How do you promote flow within a flat organization?

Many organizations are choosing to reduce their management layers and to organize themselves from a flatter structure. Something that fits well with, for example, hybrid working: employees are increasingly taking control of their work and its (daily) organization. As a result, the manager has less of a delegating or controlling role, but is increasingly people-oriented. Very positive, because this creates time for the manager to really focus on the employees instead of the process or the execution! But what is sometimes more difficult with a flat organization is the limited possibility of promotion to higher positions. As an employer, how do you promote promotion within the organization?

What is a flat organizational structure?

A flat organizational structure, also called a horizontal structure, has the important characteristic that there are few or no layers of management between the employees and the employer or management. As a result, employees are more involved in important decisions and often have more say within the organization. Because the delegating or controlling manager is often absent, there is plenty of room for personal leadership and employees take their own initiative.

Advancement opportunities

Something that often proves difficult within a flat organization are the opportunities for advancement for employees and managers (if any). In a hierarchical organizational structure, the opposite of a flat structure, there are many layers through which an employee can climb up and advancing to a higher position is theoretically easier.

With a flat structure, as mentioned, there are few or no management layers that make a move up high on paper easier. Still, you want to retain employees within the organization and allow them to develop not only on the job, but also personally. Therefore, don't look for advancement higher up, but rather broadly by offering training or courses. Often an employee is all about keeping moving, this includes knowledge or skills. In this way, someone can develop or take on additional tasks that do not necessarily fit within the role, but are important for the organization. For example, getting involved in recruitment & selection, customer loyalty and projects. Using someone's talents and interests makes them feel at home and see that they can continue to develop here.

Keep your employees sustainably employable

Do you want to offer training to your employees to let them develop personally? Then meet our label OffCourse. They offer various training courses for both employees and managers for personal growth. Go to the OffCourse website for the training offer and request a no-obligation quote.