The immediate task of a supervisor of a clerical staff, augmented by an increase in temporary employees to put out an increased volume of work in accordance with a well-established routine, is to:

• A. Develop written instructions covering every detail of the procedure and outlining the responsibility.
• B. Assign and train the new subordinates.
• C. Develop and maintain high morale.
• D. Keep exact records of the work production (quantity and quality) of each employee.

Answer: (B)

When workload rises and temporary staff are added, the immediate priority is to get people into the right roles and ready to perform the routine. Assigning tasks tells each person what portion of the work they’re responsible for and helps distribute the workload so the process flows smoothly. Training the new subordinates equips them with the needed skills and the standard way of doing things, so their output aligns with established procedures from day one.

Writing detailed instructions can be helpful, but it takes time to prepare and may slow you down when you need people producing work now. Morale matters, but it doesn’t guarantee that the new workers can perform correctly right away. Keeping exact production records is important for supervision, but that’s a tracking activity you rely on after people are assigned and trained.