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The Global Insight

What should a new supervisor do?

Author

John Hall

Updated on March 25, 2026

Here are five new supervisor tips to ensure they successfully navigate this unfamiliar terrain while avoiding mistakes that can stymie team productivity and cohesiveness.

  • Remind them it’s a marathon, not a sprint.
  • Encourage them to be an even-handed leader.
  • Teach them to delegate.
  • Prevent the micromanagement trap.

Can supervisors be friends with employees?

Managers can (and should) be friendly with their employees. They should make conversation and get to know their team members. But they also need to set boundaries and ensure that the relationship stays professional. No matter how well you get along with employees, at the end of the day, you’re still their boss.

How do I support a new supervisor?

Make sure they’re doing the basics that make a manager successful and motivate teams:

  1. Build rapport and a foundation of trust with everyone on their team.
  2. Have regular one on ones with their team to fix problems, remove blockers, give and receive feedback, shop ideas, and listen to what matters to them.

How do first time supervisors succeed?

9 Tips For First Time Supervisors

  1. Be Comfortable With Your Role.
  2. Spend Time in Understanding Your Subordinates.
  3. Understand the Business.
  4. Learn Leadership Skills.
  5. Be an Example for Your Peers.
  6. Create Simple Processes for Maximum Productivity.
  7. Learn to Make Firm Decisions.
  8. Learn to Have an Objective Perspective on Things.

Why bosses and employees should not be friends?

Remember Who’s The Boss Being too friendly can jeopardize your authority. “Attempting to be friends with your employees makes providing feedback and performance appraisals difficult and puts you at risk for claims of favoritism,” says Devora Zack, CEO of Only Connect Consulting, Inc.

What is it called when a boss sleeps with an employee?

Fraternization occurs when two people employed by the same company interact socially outside of work and at employer functions. Depending on your company’s policy, fraternization can include romantic relations between managers and subordinates and relationships between co-workers.

What do you do when your boss doesn’t manage you?

Try one or more of these tips to find some common ground with your boss—or at least stay sane until you find a new gig.

  1. Make Sure You’re Dealing With a “Bad Boss”
  2. Identify Your Boss’ Motivation.
  3. Don’t Let it Affect Your Work.
  4. Stay One Step Ahead.
  5. Set Boundaries.
  6. Stop Assuming They Know Everything.
  7. Act as the Leader.

What do you do when two employees hate each other?

Bring the two employees together so you can:

  1. Let them know how their behavior is affecting their peers and the workplace,
  2. Advise them that a calm and pleasant workplace is necessary and that anything that interferes with a pleasant workplace must be addressed and resolved,

How to deal with a new supervisor at work?

Usually you are promoted because you did your job well but now you have a managing skill set to learn. If you keep doing your old job, the team will slack off and expect you to cover for their mistakes. As a manager you have to provide the environment and tools for other people to do the work. Then let them do it.

Are there any advantages to changing your supervisor?

There are many advantages to changing supervisors when the student and supervisor’s personalities and expectations do not mesh. However, there is never a guarantee that the grass is greener on the other side. Lara Timely* changed supervisors for a short time, but then returned to her original lab.

What should a supervisor do when an employee complains?

When employees are unhappy with their workplace experience, they may approach their supervisor before speaking with HR. Supervisors must use active listening skills to understand employee complaints and to work with them to reach a solution.

How does a supervisor help you get promotions?

Because supervisors work closely with employees, they often help decide who is eligible for promotions. In some cases, supervisors may directly award promotions. However, even when supervisors don’t have the authority to directly promote employees, senior management professionals often consult supervisors during the promotion process.