While a “flat” organizational structure has become trendy in recent years, traditionally, most organizations have a hierarchical structure with employees reporting to managers, who report to directors and on up through vice presidents, CEOs, and boards of directors. Within that broadly consistent structure, there is a considerable amount of variation in terms of how detailed management is. Some managers are very hands off, while others are micromanagers.
So, what are the best practices when it comes to escalation within a company? When is it appropriate to escalate to a boss? When should it be required to escalate? When is it inappropriate? What’s the balance between micromanagement, effective dispute resolution with other business functions, and employee discretion? In this feature, we address these questions with the help of some current HR managers and industry experts.
