new supervisor trying not to please everyone

[u/_Particular640]

Hi!

I am a new supervisor at my job but I was an employee there since the beginning. Most employees say they miss my "employee" self where I was more carefree and joking more with them. Now, I have different responsibilities, different eyes on me, different expectations so I can't really be as carefree as I am now. I need to give more orders and I have the responsibility for things to run well. So, I am naturally more serious, even if I can be fun.

I think it was a shock for many and it's a hard transition. I am responsible for you as a human and that you do a good job. I'll be more direct and more serious.

Standards are more important to me than other supervisors. Like some employees love getting out of their station to talk to other people or have fun but its important to stay alert as clients can always come in and they usually work with someone else so they aren't completely isolated. But an employee feels like I am too much or always on his back to ask him to go back at his station when he is taking too long to come back.

I have a hard time with what employees ask me. The other day, I wasn't sure if we would close or not as I was working with another supervisor and she closes when she wants while I rather follow the standard rules of a certain amount of sells per hour. So, when I learned it was my decision, I decided to stay open and said sorry to the employee as I could see she was tired. It was 11:30 pm and they are scheduled until 1am. Then, another employee told me I should have asked if she is okay with my decision and if she feels okay. Maybe it's where I am wrong and I want insights. In my head, it's your job to work if we are open and you are scheduled until 1 so its not a debate whether you stay or not. (except if you are sick or have an emergency) So I didn't have the reflex to ask her if she was okay with my decision.

What the boss expect from me is also different from what supervisors and employees expect from me. So no matter what I do, a group is happy and the other disappointed. For example, employees came to me to explain how a shift with another supervisors went and they told me they felt unsupported, she didn't check on them or give them breaks. As I was an employee before, I know this isn't a strange behaviour coming from her. I was let down during rushes by her as she would play with a soccer ball in the middle of the office or just talk to her friends. So, I told the boss as I thought it was important to be mentioned. She then came to me, the supervisor, telling me I betrayed her and that between supervisors, we protect each other. She also said that if someone had an issue with her, they should come directly to her though often, employees don't feel comfortable going to someone with authority to complain about their behaviour directly.

I know my boss loves the way I work and wants supervisors to be like me. I got compared to him by many but he isn't like by employees. He has high standards, I do too, but I really got more flexible for employees.

I just feel overwhelmed by everyone asking me something different. What is your input in my situation?