What type of manager who works most directly with employees on a daily basis?

All the organizations are comprised of a large numbers of different managerial tasks. When these are coordinated properly, and there is a strong hierarchal system of management in place, then the organization is extremely efficient in creating value through the production of their products, services and overall workflow.

In an organization all those who are responsible for the work of others are known as managers. Though their primary task remains the same which is getting the things done by other people, wide variances exist with regard to the authority and responsibility of the managers. These differences are largely due to the differences in the levels of management. Based on the scope of authority and responsibility, management job needs several skills and talents. Normally the management system of the organization is structured in the shape of a pyramid.

Managers are organizational members who are responsible for the work performance of other organizational members. Managers have formal authority to use organizational resources and to make decisions. The job of a manager is essentially about planning, organizing, staffing, leading, and controlling. It is about the effective use of financial, human, information, and physical organizational resources to achieve specific goals. However, the nature of managerial jobs differs from organization to organization and, more particularly, level to level. Further, there can be a number of changes to organizational structures which can take place and which can influence the role, tasks, and responsibilities of the managers at each level of the organizational hierarchy.

In most organizations, the number of managers at each level is such that the hierarchy resembles a pyramid, with a large number of lower level managers, lesser numbers of middle level managers, and the least numbers of senior level managers. One perspective which can be taken for the organizational management is a hierarchical view. Under this perspective, managers at different levels are responsible for different degrees of organizational scope, which can be visualized as having responsibility over a larger volume of processes and people. When illustrating this concept, the managers at the lower level management are at the bottom of the pyramid while the managers at the senior management are at the top level.

The term ‘levels of management’ stands for the arranged managerial positions in the organization. It refers to a line of demarcation between various managerial positions in an organization. It determines a chain of command, the amount of authority, and the status enjoyed by a managerial position. The number of managerial positions increases when the size of the organization and the number of employees in the organization increases. But, the organizations normally follow a system which divides the managerial positions in three hierarchical levels. These three levels are (i) senior management level, (ii) middle management level, and (ii) lower manage level.

These three levels of management taken together form the ‘hierarchy of management’. It indicates the ranks and positions of the managers in the hierarchy. It shows that the managers at the middle level management are subordinate to the managers at the senior level of the management and the managers at the lower level are s subordinate to the managers at middle level of the management. Employees at the workplace form the bulk of the organization’s membership. Within the managerial ranks, the number of managers at each level decreases as one move from lower level to the senior level of management. The authority of the managers decreases from senior level to lower level whereas the accountability increases. Fig1 shows the pyramid for the hierarchy of the management levels.

Fig 1 Hierarchy of management levels

Managers at the senior management level are responsible for the entire organization, especially its strategic direction. They devote more of their time on conceptual issues. They concentrate on activities related to long-range planning, monitoring business indicators, coordinating, and internal consulting. Managers at the middle management level are at the middle of the hierarchy. They are responsible for major departments. They are at the middle for all activities and normally supervise the managers at the lower level of management.

Hierarchy in the organization plays an important role in its effective functioning. The hierarchy in the organization brings multiple levels of management. Since each level of management interacts with other levels, it adds value to other levels both by being thrilled from them and influencing them. The lower level managers who interact with the employees at the workplace are an important link and interface between the higher level managers and the employees at the workplace. They play an important role in improving organizational performance by adding value to the functioning of the employees with their perceptions, attitudes, and behaviours.

As organizations have been forced to operate more efficiently in order to maintain their edge in an increasingly competitive environment, more and more organizational managements are now recognizing the important role played by the managers at the lower level of the management. Managers at the lower level focus on the execution of tasks and deliverables, serving as role models for the employees at the workplace.

The managers at the lower level of the management are task or process oriented. They are functional specialists managing departments or projects. They thrive in pursuing operational efficiency. They balance functional expertise with strong interpersonal skills to optimize specific operational processes. They frequently balance functional or technical understanding of those who report to them with the interpersonal skills of a manager. This form of leadership needs a strong ability to communicate, mentor, train, organize, optimize processes, and prioritize.

The managers at the lower level of management are above the employees at the workplace but below the middle management level in the organization. They play an important role in the organization. They are assisted by a number of employees who carry out the activities as per schedule or demand. The essential feature of this level of managers is that they are in direct contact with the employees at the workplace. They represent a link between the higher management and the employees at the workplace. They plan day to day production schedules within the goals set from the above. They assign tasks to the employees at the workplace, guide them, and take corrective action on the spot.

The effective implementation of the plans and policies, the quality of workmanship and quality of output and the over-all success of the organization very much depend on the hard work, discipline and loyalty of the personnel at this level of management. Further, this level of management represents the employees at the workplace before the higher management and the higher levels of the management to the employees of workplace. The employees look to them for issues relating to various orders of the higher level management, policies, instructions, guidance, encouragement, and increased pay etc.

Though the authority and responsibility of the managers at the lower level of management in the organization as compared to the middle and senior level of management is less, the management at this level too does play a vital role in implementing the policies designed by the senior management level. They have to comply with the rules and guidelines made by the higher authorities of the organization.

The managers at the lower level of management are in direct touch with the employees at the workplace and are to see that the work is properly carried out and on time. They focus almost exclusively on effective execution, and are normally short-term oriented. This allows them to narrow their focus towards the work so as to make it manageable. They are responsible for the work of the employees in their unit and have the primary responsibility for the actual production of goods and services in the organization. They are required to supervise the employees at the workplace and carry out day-to-day activities within their department. They concentrate their efforts on technical issues. Their responsibility is to accomplish tasks through the employees at the operational level.

The managers at the lower level of the management are responsible for the daily management of those employees at the workplace who actually produce the product or offer the service. Although these managers typically do not set goals for the organization, they have a very strong influence on the organization. These are the managers with which most employees interact with on a daily basis, and if the managers perform poorly, employees can also perform poorly and can lack motivation.

Managers at the lower level of the management are normally assigned with the responsibility of giving on the job training to the new employees, since they have first-hand knowledge of all the skills and qualities required to perform according to the standards and procedures applicable to the area of their operations.

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