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How many employees do your supervisors manage? Has your organization considered the effects of what narrow or wide supervisory and managerial spans of control mean for your employees and the levels of support and empowerment they receive on-the-job? Have you considered how your decisions regarding the number of levels of reporting in your organization and given to your supervisors and managers influence job satisfaction, communication practices, and your overall organizational culture? The structure of your organization matters for these reasons and more. Defining span of controlSpan of control refers to the number of subordinates that can be managed effectively and efficiently by supervisors or managers in an organization. Typically, it is either narrow or wide resulting in a flatter or more hierarchical organizational structure. Each type has its inherent advantages and disadvantages. Narrow Span
Wide Span
Optimal span of controlThree or four levels of reporting typically are sufficient for most organizations, while four to five are generally sufficient for all organizations but the largest organizations (Hattrup, 1993). This is consistent with ERC’s survey findings as well. Ideally in an organization, according to modern organizational experts is approximately 15 to 20 subordinates per supervisor or manager. However, some experts with a more traditional focus believe that 5-6 subordinates per supervisor or manager is ideal. In general, however, optimum span of control depends on various factors including:
In addition, special consideration should be given to the direct reports of executive and senior management levels. Typically, the number of direct reports for these individuals are lower than supervisors and managers as too many direct reports at these levels can complicate communication and lengthen response time for crucial decisions. Sources:
Interested in learning more about training your supervisors?Submit your contact information and receive instant access to a video highlighting our process and a brochure featuring our courses, delivery methods, and success stories. Preview Supervisory Training What refers to the number of employees reporting to a supervisor?Span of control refers to the number of subordinates that can be managed effectively and efficiently by supervisors or managers in an organization.
What refers to the number of people who report to the manager?The span of control is the number that belongs to the subordinate ranks reporting to a manager. A wider span of control indicates many subordinates will report to a particular manager.
When a group of employees report to only one supervisor is called?Unity of command: This principle states that an employee should have one and only one supervisor to whom he or she is directly responsible. No employee should report to two or more people.
Is the number of subordinates reporting to a supervisor?Span of control, also called span of management, is the term used in business management, particularly human resource management. The term refers to the number of subordinates or direct reports a supervisor is responsible for.
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