Supervisor Due Diligence

It had been 15 years that I was working as a regular employee. I started off as a jerk, know-it-all at the ripe age of 20. Post secondary school wasn’t something I was interested in. The thought of sitting in a classroom for 6 more years, sinking in debt wasn’t a path I was willing to take.

I had a job all through high school working at the local grocery store. Nothing special, but it gave me the pay check I needed to have freedom and save for an apartment. I had done a course of co-op in high school, it was at a factory my father was working for. It wasn’t flashy and a big deal, but it was good earned money and a great environment of people.

I decided to apply there when my dad was retiring, hoping to slide into his shoes making the big money.

All the Safety Training I Needed

When I first started in the factory I was very smug, I figured my pa was the man here and my ‘you-know-what’ didn’t stink. Everyone had to respect me because my father was the big guy. Wrong.

The guys didn’t let me flex my attitude one bit, I respect that now. The realization that I was my own person and had to earn my stripes put me in a totally different head space for the better. The company had me do multiple safety training courses in the first year to catch me up to the rest of the workers.

I was on-site for most of the training. Forklift, Emergency First Aid and Elevated Work Platforms… Some of the other employees also had to do refreshers of the courses so it was a great time.

The company they used for these safety training courses was close to the factory, as they were based in Scotland Ontario. This made it a breeze to go to their building for the new training I was about to partake in: Supervisor Due Diligence.

Supervisor Promotion

The years flew by, employees rarely left this company. So, trying to climb the ladder was pretty slow. I had been given a promotion years ago to forklift driver. It was nice to have a different daily routine. I did mention that this was a great laid back manufacturing environment in Southern Ontario.

Once the supervisor of the plant had whispered the news that he was retiring soon this year I immediately spoke with the big boss about applying for the position. I felt I earned that promotion, I work hard and respect the team. They shaped me very well the first year.

I was called into the office one day and told the great news. I was being promoted! And had to take 2 days of Supervisor Due Diligence Training. The same company we used for the other training.

Due Diligence Training Ontario

At first I thought that this course was going to be a waste of time. It sounds like something that I have the skills for without being told how to do it.

Supervisor Training

The depth of supervisor due diligence training was eye opening. The course covered Ontario law status to manage health and safety standards. As well as

• Legal responsibilities
• Locate and cite sections in the Occupational Health and Safety Act
• Identify the duties of a supervisor
• Elements of supervising
• Supervisor safety tasks
• A test at the end

Everything that this company has taught me in the training was applicable with day to day tasks. I was feeling very prepared with the instructors lessons, experiences and in depth knowledge.

Wise Due Diligence 

Supervisors carry a large load of responsibility that I wouldn’t have thought of. Being an employee you don’t realize the health and safety that surrounds you or the constant encouragement and direction given. Unless it was just that my supervisor was trained so well he made it look effortless.

It was now my job to make sure the employees followed the health and safety protocols I will have put in place. And my supervisor due diligence training gave me the right tools to implement them without demeaning the employees. Keeping respect and positivity in the workplace.

It made me think back to my pa when he worked there. He was in the office and refused to wear his reflector jacket and work boots when he was out in the yard. If he was still there…. Would I be able to get him to listen to  the supervisor? Hahah

Supervisor on the Floor

After passing the final test of the supervisor due diligence training course, I hoped that my friends at work would all respect my new promotion. I know it cannot be easy to now have to listen to what your friend boss is telling you to do. And that was one of the reasons my employer had me take this training.

Once before there was a huge issue with promotions and respect. When new health and safety regulations came about it was hard for that supervisor to get anyone to follow them. He just didn’t have the respect and was very all mighty with his words.

Thankfully my training has me confident with how to talk to employees and the importance of making sure they understand the reasoning. And that I’m not just flexing on them. As I realized we were lacking some features of the new health and safety standards required in our workplace and would be implementing them asap.

My Thoughts?

I would have never expected to be in the position I am now, supervisor of the plant. It took years to get here and I am super proud of myself. The training that I have taken over the years has really given me a backbone and open mind. Being the supervisor I plan to frequently keep my staff up to date with alternate training solutions. They have helped me grow and be safe in the work environment, making for an amazing team. If you live in the Brant/Norfolk County area I would look up your local safety training company and get training.