, organize, and accomplish your work.
Resolving Conflicts and Negotiating with Others
Handling complaints, settling disputes, and resolving grievances and conflicts, or otherwise negotiating with others.
Guiding, Directing, and Motivating Subordinates
Providing guidance and direction to subordinates, including setting performance standards and monitoring performance.
Identifying Objects, Actions, and Events
Identifying information by categorizing, estimating, recognizing differences or similarities, and detecting changes in circumstances or events.
Communicating with Supervisors, Peers, or Subordinates
Providing information to supervisors, co-workers, and subordinates by telephone, in written form, e-mail, or in person.
Scheduling Work and Activities
Scheduling events, programs, and activities, as well as the work of others.
Making Decisions and Solving Problems
Analyzing information and evaluating results to choose the best solution and solve problems.
Getting Information
Observing, receiving, and otherwise obtaining information from all relevant sources.

Work Context

Contact With Others
How much does this job require the worker to be in contact with others (face-to-face, by telephone, or otherwise) in order to perform it?
Face-to-Face Discussions
How often do you have to have face-to-face discussions with individuals or teams in this job?
Telephone
How often do you have telephone conversations in this job?
Indoors, Environmentally Controlled
How often does this job require working indoors in environmentally controlled conditions?
Frequency of Decision Making
How frequently is the worker required to make decisions that affect other people, the financial resources, and/or the image and reputation of the organization?
Work With Work Group or Team
How important is it to work with others in a group or team in this job?
Sounds, Noise Levels Are Distracting or Uncomfortable
How often does this job require working exposed to sounds and noise levels that are distracting or uncomfortable?
Electronic Mail
How often do you use electronic mail in this job?
Time Pressure
How often does this job require the worker to meet strict deadlines?
Indoors, Not Environmentally Controlled
How often does this job require working indoors in non-controlled environmental conditions (e.g., warehouse without heat)?

Interests

Enterprising
Enterprising occupations frequently involve starting up and carrying out projects. These occupations can involve leading people and making many decisions. Sometimes they require risk taking and often deal with business.
Realistic
Realistic occupations frequently involve work activities that include practical, hands-on problems and solutions. They often deal with plants, animals, and real-world materials like wood, tools, and machinery. Many of the occupations require working outside, and do not involve a lot of paperwork or working closely with others.
Conventional
Conventional occupations frequently involve following set procedures and routines. These occupations can include working with data and details more than with ideas. Usually there is a clear line of authority to follow.
Social
Social occupations frequently involve working with, communicating with, and teaching people. These occupations often involve helping or providing service to others.
Investigative
Investigative occupations frequently involve working with ideas, and require an extensive amount of thinking. These occupations can involve searching for facts and figuring out problems mentally.
Artistic
Artistic occupations frequently involve working with forms, designs and patterns. They often require self-expression and the work can be done without following a clear set of rules.

Work Style

Dependability
Job requires being reliable, responsible, and dependable, and fulfilling obligations.
Adaptability/Flexibility
Job requires being open to change (positive or negative) and to considerable variety in the workplace.
Stress Tolerance
Job requires accepting criticism and dealing calmly and effectively with high stress situations.
Leadership
Job requires a willingness to lead, take charge, and offer opinions and direction.
Cooperation
Job requires being pleasant with others on the job and displaying a good-natured, cooperative attitude.
Attention to Detail
Job requires being careful about detail and thorough in completing work tasks.
Self Control
Job requires maintaining composure, keeping emotions in check, controlling anger, and avoiding aggressive behavior, even in very difficult situations.
Initiative
Job requires a willingness to take on responsibilities and challenges.
Persistence
Job requires persistence in the face of obstacles.
Integrity
Job requires being honest and ethical.

Work Values

Support
Occupations that satisfy this work value offer supportive management that stands behind employees. Corresponding needs are Company Policies, Supervision: Human Relations and Supervision: Technical.
Independence
Occupations that satisfy this work value allow employees to work on their own and make decisions. Corresponding needs are Creativity, Responsibility and Autonomy.
Relationships
Occupations that satisfy this work value allow employees to provide service to others and work with co-workers in a friendly non-competitive environment. Corresponding needs are Co-workers, Moral Values and Social Service.
Achievement
Occupations that satisfy this work value are results oriented and allow employees to use their strongest abilities, giving them a feeling of accomplishment. Corresponding needs are Ability Utilization and Achievement.
Working Conditions
Occupations that satisfy this work value offer job security and good working conditions. Corresponding needs are Activity, Compensation, Independence, Security, Variety and Working Conditions.
Recognition
Occupations that satisfy this work value offer advancement, potential for leadership, and are often considered prestigious. Corresponding needs are Advancement, Authority, Recognition and Social Status.

Lay Titles

Aircraft Cleaning Supervisor
Boat and Plant Utility Supervisor
Building Materials or Lumber Yard Supervisor
Car Cleaning Supervisor
Car Wash Supervisor
Carpenter Labor Supervisor
Chute Boss
Circus Supervisor
Circus Train Supervisor
Cleaning Supervisor
Cooler Manager
Cotton Header
Dock Boss
Dock Supervisor
Field Pipe Lines Supervisor
Floor Supervisor
Foundry Supervisor
Freight Loading Supervisor
Front Line Supervisor
Gang Boss
Gang Leader
Gang Supervisor
Garbage Collector Supervisor
Gas Pumping Station Supervisor
Grading Supervisor
Grip Boss
Hatch Boss
Hatch Supervisor
Header
Labor Supervisor
Labor Utilization Superintendent
Load Out Supervisor
Loading and Unloading Supervisor
Mail Handlers Supervisor
Mailroom Manager
Maintenance Supervisor
Manufacturing Advisor
Material Handling Crew Supervisor
Material Handling Warehouse Supervisor
Newspaper Circulation Manager
Operations Supervisor
Packaging Supervisor
Parking Lot Supervisor
Platform Material Handler Manager
Platform Material Handling Supervisor
Pressroom Manager
Production Supervisor
Pumping Supervisor
Quality Assurance Supervisor (QA Supervisor)
Reactor Fueling Supervisor
Receiving Lead
Receiving Manager
Receiving Supervisor
Refuse Collector Supervisor
Rigger Supervisor
Scrap Preparation Supervisor
Section Supervisor
Shipping Manager
Shipping Supervisor
Shipping Team Leader
Stevedoring Superintendent
Stevedoring Supervisor
Tank Cleaning Supervisor
Terminal Operations Manager
Transportation Supervisor
Trash Collector Supervisor
Warehouse Lead
Warehouse Manager
Warehouse Supervisor
Yard Foreman
Yard Supervisor

National Wages and Employment Info

Median Wages (2008):
$21.72 hourly, $45,180 annual.
Employment (2008):
168,910 employees