Faced with new challenges linked to societal transformation and market evolution, an increasing number of companies are tending to break with traditional organisational patterns, turning instead to innovative, agile and efficient management practices. Horizontal management is one of the management styles that meet these criteria.

The definition of horizontal management

Horizontal management, also known as collaborative management or holacracy, appeared in the 90s in North America. It is an approach according to which each employee, manager and leader is placed on the same footing. This management method, which has been flourishing for several years, is opposed to vertical management and breaks down the traditional pyramid structure of a company. In a horizontal organisation, hierarchical levels and silos disappear. Intermediate levels also disappear, reducing the distance between management and employees and creating a real proximity. Senior functions retain the same level of responsibility but include every employee in the decision-making process and in strategic thinking. Thus, all employees, managers and executives work hand in hand on a daily basis. Horizontal management is generally adopted in a natural way by start-ups and SMEs. On the other hand, this management style is generally a little more complex to deploy in an SME or a large company.

Why should you implement horizontal management?

The implementation of a horizontal management style can be very beneficial, and has many collective and individual advantages:

Horizontal management to improve well-being at work

This collaborative management method places the employee at the centre of the company. Managers and leaders put the well-being and fulfilment of their operational team members first. Thus, the support and involvement of employees are intrinsic to the implementation of horizontal management. Employees, who are very involved in a company's strategic decisions, have a great deal of freedom, and are strongly encouraged to take initiatives and share their suggestions, fears and needs. This strengthens the commitment and motivation of employees on a daily basis, allowing them to find meaning, interest and usefulness in their job. This type of management also strengthens team cohesion, mutual aid, listening and benevolence – all aspects that contribute to improving the quality of life at work.

Horizontal decision-making to simplify and streamline exchanges

Horizontal management promotes unstructured, instantaneous communication facilitated by innovative and collaborative digital tools. Thus, exchanges are simplified, and information circulates faster and with greater clarity. This also increases the reactivity of teams and accelerates processes.

Boost company performance with horizontal management

A happier employee will also be more productive and efficient in their work, which will contribute to boosting company performance. With horizontal management, the company also gains in agility: teams are more proactive and dynamic, and collective intelligence improves the company’s creativity and innovation, enabling it to gain in competitiveness. Horizontal management is therefore a powerful lever to increase company profitability.

Adapting to changes in the business world

Adopting a horizontal management style also means living in tune with the times. Indeed, with the innovation of practices, the digitalisation of services, the transformation of working methods and CSR issues, the traditional vertical organisational system occupies a progressively diminishing place in the face of current and future challenges.

How can you implement horizontal management?

Implementing horizontal management requires a deep transformation at each level of the company. Here are the main key steps that should be followed if you are seeking to implement a horizontal organisation in your company:

Take stock of the situation

Before rushing into such an important change, it is wise to first take stock of the managerial situation and the organisational model of your company. What type of management is currently in place? Is it very far from horizontal management? What are the potential obstacles in the implementation of such a management method? Are employees and managers ready to take this turn?

Clarify the objective and strategic issues

It will also be necessary to clearly determine the expected objective, as well as the strategic stakes related to such an initiative: strengthening the well-being of employees and their commitment, boosting performance, reinforcing competitive advantage, improving brand image, promoting a new employer brand, etc.

Define an action plan

Once the final vision has been clarified, an operational plan must be drawn up, listing all the concrete actions to be deployed to activate the change in managerial organisation. This roadmap can list the possible practices to be implemented, with deadlines and performance indicators (KPI) to scrupulously monitor the progress of the transformation. This strategic plan will need to be communicated to employees, and you must ensure buy-in from everyone involved.

Deconstruct the old model and horizontalize practices

Horizontal management requires a profound rethinking of a company's organisational structure. It will therefore be necessary to deconstruct the old established models on the one hand, and to introduce new horizontal practices, on the other. In particular, it will be possible to:

Eliminate intermediate management levels.
Introduce a new mode of cross-functional communication and regular and benevolent dialogue.
Rearrange workspaces to facilitate exchanges and collaboration.
Define the habits and behaviours to adopt in order to respond to the new organisation.
Reduce formalism and simplify long and complex procedures.
Establish a collaborative mindset, based on mutual aid and listening, in a climate of trust and respect for others.

Install collaborative digital tools

Digital tools are essential for facilitating exchanges and setting up immediate, transparent and close communication between each department and between each level of the company. A key step will therefore be to install digital communication and project management tools such as Slack, Asana, Monday, etc.

Train teams

You must also train managers in this new leadership mode, especially if your company has previously adopted a vertical management style. Managers will need to be educated in management methods and tools adapted to the new organisational model. Through workshops, coaching and training, they will be able to develop the skills and qualities necessary for this new management style. In addition, employees will need to be trained in the use of digital tools and the new behaviours inherent to horizontal management. Team building activities, for example, can be very beneficial to raise awareness of the importance of teamwork and help employees develop their listening, communication, speaking and initiative skills.

Redefine the role of the manager

With horizontal management, the role of the manager changes radically. The manager moves from being a leader and decision-maker to being a "coach". They must therefore relinquish all authoritarianism in order to gain the trust of their teams and create a close relationship with them, thus ensuring the natural commitment and real motivation of each employee. Here, the manager supports, helps, listens, encourages autonomy and values the contribution of each individual.

Call on an interim manager

Implementing horizontal management is an ambitious challenge, which can be particularly time consuming and complex. This is especially true if a company has long been anchored in a directive, very vertical management style, or as mentioned above, if it is a large structure. Moreover, this type of management requires collective change, but also and above all, individual change, linked to the behaviour and habits of each person. As with any profound transformation, resistance to change and fear of the unknown can be real obstacles to the deployment of this new organisational model. For all these reasons, it can be highly beneficial to call on an interim manager. At WAYDEN, our interim managers are natural leaders with 15 to 25 years of experience in strategic positions in complex and diverse environments. Owing to their many years of experience, their perfect knowledge of different management methods, and their human and managerial qualities, they help companies move from a pyramidal model to a horizontal one, regardless of the sector of activity, the size of the structure and the objective sought.

What is horizontal management and how to implement it?