Some companies have the luxury of wanting employees to continue working from home or return to the office, while others are taking advantage of the WFA (work from anywhere) option to attract talent and act as a sign-on bonus.
But ‘Do whatever you want‘Being championed by some spells, it’s not as easy as it sounds. For the long-term application of WFA policies, they must be carefully crafted with high expectations of disciplinary excellence and predetermined standards; And managers must reinforce the notion that an organization is made up of team members that requires direction, attention, and connection.
Imagine a coach telling a sports team to practice where they want, when they want, and then simply to give results on the day of the game. There will be a lack of coordination and accountability will be unclear; And it has proven to be true when trying in business.
Removing the stratification of an organizational structure (often referred to as flat management) is known to have disastrous consequences when not handled very carefully. Indeed, organizational models that largely exclude mid-level management and physical departmental oversight have proved problematic not only for performance levels, but also for employee morale (and Github and Medium may prove this when it was attempted during pre-epidemic times).
Zappos, which was the greatest champion for an autonomous work environment, now serves as the greatest example of why such a model could be harmful. After nearly six years of striving for maximum flexibility and autonomy through its self-governing company policy, Zappos had to reorganize an organizational structure due to employee reactions and high turnover rates.
The Financial times It was reported in 2019 that organizational models in no way represent employee paradise; And egalitarian workplace systems are being seen as a foolish idea rather than a viable strategy until 2020.
But, when the epidemic hit, there was no alternative – the office became obsolete, WFA was needed and some directors lost contact with their team which created a new interest in moving structure-based systems.
Now, as personal options grow, and companies begin to evaluate productivity rates and cost-savings related to remote work, managers should be wary of adopting a WFA environment that is too relaxed in structure and oversight, and here are two primary reasons. Reasons for:
Flat management limits Employee growth
Many advantages can be gained due to the position of middle management and having departmental boundaries as it establishes a chain of command, opportunities for publicity, clear lines for communication and the possibility of cooperation. In addition, supervisors can assist in advising organizational members and supervisors can act as champions for staff (providing feedback, guidance, resources and encouragement).
Conversely, when agencies blur the lines of accountability by removing classification, power is returned only to those in prior responsibility because the opportunities for delivery and negotiation are not clear. And absolute autonomy can be completely anonymous within an organization, and employees who are out of sight will be out of mind from those who have the power to make decisions.
Flat management limits Organizational growth
Scaling is difficult in an unorganized environment and agility is hampered if roles and tasks are not clearly defined. And since flat management is known to centralize power in decision making, different perspectives are missing when the work environment develops in individual cycles rather than departmental teams.
Furthermore, when departments and divisions are flat or fluid, interaction and teaming is impossible, which is unfortunate because cross-functional teaming allows employees to learn from each other as well as feel more connected to the organization as a whole. The innovation of an organization and its competitiveness stems from the people within it and when teamwork and collaboration are lacking within an organization, new ideas and processes develop.
The weak effects of the egalitarian workplace system should serve as a precaution for flirting firms with flat management and managers should take advantage of layering arrangements at a higher level (as employees prefer).
Supervisors and departmental structures are important elements of a firm’s growth model as well as an individual’s career path. Therefore, the remote flexibility of companies adopting WFA policies should not be equated with a hand-off mentality. And firms must consider any new policy incentives and tradeoffs before implementing them (the public sector would do well to follow this same advice as one-size-fits-all policies limit options and opportunities for the economy just as it does for individuals within a company). .
Henry Fayle, along with his predecessor Frederick Taylor (known as the father of scientific management), supported coordination as a primary function of management – and this is still true today, especially due to the growing interest in the study of relationship management.
Cooperation is key and organizations should aim to develop management structures that establish an egalitarian system rather than hiring, empowering and empowering employees that eliminates guidelines and growth and limits the scope for decentralization of power.
Reprinted from RealClearMarkets
Kimberly Josephson
Dr. Kimberly Josephson is an associate professor of business at Lebanon Valley College and a research associate with the Consumer Choice Center. He taught courses on global sustainability, international marketing and the diversity of the workplace; And his research and op-ed has appeared in various outlets.
He holds a doctorate in global studies and commerce and a master’s degree in international policy from La Trobe University, a master’s degree in political science from Temple University and a bachelor’s degree in business administration with a minor in political science from Bloomberg University.