w11 span of control- lorick and thurman
TRANSCRIPT
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
2013 Annual Meeting & Trade Show Jacksonville FL April 22nd ‐ 26th
4/24/2013
Joyce Lorick, MPA, Manager Jeff Thurman, Consultant 2
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.
2013 Annual Meeting & Trade Show Jacksonville FL April 22nd ‐ 26th
4/24/2013
Joyce Lorick, MPA, Manager Jeff Thurman, Consultant 3
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
2013 Annual Meeting & Trade Show Jacksonville FL April 22nd ‐ 26th
4/24/2013
Joyce Lorick, MPA, Manager Jeff Thurman, Consultant 4
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
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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
2013 Annual Meeting & Trade Show Jacksonville FL April 22nd ‐ 26th
4/24/2013
Joyce Lorick, MPA, Manager Jeff Thurman, Consultant 5
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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2013 Annual Meeting & Trade Show Jacksonville FL April 22nd ‐ 26th
4/24/2013
Joyce Lorick, MPA, Manager Jeff Thurman, Consultant 6
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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medium span of control
1:8 possible 1:3-1:5
observed
2013 Annual Meeting & Trade Show Jacksonville FL April 22nd ‐ 26th
4/24/2013
Joyce Lorick, MPA, Manager Jeff Thurman, Consultant 7
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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medium span of control
1:8 possible 1:4-1:6
observed
Mandated and defined processes work by various members
May be separated by either or both time and space
Technology related work
High potential risk to agency
May need technical support
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Medium/Low span of control
1:5 possible 1:3-1:4
observed
Varied and complex work
Computer aided design
Technology related work
High potential risk to agency
May need consider and technical support
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/Low span of control
1:4 possible 1:2-1:3
observed
2013 Annual Meeting & Trade Show Jacksonville FL April 22nd ‐ 26th
4/24/2013
Joyce Lorick, MPA, Manager Jeff Thurman, Consultant 8
Varied and complex work
Highly capable employees
Politically and policy decisions
High potential risk to agency
May need considerable coordination
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Low span of control
1:5 possible 1:2-1:3
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
2013 Annual Meeting & Trade Show Jacksonville FL April 22nd ‐ 26th
4/24/2013
Joyce Lorick, MPA, Manager Jeff Thurman, Consultant 9
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