What is Span of Control?

In every organization, there will be many managers who will be looking after all the work going on in the department. This is normal stuff but there is a certain capacity of every manager to manage the employees working under him.

That capacity of the manager is nothing but the span of control or span of management. If you want to know more about this then you have been landed on the right website here.

Because in this article of mine, I will tell you what is span of control, features, and types of span of control.

What is Span of Control?

Span of Control

The span of control or span of management refers to the capacity of the manager of managing the employees effectively and efficiently.

If there are more number of subordinates or employees reporting to him. It will be difficult for him to manage all the work.

Whereas on another hand the less number of subordinates reporting to him the easier it will be for the manager to manage the work of his department.

Factors Influencing Span of Control

There are some factors which influence or bring change in the span of control and they are as mentioned below.

  • The capacity of the manager.
  • The capacity of subordinate or employee.
  • The effectiveness of communication.
  • Nature of the work to be performed.
  • And the staff assistance.

Types of Span of Control

Ok, now we know the meaning of this and the factors which influence, now its time to know about the types. And we have got two type and they are as mentioned below.

  1. Wide or Flat Span of Control.
  2. Tall or Narrow Span of Control.

Wide or Flat Span of Control

Wide or Flat Span of Control

In this type of span of control the manager supervises or manages a large number of employees working under him. So, in this case, the organizational structure is wide or flat.

And the number of levels of management will be less.

Tall or Narrow Span of Control

Tall or Narrow Span of Control

In this type, the number of employees the manager will be supervising will be less and in this case, the organizational structure will be tall or narrow.

And the number of levels of management will be more.

Conclusion

So this was all about the span of control, I hope you are clear with all the information that is mentioned in this article. But if you have any kind of doubts in your mind then you can comment below.