Seasoned veteran or a novice, an entrepreneur needs to know survival is possible only through smooth coordination amongst various departments. Key-corner stone to smooth coordination amongst department is possible via services of skillful manager. The written piece here aims to outweigh and outline the need for star managers to smoothly operate both simple and complex tasks.
Most startups in tech or any other industry don’t remain open with their doors at the end of the first year. So, the need for the manager is twice as much for these startup entrepreneurial ventures.
So, let’s explore the topic in detail.
How to determine the best size for a team?
Teamwork makes the impossible possible through sheer hard work and coordination. But, it is still difficult to know how many members are ideal for teamwork. Teamwork is the backbone of every organization. Teamwork and team size depends on the project and task. Mostly, the team size depends on three variables.
- Goals
Every organization has its own goals and objectives. And, the organization needs a team to achieve its goals and objectives. The size of the team depends on the goals and objectives.
- Roles necessary to complete goals
The size of a team also depends on the number of roles necessary to complete goals. Goals help to determine the roles necessary for a team to succeed. So, the number of roles helps to determine the ideal size of a team.
- Deadline
The project deadline also helps in determining the size of the team. If the project deadline is too short then a large team with more skill and experience is required. Otherwise, a small team can be organized to complete a task.
Does size matter in teams?
The size definitely matters in a team. Working in larger groups often means less participation and less effectiveness. When it comes to productivity, small groups are more productive and more effective than larger teams. Generally, small teams are preferred for completing a task and achieving the goals and objectives of a project.
Team members in a small group builds trust quicker than the larger groups. Since the team is small, communication and coordination between
the team members becomes a lot easier. The team members can easily build a good relationship with fellow team members. It becomes easier for the small team to adapt to the change. It also becomes easier for the small team to reach out to fellow team members when problems arise. The team
members become less productive when the team increases.
Another advantage of a small team is that information flows a lot faster within the team. Team members feel more responsible. They know more about the fellow team members and know what tasks they are doing. If any problem arises then team members can easily communicate and take part in solving the problem. Quick and better decisions can be taken in a smaller team. Different strategies can be planned and implemented quickly. So in this regard, smaller teams are more preferred than the larger teams.
Why a manager is important for business?
Every business needs a manager to look after the organizational management. Without proper management, there is no organization. A manager is one of the great assets an organization can have. He/she is the one having a significant role in planning and making the best decisions for the organization. So, let’s see the importance of the manager for the business.
- Achieve organizational goals
Business goals and objectives are the sole reasons for the establishment of the organization. But, sometimes the plans and strategies start to go the wrong way and you will realize that you are unable to meet goals and objectives. You realize that plans and strategies are not aligned with the organization’s goals and objectives.
If you want better plans and strategies that can help your business to grow, then you can hire a manager. An experienced and qualified manager will list out the problems and will develop short-term and long-term plans and align those plans with business goals and objectives. He/she will ensure that the organization achieves its goals and objectives.
- Optimum utilization of resources
Most of the business has limited resources. Such resources should be utilized optimally for effective and efficient business operations. Lack of effective utilization of resources will increase the workload, time to complete a task, expenses of the organization, and so on.
A manager can free you from this burden. He/she will develop plans and strategically utilize the resources at the right time in the right place. He/she will ensure that the resources are utilized effectively and efficiently.
- Hiring and training
You alone cannot run an organization. You need people to work for you. Without people to work for you, you cannot grow your business. So, you need to recruit people that will work for the growth of the business.
But, if you don’t know anything about the recruiting process, then you should hire a human resource (HR) manager who will focus on the interview process, the recruiting process, and training new employees. The HR manager will also help to delegate the task to the right person. This will increase the efficiency of the employees if provided the right task to the employees that match their skillset.
- Cost reduction
As a business owner, you need to find ways to deal with the increasing expenses and implement plans and strategies to reduce the cost. If expenses are not controlled and minimized then your organization might go bankrupt.
So before it’s too late, you need to hire an experienced and qualified manager who can find the root cause of increasing expenses and find solutions to reduce the expenses. He/she will ensure that the cost is reduced by minimizing the wastage, deploying the right people at the right place, utilizing the available resources effectively and efficiently, and so on.
- Wastage reduction
One of the importance of having a manager in an organization is wastage reduction. The manager in an organization uses the available resources effectively that helps to reduce wastage of human resources, cost, money, and so on. The manager knows well when and where to use the available resources which in return reduces the wastage.
- Communication
Miscommunication and discoordination are some of the biggest hurdles in making a business successful. Lack of communication guidelines and channels can break the flow of information as well as will increase discoordination among the employees. Think this as a relationship between an airline radio operator and a pilot. What will happen if there is miscommunication and discoordination between them? The consequences
might be dangerous.
If you want to avoid such dangerous consequences to never rise in your organization, then you need to hire a manager. He/she will define the best communication guidelines and channels for effective coordination and flow of information. He/she will ensure that the information is communicated properly and there is coordination among the employees.
- Motivate employees
Employees need motivation and encouragement so that they can give their best at the workplace. Without any motivation to work, the employees feel bored and the employee turnover increases. So, the manager motivates his employees to achieve organizational goals as well as their personal goals. Appraising their work can also motivate them. Knowing that they are cared for by the manager will encourage them to work.
- Resolve disputes
Disputes may arise anytime in the organization. Disputes halt organizational activities. This will also halt business growth. You are there to solve the problem when you are available in the organization. But what about in your absence? Who will stop the dispute? In such a situation, you need to hire a manager who will prevent disputes and motivate employees. He/she will clarify the problems and brings harmony between the employees.
The manager maintains discipline in an organization. Also implementing the open-door policy will help employees to share their problems and confusion with the manager. This helps to prevent the dispute before it arises. This also helps to discipline the employees and maintain peace in the organization.
- Maintain coordination
The manager maintains coordination among the employees to achieve
organizational goals and objectives. The manager helps in building teamwork that is necessary for an organization. Teamwork is important because one cannot achieve anything without good teamwork. Together can help to achieve greater heights. So, the manager plays an important role in maintaining coordination in an organization.
When to hire a manager?
Once you establish a business, you need people to work with you. And you need a manager to coordinate and maintain discipline in the organization. The manager is key to a successful growing business. So, let’s see when to hire a manager.
- Employees to manage
Every business needs employees to run a business. But, the manager is one who brings them together. The owner cannot handle every employee
himself/herself. So, the owner needs to hire a manager that handles employees of the organization. Since the owner attends meetings and fulfills all the other obligations, he/she does not get time to manage every employee. So, hiring a manager to manage the employees is a perfect option for the organization.
- Scaling
The manager can help an organization when scaling the business. There may arise a time when you need to hire employees, add more branches of
the organization, add additional product lines, and so on. In such a situation, you need someone who can handle them properly. So in such growth, the manager can help you to scale your business faster and effectively manage the organization and employees on a day-to-day basis.
- Failed to manage workplace
You as an owner think you can do everything on your own. But as time passes, roles and responsibilities increase and workload increases. Soon you will realize that you need someone with whom you can share roles and responsibilities. You are also unable to give time to the organization and to your employees. And your worse nightmare begins i.e. the working environment begins to crumble.
So, you need to hire a manager who is experienced, qualified, and responsible enough to manage the workplace and employees.
- Organization’s obligations
You are busy attending meetings and conferences. You are busy attending such events to increase the organization’s image, reputation, and identity in the market. At the same time, you are also worried about your organization and your employees. There is no one reliable to look after the organization and employees in your absence.
If you want to be free from this burden and focus on building reputations and image in the market, then you need to hire a manager.
- Failed to measure performance
The performance of any business must be measured to know whether your business is strong or not. You need to check whether the plans and
strategies are on the right track or not.
But, if you are unaware of the business performance and fail to take corrective action when the plans fail, then you need to hire a manager who is competent enough to check the results against goals and take corrective action. Hiring a manager will help to check whether plans are right on the track or not.
- Failed to implement the right technology
Technology makes work easier and faster. Implementing the right technology in the workplace can help you simplify the business process and increase performance and productivity.
But, if you are not a tech-loving guy and are unaware of the technology, then you should hire a tech manager so that he/she will help you to adapt to new technologies emerging in the market. Adapting to change is an essential phase of the business lifecycle.
- Failed to market the business
Customer engagement is the life of any business. It is an ongoing process that helps the business to grow. And the marketing process makes this reality as it helps to build relationships with the customers.
If you want to increase customer engagement and if you think the marketing process is not effective and have no idea what to do, then you need to hire a marketing manager who will look after the marketing process. He/she will plan and implement the best strategy to market a business. He/she will select the best marketing medium to promote the business.
How big should your team be before hiring a manager?
There is not any hard and fast rule for hiring a manager. It depends on the decision made by the organization’s authority. There is not any fixed time to hire a manager. The entire decision lies with the authority to decide the right time to hire a manager regardless of the team size. One cannot say this is the right team size to hire a manager.
Every small organization including startups has an owner who looks after the organizations and the employees. But as the organization grows, employees increase and along with them, more responsibilities follow. Gradually, it becomes hard for the owner to look after the organization and employees. He/she needs someone to manage the organization and the employees. The owner should take the decision to hire a manager to manage the organization and employees.
But one question arises “What should be the size of the employees or team before hiring a manager?”.
When you start to hire more employees in the organization, then you take the decision to hire a manager. If you can handle the employees and the organization at the same time, then there is no problem. But, if you cannot handle the team and the organization, then you should be ready to hire a manager. The team size does not matter if you want to hire a manager. As an owner, you have other obligations. Even if the team size is small, you can hire a manager to manage a team.
Some hire a manager when the team or employee size is 10 or 15 or 20 or 50 or even more. It depends on the organization when to hire a manager. The team size does not matter but the managers should be skilled enough to handle a team. Some of the characteristics that a manager should possess are:
- Leadership: The manager should be able to lead the employees effectively. He/she should be able to lead them to achieve organizational goals and objectives.
- Experience: The manager should have experience in managing and handling the organization and employees. He/she should have experience working in a professional environment.
- Communicate: The manager should be able to coordinate and communicate with his/her team. Both sides should trust each other.
- Knowledge: The manager should have knowledge of managing the organization and employees effectively and efficiently.
- Time management: The manager should be able to manage time. He/she should be able to prioritize tasks and communicate with the team members.
- Delegation: The manager should be able to prioritize the tasks and delegate roles and responsibilities to each member. The manager should encourage every team member to complete the task.
- Respect employees: The manager should respect his/her employees. He/she should trust and communicate regularly with employees.
The owner must look at the needs of the organization. If the organization needs a manager then the owner should hire a manager for the organization.
The main point to remember is that it is entirely up to the organization to hire a manager when the appropriate time comes. Some organizations may hire a manager when a team is small and some may hire when a team is large. The decision to hire a manager lies with the authority. When they feel like the team needs a manager to lead them then hiring a manager is a good choice for the organization.
This post was first published on Truemark.
