Hierarchical supervision refers to the organizational structure where one person, usually called the boss or manager, is responsible for giving directions, instructions, and guidance to employees who are lower in rank. The system has been used for decades in many workplaces, businesses, institutions, organizations, agencies, and even families to ensure that every member knows their position and performs accordingly to contribute towards achieving the organization's goals.
Hierarchical supervision can influence relational equity, trust, and emotional expression between employees and managers in different ways. This article will discuss three aspects of how this management style affects employee behavior.
Hierarchical supervision creates an imbalance of power between the superior and subordinate. In such a system, the boss holds all the authority and makes all the critical decisions while the subordinates have little to no say in what happens. As a result, the relationship becomes unequal since the boss has more resources, opportunities, privileges, respect, and recognition than those under them. This disparity leads to favoritism, nepotism, discrimination, prejudice, and intimidation, which undermines relational equity. Employees may feel like they do not belong or cannot achieve anything without their managers' approval, leading to resentment, frustration, anger, and withdrawal from work. On the other hand, some workers might use manipulation tactics to get ahead at the expense of others, creating distrust within the team. Therefore, there should be clear policies against favoritism and discrimination to promote fairness and justice among all members.
Hierarchical supervision limits open communication and transparency. Since only one person makes all the crucial decisions, there is a risk of keeping information away from lower-level employees who need it for effective performance. The manager might withhold data, skills, knowledge, expertise, or instructions necessary for their job due to fear of losing control over the situation. This lack of trust reduces creativity, innovativeness, collaboration, and productivity, as everyone works independently and competes for promotion instead of working together towards success. Managers can create an open culture by involving employees in decision-making processes, sharing relevant information regularly, encouraging feedback, and valuing diverse perspectives. Open communication allows employees to express themselves freely without fear, increasing engagement and commitment to the organization.
Hierarchical supervision creates barriers to emotional expression between bosses and subordinates. In such a system, employees are expected to follow orders without question or challenge, meaning that any dissent or complaint could lead to punishment or termination. Consequently, employees suppress feelings, thoughts, concerns, opinions, or ideas that may improve the company's operations but would upset the manager if they expressed them. Employees may feel restricted, limited, suppressed, oppressed, or even abused when expressing their needs, desires, or emotions, leading to burnout, resignation, anger, anxiety, depression, stress, or other mental health issues. Supervisors should be trained to listen to employee feedback, empathize with their struggles, support their growth and development, and encourage emotional intelligence within the team. They should also promote psychological safety where every member feels comfortable expressing themselves without judgment or retaliation from others.
Hierarchical supervision has both positive and negative impacts on relational equity, trust, and emotional expression among workers. While it ensures order, stability, and accountability, it also limits collaboration, transparency, and open communication, which undermines productivity and performance. Therefore, organizations should strike a balance by promoting openness, fairness, trustworthiness, respect, inclusion, and justice in their systems.
In what ways does hierarchical supervision influence relational equity, trust, and emotional expression?
In hierarchical supervision, power dynamics can create an environment where employees may feel like they cannot fully express their thoughts and opinions freely. This can lead to decreased feelings of trust and respect for the supervisor, which could impact their ability to work together effectively. Additionally, when there is a hierarchical structure in place, employees may feel pressured to conform to certain norms or behaviors that are associated with their position in the hierarchy, which can result in them feeling less comfortable sharing vulnerable information.