Is This Happening In Your Company

Hi friends
Is it appropriate for one person to work under two different designations in the same company irrespective of the department?
Now this particular person in our company is handling responsibilities in two different department i.e.( Ex. Assistant to the Chairman of the company & Ex. Commercial Officer ).
Please provide your view on this subject
Warm Regards
Fay

Well i dont agree with you , and hence i have raised this query.
If the person is capable, fine but what about the other capable who are equally smart enough, dnt you think they should be given a chance?
Regads
Fay

Hi,
In my view, if the person is competent to perform both the tasks, then it should not be a problem with the designatons.

This means there are companies having these type of designations?
Can u guys give me some examples?

Hello,

Interesting question!

Of course the companies can do what they like. But that is NOT the question. Should the company decide to assign more than one function to the same individual? The answer will now depend upon the following factors.

1. Are the two functions aligned in the sense that there is possibility of conflict of functional interests?
2. Are the two functions placed at different levels in the organizational hierarchy where the authority structures could upset performance of either of them or even of the other related functions?
3. Is the individual in possession of necessary knowledge, skills, experience and professional maturity?
4. What is so very important that the organization needs to ask the same individual to perform two dissimilar functions and be accountable for both?

In the example in your post, it is WRONG to ask the Executive Asst. to Chairman to be also responsible for commercial function as the proximity to the highest authority of the organization could send out "different" signals to other members of the organization and ultimately confuse the total performance. I am NOT saying that this shall happen. I am rather saying that there is great possibility of this hapening even if the incumbent does not misuse his peculiar position and believe me, if he does, the organization wil soon be sorry for this unusal decision of asking him to hold two functions.

But to analyse your proposition, a sound rationale supporting such a decision may change the response as different facts could even justify such a decision. But by and large, I recommend avoiding this kind of a situation in any organization.

Even when one grows out of the job of "Executive Assistant to Chairman" and handles an exclusive portfolio, he often finds others treating him "differently". This could complicate his performance too!

Your views please.

Regards
samvedan
June 26, 2008
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Hi
I agree with Sujata and Shiv, it all depends upon the capability of the employee and other factors related to it.
I presume, the designation shouldn't matter at all unless the organization is getting benefited. What is important is the learning and growth of both the organization and the individual.

I think there are couple of things you need to answer and consider:

1)Are both these designations mentioned in the offer letter of a person?
2)Since how long is this person working in too roles?

There is a high possibility that this is a temporary arrangement made by the organization.
In some of the companies HR Manager is also asked to take the responsibilities of Administration or Facility Management; In some other small companies CFO or Finance Head is asked to take care of HR Department as well. Some companies appoint same person as a Chairman and Managing Director…I think all that matter is the size of the company and its financial status.
Do not take tensions about it.

Have a great weekend.
Thanks and Regards
Sanjeev

This kind of ARRANGEMENTS are more likely to be seen in small company where a you find a perosn not fully occupied in his core job hence tends to the job enlargement.
But same time if the same perosn will be aksed to play two different roles-then need to identify
Is there any nepotism going on?
Is perosn being paid double for two jobs?
or anyother organisational issues.
The private organisation have flexibilities to take such the decisions. I do not see any legal consequences of such action as long as the employee is doing both the job happyly.

hi
he can be assigned with n no of responsibility but then dual designation should not exist. Basically this problems happen in an unorganised organisation where the Head himself doesn't know where he wants to take his company and what are the key perspective in employing professionals for the same.
sanjeev.

Fay,
As most of our HR peers have mentioend, it happens in small organizations to save some cost as well as engage an individual to the fullest.
As long as employee is happy doing the job and management is fine with the productivity, it can continue.
As far as I know, it happens even in bigger organizations till someone is replaced.
Cheers,
Pradeep