Let’s talk about employees. The job roles and responsibilities of different types of employees in a business can vary depending on the sector, industry, size and structure of the organization. However, there are some common roles that can be found in most businesses.
In fact, the main types of employees in a business organization include the following positions: Chief Executive Officer (CEO) or Managing Director (MD), Board of Directors (BOD), Directors, Managers, Supervisors (Team Leaders) and Workers (Operatives).
Let’s take a look at roles and responsibilities of these different groups of human resources.
A. TYPES OF EMPLOYEES AT EXECUTIVE LEVEL
Chief Executive Officer (CEO) or Managing Direction (MD)
As the most senior manager, Chief Executive Officer (CEO) has overall responsibility for the day-to-day management and running of the business including setting long-term company targets and keeping an eye on all business departments. Chief Executive Officer (CEO) is responsible for the overall performance and success of the entire company. Therefore, Chief Executive Officer (CEO) represents Board of Directors (BOD) and implements its decisions regarding corporate strategy. In fact, Chief Executive Officer (CEO) is accountable to the company’s board and shareholders (owners). The main responsibilities of Chief Executive Officer (CEO) or Managing Director include the following:
- Acting as an ambassador for the entire business organization.
- Leading the team of departmental directors.
- Representing the ideas and beliefs of the directors.
- Formulating corporate objectives, strategies and policies together with Board of Directors (BOD) and implementing those.
- Devising and implementing
- Communicate with Board of Directors (BOD) regarding any current problems and future decisions that need to be made.
Board of Directors (BOD)
The collective of Directors from various functional departments forms Board of Directors (CEO) which advises and supports Chief Executive Officer (CEO). In short, main duties of Board of Directors (CEO) include devising long-term strategic plans, setting future targets, establishing organizational policies and practices, monitoring, controlling and evaluating the firm’s activities as well as overseeing staffing issues. Board of Directors (BOD), which is responsible for protecting the interests of shareholders and other stakeholders, typically include two types of directors:
- Executive directors. They work full-time at the organization and make key decisions.
- Non-executive directors. They do not work at the organization, but are consultants used for their particular expertise
Directors
Directors, who are the most senior managers in any limited company, are responsible for the overall running of specific functional areas of the business including Marketing, Human Resources (HR), Finance and Production (Operations). Shortly, they are typically elected by the shareholders during Annual General Meeting (AGM). The main responsibilities of Directors include the following:
- Providing leadership to ensure the success of their functional departments.
- Setting strategies for long-term plans for the business.
- Making sure that the resources are available to achieve departmental objectives.
- Reviewing the performance of managers working in their department.
NOTE: Departmentation is the grouping of jobs under the authority of a single senior manager, according to some rational basis, for the purposes of planning, coordination and control. The number of departments in an organization depends on the number of different jobs, i.e., the size and complexity of the business. Farm businesses are most likely to have departments reflecting commodities and services. For example, a large dairy farm might be organized into dairy, crop, equipment and office departments. The dairy department might be further divided into milking, mature animal and young stock departments.
Examples of employees on the executive level may include:
- Chief Financial Officer (CFO). The CFO is responsible for the financial health of the company. They oversee the company’s budget, manage its investments, and ensure that it complies with financial regulations.
- Chief Operating Officer (COO). The COO is responsible for the day-to-day operations of the company. They manage the company’s resources, such as its people, equipment, and technology, and ensure that the company is operating efficiently.
B. TYPES OF EMPLOYEES AT MANAGEMENT LEVEL
Managers
Managers typically perform a number of routine duties as delegated to them by the directors. They are responsible for a group of employees carrying out certain tasks within specific departments, planning and managing day-to-day operations as well as implementation of the organization’s policies. Additionally, they also assist and are accountable to Board of Directors (BOD). The main responsibilities of Managers include the following:
- Making sure that the decisions of the directors are carried out.
- Taking the decisions needed to achieve departmental targets.
- Delegating tasks to members of their department.
- Motivating workers in the department to work hard to achieve the departmental objectives.
- Solving day-to-day problems that may arise within the department.
Example 1: Human Resource (HR) Manager is responsible for making decisions about the day-to-day running of the Human Resource Department. Distribution Manager is responsible for controlling the movement of goods in and out of the warehouse, supervising drivers and overseeing the transport of goods to and from the firm. Production Manager is responsible for keeping a continuous supply of work flowing to all production staff and also for organizing manpower to meet the customers' orders. Sales Manager is responsible for making contact with customers and obtaining orders from those contacts. Company Accountant controls all the financial dealings of the company and is responsible for producing management accounts and financial reports.
Supervisors (Team Leaders)
In large businesses with large functional departments, Supervisors (Team Leaders) oversee a group of Workers (Operatives) carrying out different tasks. They have direct contact with workforce giving out tasks, making sure that those tasks are completed on time and checking the quality of the work. Supervisors (Team Leaders) are mainly involved in making daily operational decisions for the organization.
Examples of employees on the management level may include:
- Department Managers. Department managers are responsible for overseeing the work of a team of employees in a specific department. They develop and implement departmental goals and objectives, manage the department’s budget, and hire and supervise employees.
- Project Managers. Project managers are responsible for planning, executing, and monitoring projects. They develop project plans, manage project budgets, and track project progress.
- Team Leaders. Team leaders are responsible for leading a small team of employees. They assign tasks to team members, provide feedback, and resolve conflicts.
C. TYPES OF EMPLOYEES AT OPERATIONAL LEVEL
Workers (Operatives)
In medium business and large businesses, Workers (Operatives) form the majority of the workforce. Their daily duties include carrying out the tasks as assigned by Supervisors (Team Leaders) or Managers. In fact, all Workers (Operatives) in a business must work together with each other and along with their manager to:
- Complete their tasks efficiently and at the required quality standard set by managers.
- Work towards achieving individual, group or departmental targets.
- They form the majority of an organization’s workforce.
- Work to achieve targets set by their line manager or departmental manager.
- Work as a member of a team or department.
- Make routine decisions concerning their job role only.
- Provide support and assistance to other people in the organization.
Examples of employees on the operational level may include:
- Accountants. Accountants are responsible for recording, analyzing, and reporting financial information. They prepare financial statements, track expenses, and ensure that the company is compliant with tax laws.
- Customer Service Representatives. Customer service representatives are responsible for answering customer questions, resolving customer complaints, and providing customer support.
- Engineers. Engineers design, develop, and test products, systems, or processes. They use their technical knowledge to solve problems and improve efficiency.
- Marketing Specialists. Marketing specialists develop and implement marketing campaigns to promote products or services. They create marketing materials, such as brochures, websites, and social media posts.
- Sales Representatives. Sales representatives are responsible for generating sales leads, meeting with potential customers, and closing deals.
- Software Developers. Software developers design, develop, and test software applications. They write code, debug software, and deploy applications to production.
- Technical Support Specialists. Technical support specialists provide technical assistance to customers who are experiencing problems with products or services. They diagnose problems, provide troubleshooting instructions, and escalate issues to higher-level support if necessary.
Reporting in a business organization typically takes place down the line from the top to the bottom. Therefore, a Worker (Operative) is accountable to a Supervisor (Team Leader), who is accountable to a Manager who is then accountable to a Director.
Transformation of management roles and tasks
In addition, there will be a number of transformational, or cross-functional, areas of leadership including the following positions:
Top-Level Managers:
Changing role: From resources allocators to institutional leaders.
Primary value added: Creating and embedding a sense of direction, commitment, and challenge to people throughout the organization.
Key activities and tasks: Challenging embedded assumptions while establishing a stretching opportunity horizon and performance standards. Institutionalizing a set of norms and values to support cooperation and trust. Creating and overarching corporate purpose and ambition.
Senior-Level Managers:
Changing role: From administrative controllers to supportive coaches
Primary value added: Providing the support and coordination to bring large company advantage to the independent front-line units
Key activities and tasks: Developing individuals and supporting their activities. Linking dispersed knowledge, skills, and best practices across units. Managing the tension between short-term performance and long-term ambition.
Operating-Level Managers:
Changing role: From operational implementers to aggressive entrepreneurs.
Primary value added: Driving business performance by focusing on productivity, innovation and growth within front-line units.
Key activities and tasks: Creating and pursuing new growth opportunities for the business. Attracting and developing resources and competencies. Managing continuous performance improvement within the unit.
In short, these are just a few examples of the many different job roles and responsibilities of different types of employees in a business. The specific duties of each position will vary depending on the organization and the industry.
