6 Advantages and 4 Disadvantages of Delegation of Authority

Advantages and Disadvantages of Delegation of Authority

Authority delegation is a management tool by which managers divide their work and authority among subordinates. The following are the main points that justify the advantages and disadvantages of authority delegation.

Advantages of Delegation of Authority

The pros of delegation of authority in the organization are:

Reduces Manager’s Workload

Delegation of authority reduces the workload of managers. Through delegation, managers divide the tasks among subordinates along with the necessary authority. Thus, the workload of managers is reduced however they should be accountable for the results of the activities done under them.

Increases Organizational Efficiency

Effective delegation ensures the assignment of the right duty and authority to the right subordinates. Subordinates are given the necessary authority with responsibility to execute effectively the task on their end. This increases the speed of decision making and more jobs will be accomplished within the limited time.

Employee Motivation

Authority delegation also provides a benefit to employee motivation. When employees are granted the authority of the superior they have a feeling of status and prestige. This motivates employees and increases their morale. Such motivation encourages employees to give their best efforts.

Employee’s Skills Development

Through authority delegation, employees also learn new skills that are supportive of their career development. When they have delegated authority, they act as the manager and get a chance to show their skills and talents.

Related: Importance of Delegation

In the process, they learn new different skills such as leadership, decision-making, problem-solving, group discussion, etc. which are helpful for their future career growth.

Facilitates Organizational Growth

Authority delegation lets subordinates make decisions on their responsibility within authority which enables quicker decisions. Since employees are closer to the reality of the situation instant decisions can be made when the opportunities arise.

Through this, more practical decisions can be made and top managers will have more time to discuss business expansion, diversification, and future activities of the organization.

Suitable for Large Organizations

The practice of delegation of authority is suitable for large organizations having different departments and various organizational activities. In such organizations, delegation simplifies the work structure and facilitates the timely completion of tasks.

Disadvantages of Delegation of Authority

Despite its many advantages, the delegation of authority does also have some drawbacks. Some cons of delegation of authority can be pointed out below:

Read Also: Barriers in Delegation

Skills Required

For effective delegation of authority, the necessary skill is required from both the authority delegator and the authority receiver. Managers should have the necessary skills to effectively delegate authority to subordinates while subordinates should have the capacity to use the delegated authority as expected.

Reluctant to Delegate

Some managers are reluctant to delegate authority to the employees because of the reasons like lack of directing ability, lack of trust in subordinates, authoritarian tendency, fear of subordinates, lack of assessment skills, etc.

Reluctant to Accept

Some employees are also reluctant to accept the delegated authority by their superiors because of a lack of self-confidence, lack of proper training on its importance, fear of criticism, lack of extra incentives, etc.

Misuse of Power

For an appropriate delegation, a perfect balance between authority and responsibility is crucial. However, when authority is granted to subordinates, there is a chance of misuse of authority by subordinates for personal benefit. This mainly happens, when the responsibility is less and authority is more than required.

Read Next: Principles for Effective Delegation