What Does a Construction Worker Supervisor Do?

Construction worker supervisors are the backbone of the construction industry and construction projects. The supervisor manages the day-to-day construction activities on the project site. A supervisor's daily activities can range from quality control to encouraging worker morale.

History

Construction worker supervisors were utilized as far back as history can recall. Even the construction of the pyramids relied on supervisors to maintain order among workers and ensure the project was progressing.

Benefits

Supervisors have the benefit of being in charge of a construction job's laborers but do not have to perform manual activity themselves. They are well compensated and only work during hours of construction.

Function

Supervisors are managers of the labor force used on construction sites. They ensure all workers are on time, working efficiently and not disruptive. Supervisors will also verify that work is being completed to the agreed-upon quality standard.

Warning

Supervisors need to act as liaison between ownership of the project and the workers. In order to do so, supervisors need to remain unbiased and impartial. This means they should not form too close of a relationship with either party.

Misconceptions

It is often thought that supervisors are merely experiences laborers. This is not necessarily the case; a supervisor is very experienced in construction practices but also management and motivational techniques.

Potential

A worker supervisor is typically the next in line for the role of project manager or assistant project manager. Their familiarity with construction and management provide the experience necessary to step into a project management role.