Laboratory Management- General Functions of a Laboratory Manager

Introduction

The laboratory(lab) manager is involved in organizing all aspects of the laboratory environment. They supervise general workflow; to ensure that the staff pertains to professional customer service. They do the maintenance of equipment such as the quality control, pricing, purchasing and the day-to-day functioning of the lab. The lab manager must have excellent customer service skills in order to liaise with photographers and designers. They must set up clear communication channels and develop systems and strategies to deal with fast-moving and sometimes unpredictable workload.

They are also required to keep up with the latest development in technology and help improve productivity, profitability and client satisfaction . What is expected from a Lab manager?  A lab manager must organize and manage the workflow in the laboratory. They must co-ordinate activities throughout the laboratory. It is expected that they delegate work amongst the various technicians and technologists.  They must monitor outputs and keep record of workflow and the usage of supplies.  They must supervise the ordering and delivery of new laboratory supplies. They must test and calibrate equipment to ensure optimum results, monitor chemistry in equipment.  A lab manager must perform quality tests and ensure the company meets its quality assurance standards.  They must oversee customer service to maximize sales.  They must promote the continuing professional development of staff and oversee the training of trainees.

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A lab manager must therefore make risk assessments for the laboratory and ensure that the company’s Health & Safety policy is observed.  The lab manager may also be involved in the development of new products and service to encourage the growth of the business. It is also required that a lab manager work long hours, however they are fairly well paid and enjoy the benefits of a regular salary, holidays and a company pension. What knowledge and skills do the need to have? The lab manager must possess excellent colour vision and have an excellent eye for colour, contrast, density and other graphic effects. They must also possess good analytical, problem solving and decision making skills. They must have a positive, pro-active attitude and pay close attention to detail. They need first class planning and time-management skills.

They must also have the ability to motivate staff members. They should be a good listener and have the ability to communicate ideas and instructions clear and in a concise manner. They should be able to understand graphs and accounts, maintain accurate records, and put schedules and reports together. Lab managers need to have an excellent all round knowledge of all the equipment and processes used in the laboratory. They must have IT and Digital Imaging skills. They must always stay calm and level headed and be able to make racional decisions under stressful conditions. What training and qualifications do they need?

Most laboratory managers first work as a technician or technologist before becoming a lab manager. Therefore it is required that they do some form of management training courses that may be useful. Employers usually place more value on applicants who have training and experience in the operation of most forms of processing, digital imaging and printing equipment. There are five basic functions of a Manager:

• Planning- this step involves mapping out exactly how to achieve a particular goal.
• Organizing- After the plan is in place, a manager needs to organize the employees and assign work and granting authority.
• Staffing- After a manager discerns their areas needs, they decide to beef up staffing by recruiting, selecting, training and developing employees. They often work with the Human resource department to approach this goal.
• Leading- A manger must do more than just plan, organize to achieve their goals but they must also lead. Leading involves motivating, communicating, guiding and encouraging. It requires the manager to coach, assist, and solve problems with the employees.
• Controlling- After the other elements are in place, a manager’s job is not finished.

They need to continuously check results against goals and take any corrective actions necessary to make sure that their areas plans remain on track . Roles performed by managers: A manager wears many hats. Not only are they a teamleader but are also involved in planning, organizing coaching, problem-solving and decision-making. Manager’s schedules are usually jam-packed. Henry Mintzberg describes a set of ten roles that a manager fills. These roles fall into three categories: Interpersonal: this role involves human interaction.

Informational: This role involves the sharing and analyzing of information. Decisional: This role involves decision making. Represent department during negotiations of union contracts, sales, purchases, and budgets. Skills required by a manager Not anyone can be a manager. Certain skills, or abilities to translate knowledge into action that results in desired performance, are requires helping other employees become more productive. These skills fall under the following categories: Technical: This skill requires the ability to use a special proficiency or expertise to perform particular tasks. * Human: This skill demonstrates the ability to work well in cooperation with others.

Human skills emerge in the workplace as a spirit of enthusiasm, and genuine involvement in interpersonal relationships. A manager with good human skills has a high degree of self awareness and a capacity to understand or empathize with the feelings of others. * Conceptual: This skill calls for the ability to think analytically. Analytical skills enable managers to break down problems into smaller parts to see the relations among the parts and to recognize the implications of any one problem for others. Although all three categories contain skills essential for managers, their relative mportance tends to vary by level of managerial responsibilities. Conclusion: A laboratory manager/general manager plays an important role in any organization or company. A manager has to have certain characteristics in order to be a successful leader. They are also required to possess certain leadership skills, in order to be a great leader.

References:

• Lab manager (n. d). Skillset, viewed 19 February 2013, http://www. creativeskillset. org/uploads/pdf/asset_10118. pdf?
• 4. Functions of Managers. CliffsNotes. com, viewed from http://m. cliffsnotes. com/study_guide/Functions-of-Managers. topicArticleId-8944,articleId-8848. html.

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