7. Org Design
Spans and layers
The arithmetic of structure
Where a collective agreement applies, it governs. Check the agreement before applying any of this.
Use when
Sizing management; finding cost and speed in the hierarchy
Span guides by work type
Transactional/similar work: 8-15+. Advisory/varied: 5-8. Complex/bespoke: 3-6. Player-coach roles distort everything
Layer test
Each layer must add decision value; if a layer only relays, it is cost and delay
Symptoms of wrong-sizing
Micromanagement (spans too narrow), absent managers (too wide), approval crawl (too many layers)
Change carefully
Delayering done crudely destroys career paths and knowledge; model the people impact first
How to use it
Run the analysis before anyone proposes cuts, so the conversation is about work design rather than headcount targets. Watch-out: span benchmarks are directional; a span of four doing complex advisory work is fine, the same span doing transactional work is a structure smell.
Card details
- Model type
- Grid
- Origin status
- Synthesis
- Content last reviewed
- 28 July 2026
Origin
SynthesisLong-standing organizational design practice; benchmarks are directional, not doctrine.