It is arguably the most difficult time in the history of management to be a first-line supervisor. The low employment rate makes it almost impossible to find employees.
Customers count on more service from their vendors but expect to pay less.
Technology is growing so fast it is almost impossible to keep employees trained and current. All of this is happening at a speed which makes people feel that someone sped up the clock a hundred-fold. First line supervisors are the conduit between an organization's senior management and it's employees. Their ability to understand, interpret and communicate management's objectives in terms which motivate employees has never been more challenging. Now management can not wait to see if they selected the right person to be a supervisor.