delayering (noun, de-lay-er-ing, /diːˈleɪərɪŋ/)
Definition: is a process of creating a flatter, simpler organizational structure, which oftentimes involves reduction of the number of the middle managers in a company. The aim of delayering is to reduce the size and the number of hierarchical levels of a business. Delayering doesn’t always necessarily imply downsizing. There are cases of delayering that involve broadening the span of control of certain senior managers within the company. This way, the number of hierarchical levels may be decreased without people losing their jobs. Delayering also helps increase the staff’s motivation and engagement in the decision-making process.
In a Sentence:
- If you want your staff to remain loyal, you should be very careful with delayering and downsizing.
- In the current situation, the need of delayering is based on our aim to make the staff more independent and to allow them to work in a self-supervision manner.
- The main downside of delayering affects the staff, not the chief executives. It creates fewer opportunities for promotion for the staff.
Synonyms and related terms: organizational structure, business hierarchy, management reduction
