Frontline Supervisors: Change Facilitators or Change Resisters

Abstract

This chapter examines the changing nature of frontline supervision in light of the supervisory training and development programme which was provided to shift-bosses in order to complement the workplace change processes that AfricaGold embarked on to improve operational efficiency, productivity and safety of its mining operations. Although the training course was an important workplace change initiative taken by top management to improve organisational, individual and team performance at the rock-face where it mattered most, lack of organisational and managerial support prevented frontline supervisors from effectively implementing what they learned on the training course. The chapter highlights the importance of not only providing organisational change-focused training, but also systematically and strategically involving frontline supervisors in the conceptualisation, design, execution and evaluation of workplace change initiatives. It is only when frontline supervisors are supported, managerially and organisationally, that they can be deal-makers rather than deal-breakers for a successful introduction and execution of change initiatives on the shop-floor.

Citation

Phakathi, S.T. (2017), "Frontline Supervisors: Change Facilitators or Change Resisters", Production, Safety and Teamwork in a Deep-Level Mining Workplace, Emerald Publishing Limited, Leeds, pp. 163-182. https://doi.org/10.1108/978-1-78714-563-420171008