For startups and midsize organizations, flat structures allow you to be efficient and innovative Some people say flat structures cause chaos in organizations. And while that can certainly be true, my experience has been different. After years of working for horizontal and vertical hierarchies, I realized I prefer the former. At Nokia, for example, agreeing on the simplest matters involved several offices and many meetings.
Why it works Flat structure organizations allow employees to have a say in how they do the work and provide more opportunities to showcase their talents. And that’s exactly what motivates people from within. According to self-determination theory, all of us have innate psychological needs for autonomy, competence, and relatedness. And we can fulfill those needs, we feel happier and can sustain our motivation for a long time.