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supervision tips

Black Country Women'

Created on August 27, 2021

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Transcript

Supervision

How do I conduct an effective supervision session?

what do i need to include?

Info

Info

How often should I undertake supervision & how long should it last?

what else do i need to be aware of?

Info

Info

How often should I undertake supervision & how long should it last?

4 & 8 week intervals for frontline workers or more frequently if required

A supervision session should take about 45 minutes - 1 hour

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HOW DO I CONDUCT AN EFFECTIVE SUPERVISION SESSION?

Where the staff member raises difficulties or issues of concern to them in their work:

  • listen to the employee and help to define the issues
  • clarify professional boundaries
  • clarify BCWA’s expectations
  • agree appropriate action

Keep written notes of each session and share with the staff member within one week of meeting.

Hold the session in a private, quiet, comfortable place.

Give sufficient notice of a supervision session to enable preparation.

Best practice

Take care not to impose your own prejudices and beliefs

Be Constructive

Goal setting should be mutually agreed

Be sensitive to cultural issues

Participate fully

Supervision should be a two-way process that is of mutual benefit to the supervisor and the staff member

Avoid interrupting

Respect confidentiality

Use the notes of the session as a guide for action between sessions

identify and recognise the strengths of an individual

Active listening

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what do i need to include?

Effective supervision will generally cover 4 broad areas

Ensure that staff wellbeing is acknowledged throughout

Performance review

Review tasks and notes from the previous session together

Priority setting

Training & development

Delegation of tasks

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Performance review

Supervision should not be confused with or limited to performance management

Discuss any issues around the employee's role and /or responsibilities, team working or any other operational issues raised by the employee

Discuss ideas on how to solve any identified problems and develop solutions

If applicable discuss and review current caseload, acknowledging any safeguarding issues and best practice

Review progress against any targets/work plan that have been set

Priority setting

Discuss anticipation of period ahead in terms of work in progress or work to be undertaken

Acknowledge current workload and capacity when prioritising or setting new actions

Discuss and address any work planning issues or conflicting priorities

Encourage the employee to think creatively and develop new ideas

Discuss problems and solutions, including any safeguarding actions that need to be prioritised

Delegation of tasks

Delegate new tasks/projects acknowledging staff capacity, development aspirations, role remit and key performance indicators

Keep an effective written record of the discussion and any actions set, sharing this with the employee within a week of the session

Check understanding and set reasonable timescales where required

Agree action points for both parties and ensure that these are reviewed at the next supervision meeting

Training & development

Identify any training or development needs/wants and explore how these can be best met

Progress check on any ongoing training the employee is undergoing

Agree support required for learning to be effective

Explore any training or development concerns or issues

Remember that there are a number of learning opportunities in addition to training that can support the development of a staff member, e.g. sharing best practice in team meetings

what else do i need to be aware of?

Start the meeting on a positive note, to develop rapport

Adapt your management style to the individual

Remember the purpose of supervision

Wherever possible, ask the person to assess and reflect on their own performance

There is additional guidance in our Training and Development Policy and in the Employee Handbook

Be sensitive to cultural issues

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