From a supervisory perspective, why is the principle of unity of command so important?

The
principle of unity of command is important
from a supervisory perspective because it maintains
clarity within the chain
of command. From the bottom of an organizational hierarchy to the top,
every
employee and manager within the corporation understands to whom he or she is
principally
responsible. Respect for that chain of command is very important
because it minimizes the
chances of miscommunications regarding directives or
instructions while maximizing the prospect
of accountability. With a clearly
delineated chain of command in place, every employee knows
from whom he or
she receives orders and to whom he or she reports on the status of the
activity
in question.

Larger corporations usually have a
triangular organizational
structure with the highest ranking individual,
usually a chief executive officer or president,
overseeing a layer of vice
presidents or managers who, in turn, oversee supervisors and so on
down the
line. From a supervisory perspective, unity of command serves to simplify
each
employees task. By assigning to each employee a single point of contact
from whom he or she
receives orders and to whom he or she reports, there is
no confusion or competing
interpretations of directives with which employees
must contend. Responsibility for execution of
directives that are handed down
from above is clear. There is, or should not be, any
ambiguity.

If there is one obstacle or deviation regarding unity of command,
it
involves employees with grievances regarding management or work conditions. In companies
with
Human Resources Departments or legal offices assigned to respond to
employee grievances there is
often a specified avenue for individual workers
(or groups of workers within a specific
department who collectively share a
complaint, for example, regarding a supervisor deemed
excessively demanding
or prone to inappropriate conduct). This is mentioned because of the

break-down in unity of command that might be occurring. Employees, supervisors, et
cetera are
expected to report up their chain of command any grievances.
Jumping over direct supervisors to
higher level officials can be extremely
deleterious to the workplace environment no matter how
justified the
circumvention of the chain of command. By offering a formal, legitimate
channel
for employees who feel they cannot reasonably approach a supervisor
with a complaint, an
alternative channel for filing grievances is
appropriate.

Unity of command is
a basic principle of
management. Vital to the military, it is also important in most business

environments. Single points of contact and responsibility reduces the likelihood of
disruptions
caused by too many voices.