what is a team leader?
In an organisation, functions are divided into various departments, and the company hires leaders to supervise workers in each group. 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 the marketing strategy. 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, you need to build a relationship with your team members and understand their strengths and weaknesses. You should also know what inspires them and their interests when assigning tasks to achieve the best results. When allocating duties, you should consider the employee's passion and expertise to achieve the best results.
Job opportunities for team leaders are available in various industries that require employees to work in groups to complete projects. For instance, the manufacturing industry requires team leaders to control quality during the assembling or packaging of products. Healthcare institutions need team leaders to manage community programmes and oversee medical personnel.
Would working as a team leader suit your leadership and interpersonal skills? Then read on to find out what competencies and qualifications you need to thrive in a team leader role.
average salary of a team leader
According to ONS, the average salary of a team leader in the UK is £26,000 per year. Team leaders earn as low as £21,155 annually at entry-level positions. As you increase your experience and improve your skills, your earnings increase up to £42,492 per year. Aside from the base salary, team leaders often earn bonuses and overtime pay for working extra hours or achieving targets. The allowances for team leaders often include medical insurance, transport allowance and contribution to a pension scheme. Most employers also offer non-monetary benefits like paid vacations and sick days.
what factors affect your salary as a team leader?
Salaries for team leaders vary based on skills, experience and performance. The employer evaluates your skills and experience level at entry-level and uses them to determine your pay structure. During your tenure, the company measures your performance based on expectations and the achievement of targets and goals. The appraisal forms the basis of salary increments and bonuses.
Your position in the company hierarchy also influences your pay. If you work alongside managers, you are likely to earn more due to the high expectations. Your roles can also impact your pay structure. For instance, team leaders who manage large teams have better compensation packages since they supervise, train and direct the teams.
types of team leader
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 the activities of your sales and marketing teams 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
Curious about what a team leader does daily? Read on to find out the duties, responsibilities and work routine of team leaders.
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team leader 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 need to create a schedule and assign tasks to members. You also monitor the progress of each team member and avail resources necessary for achieving the goals.
- training team members: a team leader needs to coach and train employees to help them develop valuable skills and 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, you need to find solutions before it escalates.
- motivating team members: team leaders need to motivate their teams to achieve the set goals and drive performance. You should build a good relationship with the employees through sharing feedback and plan regular meetings to discuss issues affecting them. 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 the performance gaps with mentorship programmes.
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work environment
As a team leader, you can work in various industries, from healthcare to manufacturing and retail. Your work environment depends on your sector and the roles you perform. In manufacturing, you will work in factories and production plants to manage teams. That means you need 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 the marketing campaigns begin.
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who are your colleagues?
Your colleagues might include supervisors, deputy managers and managers based on the company or industry sector. You might also be working in close proximity to project managers and operations managers, as well as other specialists that could include, but not be limited to, facilities managers, engineers and healthcare professionals.
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work schedule
As a team leader, your work schedule runs from 9 am to 5 pm for office-based work environments. That means you will work an average of 40 hours per week on a full-time basis. 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 on each shift. It is challenging to find part-time opportunities for team leaders, 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 the 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 the teams in an organisation. Team leaders also make exceptional project managers since they motivate teams and assign duties that contribute to completing a project.
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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
While your skills and previous work experience in a leadership role are more important, educational qualifications are a bonus. At entry-level, you need qualifications in the industry sector you intend to work for if you want to build your expertise. For instance, if you work in a rehabilitation centre, a certificate or diploma in social work helps you conduct community programmes. If you work in retail, a background in sales or a Higher National Diploma in marketing improves your skills.
You can also prepare for the management role by taking a National Vocational Qualification (NVQ) in management or team leading. Institute of Leadership and Management (ILM) also provides certifications in leadership roles.
skills and competencies
Successful team leaders have great leadership skills, but also need the following skills and competencies:
- technical expertise: as a team leader, you need to be an expert in the field you work in 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, you have to build healthy working relationships to excel. You can manage your emotions and recognise or influence other people's emotions with emotional intelligence. 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 team member's performance and provides constructive feedback. Even when the feedback is negative, you need to give your opinion and recommend ways to improve performance.
- communication skills: as a team leader, you are in constant communication with team members, the management and other stakeholders. Communication skills help you provide clear instructions to employees and communicate their grievances to the manager. Written communication skills are also important for conducting performance appraisals and writing reports.
- decision-making skills: team leaders make decisions during the project execution phase to guide team members. That means you need access to relevant information on the project and decision-making skills to make the best choices for the project.
FAQs
FAQs about working as a team leader
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what are the five qualities of a team leader?
A team leader needs motivational skills, good communication, leadership abilities and decision-making skills. They also need emotional intelligence.
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what are the qualities of a good team leader?
A good team leader has knowledge and experience in the relevant field. They also need relationship building skills to develop healthy relationships and inspire staff members.
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what is the team leader called?
A team leader is a supervisor since they guide a group of workers to achieve a particular goal.
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what do team leaders do?
A team leader oversees or directs a group of employees to accomplish a particular project. They also report the teams' progress and monitor performance.
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how much does a team leader earn?
A team leader earns an average salary of £26,000 per year. With experience, you can earn up to £42,492.
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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 job offers for vacancies in your area. Then simply send us your CV and cover letter. Need help with your application? Check out all our job search tips here!
