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For an optimal management, what is the maximum number of employees a manager/ supervisor can manage?

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Question added by Ibrahim Hussein Mayaleh , Sales & Business Consultant and Trainer , Self-employed
Date Posted: 2014/12/09
Nasir Hussain
by Nasir Hussain , Sales And Marketing Manager , Pakistan Pharmaceutical Products Pvt. Ltd.

It totally depends on the nature of job ...... its not at all a question of the capabilities of a manager or supervisor. there is a big variation of employee supervision in outdoor & indoor jobs...............

A manager /supervisor controlling field force can manage upto8-10 employees optimally whereas

A manager /supervisor controlling indoor workers can manage upto25-30 employees easily

Mohammad Mohammad Ahmed El-Safty
by Mohammad Mohammad Ahmed El-Safty , مشرف تدريب وتطوير , شركة ميداس للتجارة العامة والمقاولات

Dear Mr. Ibrahim, Thanks for the invitation

There are two major factors affects the answer of your question. These factors are

Nature of the project or operation. Level of the management .

for example retail manager supposed to manage all the staff in organisation and some times it will be massive number of people.

But if your question is about direct manager I think the maximum number of people will be20-25 employees

Alex Al Yazouri
by Alex Al Yazouri , General Manager , Al Mushref Cooperative Society

Depend what kind of project, but I would say30.

Muhammad Saey
by Muhammad Saey , Senior Veterinary Doctor , PAFN Public Autority for Food and Nutrition

It is open un-limited number as there are management levels and degrees of management. The president lead a country of90 millions but build a team of Ministers assembly and sub-levels in governors and so on. It goes as wide as it goes as narrow as probabilities.

Waqayan Al Waqayan
by Waqayan Al Waqayan , Secretary of Sharia Supervisory Board (SSB) , Ahli United Bank (AUB)

Depends on many variables.

Doha Shawki
by Doha Shawki , Independent Organizational Development & Human Resource Consultant , Datum International Data Systems

Depending on the nature of the job.  For labor management for example, one manager can manage a lot of people.  More highly technical jobs require less number of employees under one manager....so really depends on the nature of the job

LABIB KOOLI
by LABIB KOOLI , Director of the Sectoral Center for Training in Hotel Technologies at Southern Hammamet , Tunisian Vocational Training Agency (ATFP)

Thanks Ibrahim !

As it is yet mentioned that is depending on the manager capability and the business nature.

In my experience I guess the optimum number is varying between15 and20.

Shahan Khan
by Shahan Khan , Officer GSP , WWF-Pakistan (Corporate Relations)

Well it depends on the capabilities of the manager. 

Deleted user
by Deleted user

agrre with answer

Mostafa Amin
by Mostafa Amin , Webmaster , Self Employed

it depend on the area of control and the amount of work not number of employees

Bobbysance Paremal
by Bobbysance Paremal , Service Head , Bharat Benz

:1 is the optimal employee per manager ratio to achieve good results in the service industry.If the no increased the amount of attention gonna reduced within the team it may affect the performance of the individuals in the system.