what is a team leader?
A team leader directs a group of people to achieve a particular goal. For instance, marketing executives can have a team leader who ensures the execution of their marketing strategies. However, unlike a manager who directs and enforces organisational plans, a team leader takes a motivational role and builds relationships with employees.
what does a team leader do?
As a team leader, building a relationship with your team members and understanding their strengths and weaknesses is crucial. You should also know their expertise, interests and what inspires them to achieve the best results when assigning tasks.
Job opportunities for team leaders are available in all industries that require employees to work in groups to complete projects. For instance, the manufacturing industry requires team leaders to control quality while assembling or packaging products.Healthcare institutions also need team leaders to manage community programmes and oversee medical personnel.
team leader jobsaverage team leader salary
The salary of a team leader varies from $62,000 to $80,000 per year. The salary scale fluctuates based on the qualifications and experience levels. Some employers also pay overtime salaries and bonuses for working additional hours or achieving targets. Other companies have allowances as part of the remuneration package. Some typical allowances attached to employment contracts include car and house allowances.
factors that affect the salary of a team leader
The salaries of team leaders depend on their performance, experience level and skills. Most companies evaluate the experience and skills of entry-level team leaders to determine their remuneration package. During your tenure, your employer also measures your performance and increases your salary based on appraisals. Specialised qualifications in specific areas can also boost your salary.
As a team leader, your position in the company structure can dictate your earnings. For instance, some team leaders work alongside managers overseeing entire departments. Hence, the remuneration package reflects the complexity of the role. Team leaders managing smaller teams are likely to earn less since their roles are not as extensive.
types of team leaders
Types of team leaders depend on the industry and roles in a company. Some include:
- marketing team leaders: as a marketing team leader, you coordinate activities of your sales and marketing team to achieve targets. That means you develop a marketing strategy for your team and coach them on the best marketing practices.
- manufacturing team leaders: assembling parts of a product or packaging them after production requires a group of workers. As a team leader, you monitor the work progress to ensure quality standards are adhered to and employees finish the work on time. You also train employees on pre-delivery inspections.
- community team leaders: rehabilitation facilities and hospitals host community programmes to provide various services. A team leader oversees the programmes by managing the staff and liaising with the public.
working as a team leader
As a team leader, you require exceptional management skills to excel in the role. You also motivate and inspire team members to achieve the desired goals. Here are the specific tasks and duties of team leaders:
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job description
Team leaders juggle multiple tasks each day, including:
- managing operations of a team: as a team leader, you organise employees to achieve the set objectives. When you are in charge of multiple workers in the same project, you create a schedule and assign tasks to team members. You also monitor the progress of each team member and allocate the resources necessary to achieve the goals.
- training team members: a team leader needs to coach and train employees to help them develop valuable skills and the desired work ethic. Apart from training, your job is to improve members' performance through feedback and demonstration of the procedures for accomplishing tasks.
- solving problems and conflicts: as the team leader, you solve problems and conflicts among team members. You can prevent conflicts by assigning tasks to each worker and setting ground rules for interactions within the team. When a conflict arises, it is critical to find solutions before it escalates.
- motivating team members: team leaders motivate their teams to achieve the set goals and drive performance. You should build a good relationship with the employees through sharing feedback and planning regular meetings to discuss any issues. Other duties that drive performance include personal development plans, incentives or rewards and supporting social activities. Your team will be successful if you provide adequate support and plug performance gaps with mentorship programmes.
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work environment
As a team leader, you work in various industries, from healthcare to manufacturing, mining and retail. Your work environment depends on your sector and the roles you perform. In manufacturing or mining, you manage teams in factories, production plants and mining sites. That means you require personal protective equipment like masks, gloves or goggles. You also spend most of the day standing and walking around the facility to supervise your team members. Your work is predominantly office-based in retail since you organise meetings with sales reps and assign tasks before marketing campaigns begin.
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who are your colleagues?
Depending on your employer and the industry you work in, your colleagues might include marketing managers, project managers, account managers, supervisors, and programme coordinators. You might also be working in close proximity to construction managers and sales managers, as well as other specialists that could include, but not be limited to, marketing directors, marketing coordinators, operations managers, office managers and project coordinators.
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work schedule
As a team leader, your work schedule runs from 9 am to 5 pm in office-based work environments. That means you will work an average of 40 hours per week full-time. In manufacturing environments where work is on shift schedules, you may work early morning or late-night shifts since a team leader should be available during each shift. Finding part-time opportunities for team leaders is challenging, but you can look for short-term contracts. Team leader roles have minimal travelling unless they are attending workshops or conferences.
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job outlook
Becoming a team leader is the first step into managerial roles. With experience and exceptional skills, you can become a deputy manager or assistant manager before becoming a manager. In some sectors, you can increase your qualifications and become the facilities manager or operations manager in charge of all teams in an organisation. Team leaders also make exceptional project managers since they motivate teams and assign duties contributing to project completion. Team leaders are in high demand, with a projected job growth rate of 7.3% in five years.
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advantages of finding a team leader job through randstad
Finding your team leader job through Randstad provides important advantages such as:
- a wide variety of training and development opportunities
- an experienced contact person to provide help if needed
- a range of opportunities in your area
- get paid weekly or monthly, depending on the job
- temporary and permanent contracts
Want a permanent contract? A temporary job as a team leader is often a stepping stone to an attractive permanent job. Every year, thousands of people earn a permanent contract with great employers thanks to a temporary job found through Randstad. What's more, many companies recruit their permanent employees through Randstad too.
education and skills
Educational qualifications are not compulsory to become a team leader. However, pursuing the following qualifications improves your competitiveness for the role:
- bachelor's degree: complete a bachelor's degree in human resources or business management. The degree takes three years, and you can join after completing Year 12. Alternatively, consider completing a diploma course in human resource management or a Certificate in human resources or leadership and management with a registered training organisation.
- work experience: team leaders start their career in junior-level positions as part of a team before applying for supervisory roles. You can also get experience through internships and volunteer programmes.
team leader skills and competencies
Successful team leaders have great leadership skills but also need the following competencies:
- technical expertise: as a team leader, you should be an expert in your field and have technical experience. Your ability to coach and supervise the performance of tasks relies on your experience and knowledge in relevant areas.
- emotional intelligence: as a team leader, it is important to build healthy working relationships among employees to excel. You can manage your own emotions and recognise or influence other people's emotions. Emotional intelligence also boosts your social skills and helps you promote engagement and manage stress levels in your team.
- ability to provide objective feedback: a team leader measures each member's performance and provides constructive feedback. Even when the feedback is negative, it is important to recommend ways to improve performance.
- communication skills: as a team leader, you constantly communicate with team members, management and other stakeholders. Communication skills help you provide clear instructions to employees and communicate any grievances to managers. Written communication skills are also important for conducting performance appraisals and writing reports.
- decision-making skills: team leaders make decisions during the project's execution phase to guide team members. You need access to relevant information and decision-making skills to make the best choices.
FAQs about working as a team leader
Here are the most asked questions about working as a team leader:
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what qualifications do team leaders need?
A team leader will often have sufficient experience in their field and most employers prefer candidates with some academic qualifications. Consider pursuing a diploma in human resource management or a certificate in leadership and management.
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what are the qualities of a good team leader?
A good team leader needs exceptional leadership skills to motivate and inspire the team towards the set goals. Leadership and management skills are also crucial in delegating and supervising tasks. Communication skills ensure clear communication of instructions and the provision of feedback. Conflict resolution skills are also useful for resolving issues between team members.
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what is the team leader called?
As a team leader, you are considered the team's supervisor or manager. Your role is to monitor and oversee the team members' activities. The job is similar to a supervisor's role of delegating tasks to various team members and measuring performance.
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what do team leaders do?
A team leader manages and leads a group of workers to achieve a specific objective. You organise work schedules and plan work activities. You also measure performance and keep stakeholders updated on the progress of a project.
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how much does a team leader earn?
As a team leader, you earn between $62,000 - $80,000 annually. The remuneration package often fluctuates depending on your experience and qualifications. Some companies also have additional benefits attached to the salaries.
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how do I apply for a team leader vacancy?
Applying for a team leader job is easy: create a Randstad profile and search our team leader job offers. Then simply send us your CV and cover letter. Need help with your application? Check out all our job search tips here.