What is Span of Control?

The span of control refers to the average number of people managed by each supervisor in a business. The span of control tends to be quite broad when jobs are routine and highly regimented, such as a production line. Conversely, the span of control is narrower when the nature of the work is highly complex and varies substantially from day to day. The span of control also tends to be narrower when company locations are geographically dispersed, since it is more difficult for one manager to maintain control over several locations.

A highly efficient organization strives to achieve a broader span of control, since doing so requires the employment of fewer managers. A strongly hierarchical organizational structure tends to require a narrower span of control, since the organization is controlled more rigidly. The concept is less important when non-hierarchical organizational structures are used within a business, such as cross-functional teams.

Factors Influencing the Span of Control

The ideal span of control depends on a number of factors, including the following:

The nature of the work. Complex activities require more supervision, which leads to a narrower span of control.
Manager’s capability. Experienced managers can handle a wider span of control.
Geographical location. A dispersed team may require more supervision due to coordination challenges, which leads to a narrower span of control.
Level of interaction required. Jobs that require close supervision or mentoring likely lead to a narrower span of control.

Indicators of an Incorrect Span of Control

The optimal span of control will differ by manager, since some are more experienced, and so are better able to manage larger groups of employees. However, generally, it is likely that a manager has been given too many employees to supervise if the staff are lacking in instruction and are routinely waiting on decisions by their manager. In effect, the span of control needs to be narrowed if the manager is the bottleneck in getting work done.