What does the term 'span of control' refer to?

The correct answer is that 'span of control' refers to the number of employees who report directly to a manager. This concept is crucial in organizational structure and management because it influences how effectively a manager can supervise and lead their team. A broad span of control means a manager has a larger number of direct reports, which can lead to a flatter organizational structure and potentially empower employees to work more autonomously. Conversely, a narrow span of control allows for closer supervision but may require more hierarchical layers in the organization.

Understanding span of control helps in determining how well a manager can communicate, provide feedback, and manage workloads among their team members. It affects not only the efficiency of operations but also the morale and engagement of the workers, as individual attention may vary based on how many reports a manager oversees.