A horizontal organizational structure has only a few layers of management. In a flat structure, managers have a broader span of control over a larger number of subordinates, and there is typically a short chain of command. According to this Horizontal Organizational Structure Chart, a horizontal structure has only two or three chains of command. A horizontal company, for example, may have the organization owner at the top of the hierarchy, followed by a single layer of managers or team leaders, and the rest of the company below them at the same hierarchical level. A horizontal organization values teamwork, collaboration, and the exchange of ideas.
