What is a potential drawback of a lean organizational structure?

A lean organizational structure is designed to reduce waste and improve efficiency by minimizing layers of management and streamlining processes. One of the potential drawbacks of this structure is the situation where staff members may become overloaded. With fewer levels of management, the distribution of responsibilities can shift significantly.

In a lean setup, employees often take on multiple roles or have a broader scope of responsibilities than they would in a more traditional hierarchical structure. This can lead to an increase in workload for individual employees as they handle tasks that might normally be spread across a larger management team. Consequently, when staff members are managing more tasks without the necessary support and resources, it can result in stress, burnout, and diminished productivity.

This overload can also hinder the ability of employees to deliver quality work, as they may have less time and focus to dedicate to each individual task. While the intention behind a lean structure is to enhance agility and responsiveness, if not managed properly, it can create conditions where employees feel overwhelmed, potentially affecting overall performance and job satisfaction.