Day in the life
A Day in the Life of a General and Operations Manager
What general and operations managers actually do from the start of a shift to the end: the tasks, tools, schedule and realities of the job.
What is a typical day like for a general and operations manager?
Walk the floor. From there, the day usually includes manage daily operations, supervise staff and managers, and set and track budgets. Full time, often with long days and some evenings or weekends.
Hour by hour: a typical shift
No two days are identical, but this timeline reflects a realistic day for a general and operations manager working full time.
- Walk the floor.
- Review yesterday’s numbers.
- Meet department leads.
- Fix a staffing gap.
- Review the budget.
- Plan a process change.
- Interview a supervisor candidate.
Where general and operations managers work
Managers work in offices and on the floor of stores, plants, warehouses or service sites.
Hours and schedule
Full time, often with long days and some evenings or weekends.
Tasks you’ll do most often
- Manage daily operations
- Supervise staff and managers
- Set and track budgets
- Improve processes
- Track performance metrics
- Solve operational problems
- Ensure policy compliance
Tools you’ll use every day
- ERP systems
- Scheduling software
- Spreadsheets
- KPI dashboards
- Inventory systems
- Project management tools
The best and hardest parts of the job
What people like
- Many openings in every industry
- Strong pay
- Leadership role
- Varied work
What’s hard
- Long hours
- Pressure to hit numbers
- Staffing problems
- Always on call
You’ll likely thrive if…
- I like running things
- I solve problems fast
- I like numbers
- I can lead managers
- I stay calm under pressure
- I want a job in any industry
Not sure? Take the free General and Operations Manager fit quiz or the Career Match Quiz.
Staying safe on the job
- Enforce workplace safety rules
- Investigate incidents
- Maintain safe staffing
- Ensure OSHA compliance