Supervision has its object the rendering of assistance to a worker so that he may make the most of his time and effort. The supervisor gives help and encouragement to any worker who may need it. He teaches the worker the correct way to do the work and patiently watches him until he has mastered it, He sees that the work is turned out according to schedule. In addition to these cooperative responsibilities, the supervisor has authority to settle differences as they arise and thus keep order within the unit. In short, the supervisor is directly responsible for the work turned out by the group he is supervising, as well as for the effectiveness of the work of each individual member of the group.

To discharge these responsibilities properly, the supervisor must understand what is required of his group. He must know how to get work done, and he must know when it is being done correctly. He must know how to give orders and instructions so they will be understood and followed. It is highly desirable that supervisors themselves be carefully, since it is unreasonable to expect anyone to exercise the technique of supervision without being shown what is expected of him and how to go about discharging his responsibilities. The function of supervision is one of the most important in business. Good supervision pays handsome dividends-poor or inadequate supervision is an expensive luxury.