You have finally landed your dream job after months of searching, but the excitement is short-lived when you’re faced with an organizational chart laying out where you fit.
Organizational charts are essential for every business to establish organizational goals and procedures. They are especially crucial if employees are making decisions that affect customers or other staff members.
However, organizational charts can also be a source of confusion and frustration for employees, especially those new to an organization. To avoid organizational chart burnout, follow these 17 dos and don’ts when creating your organizational structure.
1. Do keep it business-centric.
A well-organized organizational chart tells you who does what in the company. Never include personal relationships or irrelevant information. You want to focus on organizational goals and procedures, not personalities.
2. Do keep the organizational chart simple.
Organizational charts can be complex with multiple organizational levels, departments, chains of command, and more. But preliminary organizational charts should be as simple, so they don’t overwhelm new employees.
3. Do use easy to read organizational charts.
Employees should be able to look at an organizational chart and understand what is required of them. Make sure organizational charts are easy to read. Using icons, color coding, and simple text labels can be helpful.
4. Do include titles.
Organizational charts aren’t just about chains of command-they also represent job titles. Make organizational charts clear and helpful by including the organizational levels and the titles of members.
5. Do use a legend or an organizational key.
An organizational key or legend is a valuable resource that explains what each box on an organizational chart means. Ensure company organizational charts are accessible to employees by including labels next to boxes, organizational levels, organizational members, and symbols.
6. Don’t overwhelm employees with organizational detail.
New organizational members are overwhelmed enough without being presented with organizational charts that include too much information. Limit the number of organizational levels to three or four to avoid organizational burnout.
7. Do make organizational charts easy to update.
When organizational charts are easy to update, they are more accurate and better represent organizational goals. Make organizational charts easy to update by using layered organizational graphics or color-coding organizational labels, text boxes, and lines.
8. Don’t make organizational charts too complex.
Complex organizational charts can be confusing for employees-especially if they include too many levels or departments that don’t work together. Organizational members should fit into organizational levels that are close to each other on organizational charts.
9. Don’t include organizational information an employee doesn’t need.
Organizational information is only helpful if it helps employees perform their jobs better. Make organizational charts as simple as possible by including organizational labels corresponding to members, rather than full organizational names.
10. Don’t make organizational charts too large.
Employees shouldn’t have to scroll across organizational charts. Limit organizational chart sizes by including organizational labels next to organizational boxes, rather than full organizational names.
11. Don’t make everything hierarchical.
An organizational chart is a good tool for describing organizational hierarchies, but it shouldn’t be the only way you explain organizational relationships. Don’t limit organizational charts to organizational hierarchies-employees should know how each department works together, not only who is in charge of whom. There are different types of organizational charts that you can maximize.
12. Do include information about organizational goals and procedures.
Even if organizational boxes represent job titles, organizational charts should show organizational goals and procedures. An organizational chart is helpful when it represents organizational members’ organizational goals or roles in an organizational procedure.
13. Don’t think of organizational charts as rules.
When creating organizational charts, remember that they are tools to help you get organized. Organizational charts are guidelines-not rules-that can make your organizational life easier.
14. Do keep organizational charts accurate.
Reliable organizational charts show organizational goals and organizational needs. Keep organizational charts accurate by including job titles instead of full organizational names, color coding organizational labels, and using icons to represent different types of information
15. Don’t create organizational charts in a rush.
If you want organizational charts to be effective, they should be created carefully. Take your time when creating organizational charts by avoiding organizational labels that are too long, organizational lines that are too thin, and organizational boxes that are misaligned.
16. Don’t create organizational charts that only you understand.
Organizational members should be able to understand organizational charts without organizational expertise. Avoid organizational jargon and make labels clear enough for employees to read and interpret easily.
17. Do share organizational charts with organizational members.
Employees will benefit from organizational charts when they are shared by the people who created them. Make organizational charts accessible by creating organizational information in digital format or sharing organizational charts via organizational email. There’s no reason to struggle with organizational organization-know the dos and don’ts of organizational organization, and you’ll be organizational in no time!
Organizational charts are organizational tools that can make organizational life easier for both members and leaders. Make organizational charts more helpful by following these 17 dos and don’ts for free organizational charts. Here’s an organizational chart example you can refer to.
Topping It All Off
Making an organizational chart may look easy, but it isn’t. Create an organizational chart that is relevant to your company’s goals, and it should be easily readable. Make one fun way by using Venggage’s organizational chart templates!
