Back
10 min czytania 15 October 2025

Foreman — who is he and what does he do?

A foreman is the person who manages the team’s work—ensuring everything is completed on time and according to plan. They maintain order, organize work, and help resolve problems in the production hall or warehouse. This is an important role because the foreman serves as a liaison between employees and company management. Who is a foreman? What qualifications does a foreman need? What are the main responsibilities of a foreman?

Foreman

TABLE OF CONTENTS

Who is a foreman? What is the role of a foreman?

A foreman is a person who manages a team of employees and ensures the proper flow of work within a facility. They serve as a key liaison between employees and management, ensuring that the team’s work runs smoothly and according to plan. A foreman supervises the work of others, organizes their tasks, and ensures the safety and quality of their work.

What are a foreman’s responsibilities?

The foreman’s position plays a key role in organizing the team’s work. A foreman’s responsibilities may vary depending on the industry in which they work, but their primary goal is to supervise employees and ensure the smooth running of company processes.

Types of Foremen and Their Main Responsibilities

Foremen in the Manufacturing and Industrial Industries

  • Oversees the production line and teamwork.
  • Monitors product quality and adherence to safety standards.
  • Assigns tasks to employees and coordinates shift schedules.

Warehouse and Logistics Foreman

  • Organizes the receipt and release of goods.
  • Ensures deadlines and warehouse efficiency.
  • Coordinates teamwork and ensures safety and order in the warehouse.

Foreman in the Construction Industry

  • Supervises work crews on the construction site.
  • Ensures compliance with occupational health and safety regulations and the work schedule.
  • Distributes tasks among employees and monitors project progress.

Foreman in the Service and Assembly Industries

  • Coordinates the work of service or assembly teams.
  • Ensures timely and correct completion of services.
  • Resolves issues and communicates with customers and management.

Foreman Working Conditions

The foreman position involves significant responsibility, and working conditions depend on the industry, the nature of the team, and the location where duties are performed.

Work Environment

Foremen often perform physical labor directly at the work site – in a warehouse, production floor, construction site, or service department. In industrial plants, they may be exposed to noise, fluctuating temperatures, and work in a rotating system. In logistics and warehouses, physical labor includes supervising loading, checking the condition of goods, and coordinating team work.

Working Hours

Foremen typically work in a rotating or shift system, particularly in industries requiring continuous production or warehousing. The work schedule includes morning, afternoon, and night shifts. In sectors such as construction or assembly services, work may involve overtime.

Foreman Working Conditions

The foreman position involves significant responsibility, and working conditions depend on the industry, the nature of the team, and the location where duties are performed.

Work Environment

Foremen often perform physical labor directly at the work site – in a warehouse, production floor, construction site, or service department. In industrial plants, they may be exposed to noise, fluctuating temperatures, and work in a rotating system. In logistics and warehouses, physical labor includes supervising loading, checking the condition of goods, and coordinating team work.

Working Hours

Foremen typically work in a rotating or shift system, particularly in industries requiring continuous production or warehousing. The work schedule includes morning, afternoon, and night shifts. In sectors such as construction or assembly services, work may involve overtime.

What are the salaries of a foreman?

In 2025, foreman salaries in Poland vary and depend on many factors, such as industry, region, professional experience, and company size.

The average gross monthly salary for a foreman in Poland is approximately PLN 6,370. The median is PLN 6,940, meaning that half of foremen earn between PLN 5,900 and PLN 8,270 gross per month. The lowest-paid 25% earn less than PLN 5,900, while the highest-paid 25% earn more than PLN 8,270 gross.

Salaries by Industry

  • Production: Foremen in the manufacturing industry earn an average gross monthly salary of PLN 7,278. Salaries range from PLN 6,219 to PLN 8,646 gross.
  • Logistics: In the logistics sector, the average gross monthly salary for a foreman is PLN 7,200. Salaries can reach up to PLN 12,000 gross per month in large companies.
  • Construction: Construction foremen earn an average of PLN 6,050 gross per month. Salaries can range from PLN 5,190 to PLN 7,230 gross.
  • Maintenance: In heavy industry, maintenance foremen earn an average of PLN 5,710 gross per month. Salaries range from PLN 4,540 to PLN 6,560 gross.

Read also: Foreigners in Poland — what industries do they work in?

Foreman

Read also: Work in Poland for foreign students – where to look for offers?

Foreman and Manager – What’s the Difference?

Although the terms “foreman” and “manager” are sometimes used interchangeably in everyday work, they actually denote different roles within an organization. The differences stem primarily from the scope of responsibility, level of decision-making, and position in the company hierarchy.

Foreman

A foreman is a position directly related to supervising the work of a team. Depending on the industry—industrial, logistics, warehousing, or construction—their responsibilities may vary, but the main characteristics remain similar:

  • Team supervision: A foreman in a warehouse, construction site, or production environment ensures that tasks are completed according to the foreman’s schedule.
  • Task allocation: Delegating work to employees based on their skills and experience.
  • Quality control: A production or warehouse foreman verifies the accuracy of completed tasks and compliance with health and safety regulations.
  • Employee support: A foreman serves as the first point of contact for the team, helping to resolve ongoing issues and motivating them to work effectively.
  • Reporting: Regularly informs management about work progress, problems, and team needs.

A foreman in the service, construction, or logistics industries therefore serves as a line leader—this person operationally manages a group of employees but does not make strategic decisions for the entire organization.

Manager

A manager or team leader is a senior management position that involves:

  • Organizational decisions: planning projects, schedules, and resources for the entire department or unit.
  • Budget management: cost control and allocation of resources within the scope of tasks.
  • Supervision of foremen: the manager delegates tasks to foremen and coordinates their activities, ensuring the achievement of organizational goals.
  • Strategic reporting: communicating team results to senior management.

Read also: Four-shift work system – what is it?

foreman

Read also: Equivalent working time – rules, examples and settlement

What qualities should a foreman possess?

A foreman combines the roles of team leader and supervisor of daily work. Their role varies depending on the industry—industrial, logistics, warehousing, construction, or service—but there are universal traits and skills they should possess to effectively perform their duties.

Quantities of a Good Foreman

  • Responsibility—a foreman manages a team and is responsible for the execution of tasks, so they must take responsibility for both their own work and the team’s.
  • Communication—communication skills are very important in the foreman position. Effective communication with employees and management is fundamental to a foreman’s work in warehouses, manufacturing, or construction.
  • Leadership—a foreman serves as a line leader, motivates employees, and is able to organize their work.
  • Conflict Resolution Skills—disagreements can arise in daily work, which a foreman must be able to resolve.

Technical/Practical Skills

  • Organizational Skills – A foreman’s work schedule requires planning, assigning tasks, and monitoring team progress.
  • Quality Control – In manufacturing or warehousing, a foreman supervises the team’s work and ensures the proper performance of their duties.
  • Procedure and Health and Safety Knowledge – A foreman in industry, logistics, or construction must adhere to occupational health and safety regulations and ensure their employees adhere to them.
  • Management/Team Management Skills – An effective foreman can assign responsibilities based on employee competencies to ensure work is carried out efficiently.

How to Become a Foreman?

A foreman is a position that combines supervisory responsibilities with hands-on teamwork. A foreman can be someone who wants to manage a group of employees and oversee the daily operations of a company, regardless of industry—industrial, construction, logistics, warehousing, or services.

Most often, the path to a foreman position begins with a lower-level position within a given industry. For example:

  • A warehouse foreman gains experience in warehouse operations and logistics before supervising a team.
  • A production foreman learns to work on a production line before becoming responsible for the foreman’s work schedule and quality control.
  • A construction foreman acquires practical skills in various stages of project implementation, allowing them to effectively manage a team.

There is no single required education, but a foreman position often requires:

  • secondary or vocational technical education in the industry,
  • courses and certifications related to occupational safety, particularly in industry and construction.

Check also: Is it worth hiring temporary workers?

Tags

employment job job in warehouse job search