OPERATIONAL, OPERATIONAL OR TECHNICAL LEVEL - DUDAS - 2024

The operational, operational, or technical level is the lowest rung in the management hierarchy within an organization. They are the baseline managers who oversee the efforts of the workforce and who carry out operational work in a company.

These managers directly supervise employees and may be known as front-line managers, supervisors, facilitators, or team leaders.

Source: pixabay.com

Operational managers are responsible for the day-to-day operations that directly affect a company's external customers. This makes the operational management level crucial to the success of an organization's strategic and competitive objectives.

The operational level represents the management that is carried out for operational workers, since it ensures discipline and efficiency in the organization.

The duty of inspiration and encouragement rests with operational managers, as this strengthens the workforce. They also organize the machines, tools, and other essential materials required by employees to get their jobs done.

Operational level strategy

Operational-level strategy refers to the means that companies use to achieve overall objectives. By developing operational strategies, the company can evaluate and implement efficient systems for the use of resources and personnel.

Without a stable operations strategy, companies may not be able to keep up with changing markets and thus could begin to lose to more modern competitors.

An example of an appropriate strategy at the operational level was when Amazon started using drones for deliveries. It was a departure from its traditional approach of being a physical facility coupled with physical deliveries.

To be effective, all parts of the business have to work together. Under the operational-level strategy, each department must contribute to the mission statement and manage the strategies that underlie the overall business strategy.

Planning

Operational managers report to middle management, creating objectives and tactical plans to be accomplished in less than a year.

In turn, the operational level must convert the medium-term objectives of middle management to short-term objectives and plans that, when carried out, lead to the achievement of those objectives of middle management.

Plans at the operational level cover short periods of time, such as a day, a week, or a month. The plans involve individual employee work, team work, and departmental activities.

Link between middle management and the workforce

The operational level acts as a link between workers and middle management. It not only transmits the instructions of the middle management to the workers, but also the suggestions, complaints, etc. from workers to middle management.

Principal functions

Managers at all levels of an organization must carry out certain functions, including leadership, organization, control, and planning.

The amount of time spent on each of these functions varies by management level. A manager at the technical level performs the following main functions:

- Assign tasks and responsibilities to operational employees to cover work activities.

- Maintain and guarantee that the work meets the required standards of production quality in the organization, being responsible for the quantity produced.

- Act as a guide for workers, providing sufficient guidance and direction to workers in their daily work.

- Supervise the work of the workers, also maintaining discipline among them.

- Adopt sufficient security measures.

- Organize training in the workplace, training and evaluating staff.

- Communicate the goals and objectives of the company established by the higher level.

- Give periodic reports of workers to upper level managers.

Operational control

It implies control over operations and processes in the medium term, but not over business strategies. Operational control systems ensure that activities are consistent with established plans.

Middle-level management uses operational controls to make medium-term decisions, usually for one to two years.

When the performance of workers does not meet established standards, technical managers apply corrective actions, which may include training, discipline, motivation or termination of the contract.

Unlike strategic control, operational control focuses more on internal sources of information and affects smaller units or aspects of the organization, such as production levels or the choice of work team.

Errors in operational control can mean not completing projects on time. For example, if salespeople don't receive training on time, sales revenue can drop.

Roles of operational managers

Managers at any level are expected to play interpersonal, informational, and decision-making roles in a company.

Interpersonal role

For the manager at the operational level, the interpersonal role is fulfilled mainly through leadership. Of all organizational levels, technical supervisors spend most of their time in the leadership role.

Operational managers must obtain employee commitment to goals and plans, to work, and also to the values ​​of the entire company.

Informational role

A supervisor performs the informational role by collecting and disseminating both information and knowledge to subordinates and bosses.

In addition, this function requires the supervisor to represent subordinates to middle management and other departments.

Decision-making role

It involves making decisions and influencing the choices of others. Operational managers must be specially prepared to influence others as conflict managers.

Other decisions that are made correspond to how to allocate resources, including employees.

Management skills

Management skills can be grouped into three different areas: human, technical, and conceptual.

Human skills

Technical supervisors exercise human skills through leadership and communication.

Technical skills

They allow supervisors to understand supervisees' work. This understanding helps the operational manager solve problems as well as exercise "expert power," inspiring trust and respect among subordinates. Technical skills are much more important at the operational level.

Conceptual skills

These skills use the least amount of a supervisor's time. Having conceptual skills means that a person can see the big picture, as well as solve problems.

These skills become increasingly important as a supervisor is promoted through the managerial hierarchy.

References

1. Sophie Johnson (2018). Operational Level in Management. Central Az. Taken from: yourbusiness.azcentral.com.
2. Kalpana (2019). Levels of Management: Top, Middle and Operational Management. Business Management Ideas. Taken from: businessmanagementideas.com.
3. Lumen (2019). Levels and Types of Control. Taken from: courses.lumenlearning.com.
4. Management Study HQ (2019). The Levels of Management. Taken from: managementstudyhq.com.
5. Nicholas Muhoro (2019). Operational versus Functional Level Strategy. Small Business-Chron. Taken from: smallbusiness.chron.com.