The Four Functions of Managers

Management involves far more than just telling others what to do. Before any of you decide that
you think you can do your boss's job, let's take a look into more of what a manager does.
. Behind the manager's closed door, he or she spends a good deal of his or her time planning
and organizing, so that he or she can effectively carry out the functions of leading and
controlling.

Managers spend a good deal of time planning, leading, controlling and organizing.

Manager
Now, before you think your boss is different, you should also know that the four functions of
management are standard across industries, whether that be in a manufacturing plant, a home
office, a grocery store, a retail store, a restaurant, a hotel, or even an amusement park. Effective
managers understand how planning, organizing, leading, and controlling are used to achieve
organizational success. Unfortunately, I do not have a rebuttal for those of you who have
ineffective managers, but perhaps learning a little more about the four functions of management
will help to identify what steps your ineffective manager needs to take to become an effective
one.

Try to think about the four functions as a process where each step builds on the others. Managers
must first plan, then organize according to that plan, lead others to work towards the plan, and
finally evaluate the effectiveness of the plan. These four functions must be performed properly
and, when done well, become the reason for organizational success.
Planning
The first of the managerial functions is planning. In this step, the manager will create a detailed
action plan aimed at some organizational goal.

For example, let's say Melissa the marketing manager has a goal of increasing sales during the
month of February. Melissa needs to first spend time mapping out the necessary steps she and
her team of sales representatives must take so that they can increase sales numbers. These steps
might include things like increasing advertisements in a particular region, placing some items on
sale, increasing the amount of required customer-to-sales rep contact, or contacting prior
customers to see if they are interested in purchasing additional products. The steps are then
organized into a logical pattern so that Melissa and her team can follow them.
Planning is an ongoing step, and can be highly specialized based on organizational goals,
division goals, departmental goals, and team goals. It is up to the manager to recognize which
goals need to be planned within his or her individual area.

Organizing
The second of the managerial functions is organizing. This step requires Melissa to determine
how she will distribute resources and organize her employees according to the plan. Melissa will
need to identify different roles and ensure that she assigns the right amount of employees to carry
out her plan. She will also need to delegate authority, assign work, and provide direction so that
her team of sales representatives can work towards higher sales numbers without having barriers
in their way.

Leading
The third function of management is leading. In this step, Melissa spends time connecting with
her employees on an interpersonal level. This goes beyond simply managing tasks; rather, it
involves communicating, motivating, inspiring, and encouraging employees towards a higher
level of productivity. Not all managers are leaders. An employee will follow the directions of a
manager because they have to, but an employee will voluntarily follow the directions of a leader
because they believe in who he or she is as a person, what he or she stands for, and for the
manner in which they are inspired by the leader.

Controlling

Controlling consists of verifying whether everything occurs in confirmities with the plans
adopted, instructions issued and principles established. Controlling ensures that there is effective
and efficient utilization of organizational resources so as to achieve the planned goals.
Controlling measures the deviation of actual performance from the standard performance,
discovers the causes of such deviations and helps in taking corrective actions

According to Brech, “Controlling is a systematic exercise which is called as a process of

checking actual performance against the standards or plans with a view to ensure adequate
progress and also recording such experience as is gained as a contribution to possible future
needs.”

According to Donnell, “Just as a navigator continually takes reading to ensure whether he is

relative to a planned action, so should a business manager continually take reading to assure
himself that his enterprise is on right course.”

Controlling has got two basic purposes

1. It facilitates co-ordination
 2. It helps in planning

Features of Controlling Function

Following are the characteristics of controlling function of management-

1. Controlling is an end function- A function which comes once the performances are
made in confirmities with plans.
2. Controlling is a pervasive function- which means it is performed by managers at all
levels and in all type of concerns.
3. Controlling is forward looking- because effective control is not possible without past
being controlled. Controlling always look to future so that follow-up can be made
whenever required.
4. Controlling is a dynamic process- since controlling requires taking reviewal methods,
changes have to be made wherever possible.
5. Controlling is related with planning- Planning and Controlling are two inseperable
functions of management. Without planning, controlling is a meaningless exercise and
without controlling, planning is useless. Planning presupposes controlling and
controlling succeeds planning.

Staffing
Definition: Staffing can be defined as one of the most important functions of management. It
involves the process of filling the vacant position of the right personnel at the right job, at right time.
Hence, everything will occur in the right manner.

It is a truth that human resource is one of the greatest for every organization because in any
organization all other resources like- money, material, machine etc. can be utilized effectively and
efficiently by the positive efforts of human resource.

Therefore it is very important that each and every person should get right position in the
organization so as to get the right job, according to their ability, talent, aptitude, and specializations
so that it will help the organization to achieve the pre-set goals in the proper way by the 100%
contribution of manpower. Thus it can be said that it is staffing is an essential function of every
business organization. From this, we can understand what is Staffing?

Functions of Staffing

1. The first and foremost function of staffing is to obtain qualified personnel for different
jobs position in the organization.

2. In staffing, the right person is recruited for the right jobs, therefore it leads to maximum
productivity and higher performance.
3. It helps in promoting the optimum utilization of human resource through various aspects.

4. Job satisfaction and morale of the workers increases through the recruitment of the right
person.

5. Staffing helps to ensure better utilization of human resources.

6. It ensures the continuity and growth of the organization, through development managers.

Importance of Staffing
Efficient Performance of Other Functions
For the efficient performance of other functions of management, staffing is its key. Since, if an
organization does not have the competent personnel, then it cannot perform the functions of
management like planning, organizing and control functions properly.

Effective Use of Technology and Other Resources

What is staffing and technology’s connection? Well, it is the human factor that is instrumental in
the effective utilization of the latest technology, capital, material, etc. the management can
ensure the right kinds of personnel by performing the staffing function.

Optimum Utilization of Human Resources

The wage bill of big concerns is quite high. Also, a huge amount is spent on recruitment,
selection, training, and development of employees. To get the optimum output, the staffing
function should be performed in an efficient manner.

Development of Human Capital

Another function of staffing is concerned with human capital requirements. Since the
management is required to determine in advance the manpower requirements. Therefore, it has
also to train and develop the existing personnel for career advancement. This will meet the
requirements of the company in the future.

The Motivation of Human Resources

In an organization, the behaviour of individuals is influenced by various factors which are
involved such as education level, needs, socio-cultural factors, etc. Therefore, the human aspects
of the organization have become very important and so that the workers can also be motivated by
financial and non-financial incentives in order to perform their functions properly in achieving
the objectives.

Building Higher Morale

The right type of climate should be created for the workers to contribute to the achievement of
the organizational objectives. Therefore, by performing the staffing function effectively and
efficiently, the management is able to describe the significance and importance which it attaches
to the personnel working in the enterprise.

Characteristics of Staffing
People-Centered
Staffing can broadly view as people-centered function and therefore it is relevant for all types of
organization. It is concerned with categories of personnel from top to bottom of the organization.

Blue collar workers (i.e., those working on the machines and engaged in loading, unloading etc.)
and white collar workers (i.e., clerical employees).
Managerial and Non Managerial personal.
Professionals (eg.- Chartered Accountant, Company Secretary)

Responsibility of Manager
Staffing is the basic function of management which involves that the manager is continuously
engaged in performing the staffing function. They are actively associated with the recruitment,
selection, training, and appraisal of his subordinates. Therefore the activities are performed by
the chief executive, departmental managers and foremen in relation to their subordinates.

Human Skills
Staffing function is mainly concerned with different types of training and development of human
resource and therefore the managers should use human relation skill in providing guidance and
training to the subordinates. If the staffing function is performed properly, then the human
relations in the organization will be cordial and mutually performed in an organized manner.
Continuous Function
Staffing function is to be performed continuously which is equally important for a new and well-
established organization. Since in a newly established organization, there has to be recruitment,
selection, and training of personnel. As we compare that, the organization which is already a
running organization, then at that place every manager is engaged in various staffing activities.

Therefore, he is responsible for managing all the workers in order to get work done for the
accomplishment of the overall objectives of an organization.

DIRECTING is said to be a process in which the managers instruct, guide and oversee the
performance of the workers to achieve predetermined goals. Directing is said to be the heart of
management process. Planning, organizing, staffing have got no importance if direction function
does not take place.

Directing initiates action and it is from here actual work starts. Direction is said to be consisting
of human factors. In simple words, it can be described as providing guidance to workers is doing
work. In field of management, direction is said to be all those activities which are designed to
encourage the subordinates to work effectively and efficiently. According to Human, “Directing
consists of process or technique by which instruction can be issued and operations can be carried
out as originally planned” Therefore, Directing is the function of guiding, inspiring, overseeing
and instructing people towards accomplishment of organizational goals.

Direction has got following characteristics:

1. Pervasive Function - Directing is required at all levels of organization. Every manager

provides guidance and inspiration to his subordinates.
2. Continuous Activity - Direction is a continuous activity as it continuous throughout the
life of organization.
3. Human Factor - Directing function is related to subordinates and therefore it is related to
human factor. Since human factor is complex and behaviour is unpredictable, direction
function becomes important.
4. Creative Activity - Direction function helps in converting plans into performance.
Without this function, people become inactive and physical resources are meaningless.
5. Executive Function - Direction function is carried out by all managers and executives at
all levels throughout the working of an enterprise, a subordinate receives instructions
from his superior only.
6. Delegate Function - Direction is supposed to be a function dealing with human beings.
Human behaviour is unpredictable by nature and conditioning the people’s behaviour
towards the goals of the enterprise is what the executive does in this function. Therefore,
it is termed as having delicacy in it to tackle human behaviour.