Too Many Direct Reports With Your Flat Organization Structure? Considerations To Lessen The Impact

By Michael VanBruaene, Big4.com Guest Blogger

With many organizations wanting to be lean and have a flat organization reporting structure, managers may become overwhelmed by the number of employees reporting directly to them; and have difficulty effectively managing their direct reports and the operations for which they are responsible.  Before you start to change your organization structure (or give up on improving your circumstances) there are many options and factors you can consider and address to address this issue.

• Do you have current and documented position descriptions?
• Are your hiring criteria adequate?
• Do you require accountability?
• Do you provide understandable and actionable directions?
• How can you reduce and condense workplace interactions?
• Review your work procedures documentation and templates.
• Are you too “helpful”?
• Improve your business processes.
• Evaluate your personal work habits.
• Is the actual problem a cyclical work calendar?
• Consider developing one or more lead workers.

Go to this link for the detailed information for each of these considerations. http://www.advancingyourorganization.com/?p=2071; and other information and tools to improve your organization’s performance.

Michael VanBruaene was a KPMG Director and blogs at AdvancingYourOrganization – Performance Improvement Services (www.AdvancingYourOrganization.com)