Henry Fayol’s 14 Principles of Management

Henry Fayol’s 14 principles of management look at an organization from a top-down approach to help managers get the
best from employees and run the business with ease. Let’s take a look at them and understand them in detail.

1. Division of Work
The first Henry Fayol principle of management is based on the theory that if an employee is given a specific task to do,
they will become more efficient and skilled in it. This is opposed to a multi -tasking culture where an employee is given so
many tasks to do at once. In order to implement this principle effectively, look at the current skill sets of each employee
and assign them a task that they can become proficient at. This will help them to become more productive, skilled, and
efficient in the long run.

Example: At a school, every department has a different responsibility, like academics, sports, administration, sanitation,
food, beverages, etc. These responsibilities are taken care of by employees specializing in that particular department,
increasing efficiency and productivity and making them specialists in their field.

2. Authority
This henry fayol principle of management states that a manager needs to have the necessary authority in order to
ensure that his instructions are carried out by the employees. If managers did not have any authority, then they would
lack the ability to get any work done. However, this authority should come along with responsibility. According to Henri
Fayol, there should be a balance between authority and responsibility. If there is more authority than responsibility, the
employees will get frustrated. If there is more responsibility than authority, the manager will feel frustrated.

Example: If an employee has been responsible for managing the decor department while planning an event but has no
authority to make design decisions or contact the vendors to get the work done, no efficiency or productivity will be
achieved.

3. Discipline
This principle states that discipline is required for any organization to run effectively. In order to have disciplined
employees, managers need to build a culture of mutual respect. There should be a set of organizational rules,
philosophies, and structures in place that should be met by everyone. Bending rules or slacking should not be allowed in
any organization. In order to achieve this, there is a need for good supervision and impartial judgment.

Example: Every employee must follow certain rules and regulations and keep a disciplined attitude in the workplace for
smooth working and efficient results.

4. Unity of Command
This principle states that that should be a clear chain of command in the organization. The employees should be clear on
whose instructions to follow. According to Fayol, an employee should receive orders from only one manager. If an
employee works under two or more managers, then authority, discipline, and stability are threatened. Moreover, this
will cause a breakdown in management structure and cause employees to burn out.

Example: If in a company, an employee has been given a task to finish within 3 to 4 hours as ordered by their immediate
superior. But the head of the department asks them to deliver the task within 1 hour. In this case, no unity of command
can create confusion and pressure in the workplace.
5. Unity of Direction
This henry fayol principle of management states that the work to be done should be organized in such a way that
employees work in harmony towards the same objective, using one plan, under the direction of one manager. For
example, if you have a range of marketing activities such as advertising, budgeting, sales promotion, etc., there should
be one manager using one plan for all the marketing activities. The different activities can be broken down for different
sub-managers, but they should all work towards a common goal under the direction of one main person in charge of the
whole thing.

Example: Different sets of activities within a department should be managed by different managers to avoid confusion
and lesser efficiency within the workflow.

6. Collective Interest Over Individual Interest

This principle states that the overall interest of the team should take precedence over personal ones. The interest of the
organization should not be sabotaged by the interest of an individual. If anyone goes rogue, the organization will
collapse.

Example: While planning a team outing, the employee making the travel and stay decisions must make arrangements
according to comfort and affordability, not just as per their liking.

7. Remuneration
This henry fayol principle of management states that employees should be paid fair wages for the work that they carry
out. Any organization that underpays its workers will struggle to motivate and keep quality workers. This remuneration
should include both financial and non-financial incentives. Also, there should be a structure in place to reward good
performance to motivate employees.

Example: Any organization must be fair regarding their remuneration policies where all the employees must receive a
salary worth their efforts irrespective of their gender, tenure, and other factors.

8. Centralization
Centralization refers to the concentration of power in the hands of the authority and following a top -bottom approach
to management. In decentralization, this authority is distributed to all levels of management. In a mod ern context, no
organization can be completely centralized or decentralized. Complete centralization means that people at the bottom
have no authority over their responsibilities. Similarly, complete decentralization means that there will be no superior
authority to control the organization. To use this effectively today, there should be a balance of centralization and
decentralization. The degree to which this balance is achieved will differ from organization to organization.

Example: Centralization is mostly common in small and medium-sized firms where the delegation of work is minimal,
and the owners make most of the decisions.

9. Scalar Chain
A scalar chain refers to a clear chain of communication between employees and their superiors. Employees should know
where they stand in the hierarchy of the organization and who to go to in a chain of command. To implement this in the
workplace, Fayol suggests that there should be an organizational chart drawn out for employees to see this structure
clearly.
Example: Every organization has a specific chain of authority from the highest level of superiors, like the founder or CEO,
to the lowest level of subordinates following a hierarchy for maximum productivity.

10. Order
This principle states that there should be an orderly placement of resources (manpower, money, materials, etc.) in the
right place at the right time. This ensures the proper use of resources in a structured fashion. Misplacement of any of
these resources will lead to misuse and disorder in the organization.

Example: Employees should be given a designated space and the right tools or equipment to complete their work
efficiently.

11. Equity
Equity is a combination of kindness and justice. This principle states that managers should use kindliness and justice
towards everyone they manage. This creates loyalty and devotion among the employees towards the organization they
work for.

Example: All employees, irrespective of gender, religion, race, and sexuality, must feel safe, seen, and heard and be
given equal opportunities to grow and flourish in their careers within the organization.

12. Stability of Tenure of Personnel

This principle states that an organization should work to minimize staff turnover and maximize efficiency. Any new
employee cannot be expected to get used to the culture of an organization right away. They need to be given enough
time to settle into their jobs to become efficient. Both old and new employees should also be ensured job security
because instability can lead to inefficiency. There should also be a clear and effective method to handle vacancies when
they arise because it takes time and expense to train new ones.

Example: Every new employee must be given a proper induction of both the technical aspect of the company as well as
the work culture and office environment for them to mingle well. Old employees should be given alum awards for
completing certain tenures to boost morale.

13. Initiative
This principle states that all employees should be encouraged to show initiative. When employees have a say as to how
best they can do their job, they feel motivated and respected. Organizations should listen to the concerns of their
employees and encourage them to develop and carry out plans for improvement.

Example: Taking suggestions from employees regarding their specific department can make them feel seen in an
authoritative position and can give them a sense of achieving something for the team.

14. Esprit de Corps

Esprit de Corps means “Team Spirit”. This henry fayol principle of management states that the management should
strive to create unity, morale, and co-operation among the employees. Team spirit is a great source of strength in the
organization. Happy and motivated employees are more likely to be productive and efficient.

Example: While discussing the new plan of action for achieving the next month's targets, using the word 'We' instead of
'I' brings a teamwork spirit to the group.