w11 span of control- lorick and thurman

2013 Annual Meeting & Trade Show Jacksonville FL April 22nd ‐ 26th

4/24/2013

Joyce Lorick, MPA, Manager Jeff Thurman, Consultant 1

Joyce Lorick , MPA, MB Manager LA Consulting, Inc. Jeff Thurman, CPM, Consultant LA Consulting, Inc.

Wednesday, April 24th , 2013

2013 Annual Meeting & Trade Show

Prime Osborn Convention Center

Jacksonville, Florida April 22nd–26th

CONSULTING, INC.“We help Public Works Work”

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• Recognize the span of control within an agency and be aware of the relationship to management levels and efficiency

• Discuss the factors that affect span of control including new technologies and how they may apply to an agency

• Apply general management concepts to identify appropriate span of control within their agency

APWA Reporter Dec 2012

Water online August 2012

PW online

ERSI acknowledgment


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Joyce Lorick

Overview of Span of Control

Factors

Relevant Implications

Research

Span of Control: Impact to Organizational Efficiency

Definition – number of people a manager supervises

The span of control and layers of management helps determine the way an organization manages operations.

Layers are the number of management steps from the lowest employee to top management.


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More layers (and managers) between work forces and top level management

Potential for confused vision and communications between top management and staff

Allows closer communication and direction between staff and immediate management

May cause physical separation between upper management and staff

Alignment with Top management Less direct communication between Manager and

subordinates Repetitive tasks or higher skilled/trained employees

require less direction Independent work or self motivated employees Often physically in same location

Definition – number of people a manager supervises; the span of control and layers of management helps determine the way an organization manages operations. Layer are the number of management steps from the lowest employee to top management. Span can be tall or wide as shown below and this affects communications, direction and vision implementation

More layers (and managers) between work forces and top level management

Potential for confused vision and communications

Allows closer communication and direction between staff and immediate management

May be physically separated

Alignment with Top management Less direct communication between

Manager and subordinates Repetitive tasks or higher skilled/trained

employees require less direction Independent work or self motivated

employees Often physically in same location


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Frenchman (1916)– Fayol developed management functions and concept of control

Englishman (1922) – Sir Ian Hamilton – studied military leaders and suggested 3:1 to 6:1was optimum ratio

Grancais (1933) – used statistical mathematical potential interactions to indicate that 4:1-5:1 was the maximum ratio

Gulick and Urwick (1956) – that 6:1 was a maximum ratio that could be supervised studying command and control organizations

Tom Peters (1987) – states with optimal business practices and communication that span ratios could be as much as 25:1-75:1 with five layers maximum

US national Performance Review (1993) – indicates that the optimal span ratio should be from 7:1 to 15:1 for Federal agencies

Governmental studies in the US Indicates span ratios from various agencies ranged from 4:1-11:1

Studies for State of Texas (2002) and Iowa (2005), City of Seattle (2008) all showed overall span

increases of 20% in a four - five year period

0

2

4

6

8

10

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Fl. WaterManagementDistrict (1993)

Kansas City,Mo(2002)

King CountyWas(2002)

PortlandOrg(2002)

Seattle (2005) US Gov (1993) State of Texas(2003)

State ofIowa(2007)

Span of Control


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MPPA 408-DL Joyce Lorick

Technology may help increase span in many cases

1. Material and equipment have simplified work and skills such as auto repairand computer operations.

2. Communications technology (smart phones, tablets, cell phones. Text messaging, internet, twitter etc) that allow direct communications.

3. Professionally trained managers and higher skilled staff.

4. Use of standardized processes and automated controls such as computerized manufacturing in auto industry and Telemetry in water production.

No specific ratio matches all organizations

Government increasing span of control

Organizational practices and use of technology impact factors(standards, quality, simplifications, communications, information flow)

Less than 3:1 ratio of span warrants review

Wider span of control may signify that more effective management processes and systems are in place

Command and control (Military) system requires more management layers

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Old rule of thumb of 4:1 or 5:1 may not apply

With economic issues Government is enlarging spans

Higher ranges with technology now occurring

Consider risk to public

1:1 and 1:2 should be challenged

Technology… technology is changing the way we work

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Defined work

Specific timetables

Consistent effort

Ease of work quality adherence

Considerable benchmarks

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High span of control

1:20 possible

1:5-1:10 observed

Generally same crew

Travel physically to together

Some variety in work with

guidance needed

Some benchmarks

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medium span of control

1:8 possible 1:3-1:5 observed

Generally same work

physically separated

Managed process

Trained and independent staff

Little need for onsite

consultation

Many benchmarks

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1:8 possible 1:3-1:5

observed


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Mandated and defined processes work by various members

May be separated by time or space

Technology related work

High potential risk to agency

May need technical support

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observed

Mandated and defined processes work by various members

May be separated by either or both time and space



May need technical support

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Medium/Low span of control


observed

Varied and complex work

Computer aided design



May need consider and technical support

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/Low span of control


observed


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Varied and complex work

Highly capable employees

Politically and policy decisions


May need considerable coordination

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Low span of control


observed

Lack of excessive overhead

Ease of communication of necessary information among layers

Informed and aligned staff and superior

Quality work is done

Worker direction with necessary guidance

High burdened overhead with billing rates in access of a 3 multiplier

Micromanagement and lack of any employee judgment

Worker over direction with unnecessary guidance

Multiple jobs overlap with worker and supervisor

Lack of clear responsibilities


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Poor work and lack of quality control

Considerable rework

Minimal or lack of accountability

Uninformed staff and/or supervisor

Direction of program not aligned with mission

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Joyce Lorick, MB Office ManagerLA Consulting, Inc.

1209 Manhattan Ave, Suite 310Manhattan Beach, CA 90266

Phone: (310) 374-5777 email: [email protected]

Linked @LA_CONSULTING

Celebrating our 20th year of Helping Public Works Work!

Jeff Thurman, ConsultantLA Consulting, Inc.

1209 Manhattan Ave, Suite 310Manhattan Beach, CA 90266

Phone: (310) 374-5777 email: [email protected]

www.publicworks.com/doc/Span-Of-Control-Impacts-Public-Works-Efficien-0001

www.wateronline.com/doc/Span-Of-Control-Impacts-Public-Works-Efficien-0001

w11 span of control- lorick and thurman

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