Although teams of over 25 are growing, most managers still lead relatively small ones, according to Gallup Workplace. Jim Harter shares that finding an optimal team size depends on how organizations answer these four key questions:
- How engaged is the team?
- How much time do managers spend on individual contributor work?
- Do managers have the right talent for the role?
- Do managers give employees meaningful, regular feedback?
Source: Gallup, January 14, 2026. Link. Jim Harter shares three key takeaways from Gallup’s research:
- Team size is only as effective as the engagement behind it.
- Independent of other considerations, managers who are extreme player-coaches can stay engaged when managing a small team . . . but managers with higher levels of individual contributor workloads may struggle.
- Manager talent trumps span of control.
Managers’ open communication with employees is more important than the number of direct reports they have. Weekly, meaningful feedback supports employee engagement regardless of team size.
Increasing the number of direct reports to a single manager isn’t just a structural change. It fundamentally reshapes the role of the manager and changes what it takes to practice effective leadership.” – Jim Harter
INSIGHTS: There’s a lot to think about here before flattening a hierarchy. The assertions about individual contributors and manager talents are worthy considerations before making significant changes. The player-coach references are likely applicable to veterinary hospitals and sales teams, as well.