How many employees can a manager direct efficiently and effectively? The span of control describes the number of levels and managers in an organization. All things being equal, the wider or larger the span, the fewer the levels, and the more employees at each level, the more efficient the organization. However, when supervisors no longer have time to provide subordinates with the necessary leadership and support, effectiveness declines and employee performance suffers.

Narrow or small spans have their advocates as well as their drawbacks. By keeping the span of control to five or six employees, a manager can maintain close control. They’re expensive because they add levels of management. The added levels of hierarchy slow down decision making and can isolate upper management. Narrow spans also encourage overly tight supervision and discourage autonomy. The trend in recent years has been toward wider spans of control. They’re consistent with firms’ efforts to reduce costs, cut overhead, speed decision making, increase flexibility, get closer to customers, and empower employees.

To ensure that performance doesn’t suffer because of these wider spans, however, organizations might invest heavily in employee training. Managers recognize they can handle a wider span best when employees know their jobs well.