UKCustomPapers | Existing organizational structure.

Existing organizational structure.

Evaluate an existing organizational structure. You will recommend structural changes that can help address the organization’s concerns regarding collaboration, communication, and autonomy.

Scenario
You work for an organization that has traditionally been very formalized, and managers have had a very broad span of control over direct reports from multiple departments and functions. This worked well in the past; managers were able to oversee a high number of direct reports because there were many rules and regulations dictating how their work should be performed. However, there were downsides. Employee talent was underused, and there wasn’t a strong team culture, as most work was done independently according to standard operating processes.

Recently, the organization started shifting to less formalized working structures to support more creative, innovative work and provide employees with more autonomy. While employees are happy with the purpose of these new changes, managers are feeling overwhelmed, and employees are feeling a loss of support. This shift has impacted function-specific work the most because, in the past, managers didn’t need to understand in-depth, function-specific tasks, such as the technical aspects of graphic design work or the intricacies of project management. Instead, they had the ability to rely on rules, regulations, and standard operating processes.

You have been asked to collaborate with the human resources department to recommend a new organizational structure. This new structure should address the following goals:

Reduce the burden on managers.
Improve communication across teams.
Enhance support for employees in function-specific tasks.
Preserve the autonomy and creativity that employees value in the new working environment.
Your task is to design a structure that achieves these goals. Clearly explain how your proposed changes will address the issues the organization is experiencing while aligning with its long-term vision.

Directions
In this two-part assignment, you will create an organizational structure chart and a written explanation for your changes.

Use the Module Six Assignment Template, linked in the What to Submit section below, to create an updated organizational structure chart for the organization.
Then, in a separate Microsoft Word document, write a brief explanation of your recommended changes and how they will impact both organizational communication and overall team dynamics.
Specifically, you must address the following rubric criteria:

Updated Organizational Structure Chart: Create an updated organizational structure chart that addresses management and communication concerns.
Explanation of Changes: Explain your reasoning for why you made the changes you did to the company’s organizational structure. Include how your changes differ from the original and why you believe they would benefit the organization.
Impact on Organizational Communication: Describe the impact these changes will have on the company’s overall organizational communication.
Impact on Team Communication: Describe the impact these changes will have on the company’s overall team communication and reporting structure

Sample Answer

Here is a proposal for a new organizational structure, designed to address the challenges of collaboration, communication, and autonomy within your organization, accompanied by a detailed explanation of its impact.

MEMORANDUM

To: CEO, [Your Organization Name] From: [Your Name], Consultant (in collaboration with Human Resources) Date: October 26, 2023 Subject: Proposed Organizational Structure for Enhanced Collaboration, Communication, and Autonomy

Executive Summary

This report outlines a proposed organizational structure designed to address the challenges identified during our transition to a less formalized, more creative, and autonomous working environment. The previous highly formalized structure, while efficient for standardized tasks, led to underutilized talent, weak team culture, and, more recently, overwhelmed managers and a perceived lack of employee support, particularly in function-specific areas. Our proposed Hybrid Functional-Team Structure with Project-Based Overlays aims to reduce manager burden, improve communication, enhance function-specific support, and preserve the autonomy and creativity that employees value. This model fosters specialized expertise within functional departments while promoting dynamic, cross-functional collaboration through dedicated project teams, aligning with the organization’s long-term vision for innovation and agility.

Full Answer Section

Updated Organizational Structure Chart (Conceptual)

Below is a conceptual representation of the proposed organizational structure. This chart illustrates the shift from a broad, generalist span of control to a more specialized and collaborative model.

                                      CEO
                                       |
        -----------------------------------------------------------------
        |                |                |                |                |
   VP Marketing     VP Product       VP Operations    VP Human Resources   VP Finance
        |                |                |                |                |
        -----------------------------------------------------------------
        |                |                |                |                |
Marketing Manager   Graphic Design Mgr.  Software Dev. Mgr.  Project Mgmt. Office Mgr.
(Smaller, Specialized Span of Control)
        |                |                |                |
        -----------------------------------------------------------------
        |                |                |                |
    Team Lead A      Team Lead B      Team Lead C      Team Lead D
    (Senior Specialist/Mentor)
        |                |                |                |
Individual Contributor   Individual Contributor   Individual Contributor   Individual Contributor
(Specialists in Function)


--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
**Cross-Functional Project Teams (Temporary/Semi-Permanent)**
(Composed of Individual Contributors/Team Leads from various functional departments)

Project Team 1 (e.g., New Product Launch)  ------ Project Lead
    - Member from Marketing
    - Member from Graphic Design
    - Member from Software Development

Project Team 2 (e.g., Innovation Initiative) ------ Project Lead
    - Member from Product
    - Member from Project Management
    - Member from Operations

Explanation of Recommended Changes

The proposed organizational structure represents a strategic evolution from the organization’s traditional, highly formalized model. Our recommendations are rooted in addressing the current pain points while preserving the positive aspects of the recent shift towards autonomy and creativity.

Key Changes and Reasoning:

Shift to Specialized Functional Management with Narrower Spans of Control:
- Change: Instead of managers overseeing a broad range of direct reports from multiple, disparate functions, we propose grouping employees into more specialized functional departments (e.g., a dedicated Graphic Design Manager, a specific Software Development Manager). Each manager will oversee a smaller number of direct reports who share a common functional expertise.
- Reasoning: This directly addresses the “managers feeling overwhelmed” and the inability to “understand in-depth, function-specific tasks.” By narrowing the span of control and aligning managers with their areas of expertise, managers can provide more meaningful, technical guidance and support. This reduces their burden by allowing them to focus on what they know best, rather than relying solely on rules.
Introduction of a “Team Lead” or “Senior Specialist” Layer:
- Change: Within each functional department, we recommend empowering experienced individual contributors to step into “Team Lead” or “Senior Specialist” roles. These individuals will report to their respective Department Manager but will serve as day-to-day mentors and technical guides for junior team members.

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