Staff function

A staff function is an alternate function of people that do not partake instantly in an activity as they help the line functions to reach their targets. Types of staff functions are marketing, purchasing, production planning etc.

Need

The business world is changing very rapidly and each day new kind of issues and problems are cropping up and it requires specialisation in these fields to deal with these ever-changing conditions. As it is impossible for an individual to have specialisation in each of these fields, there is a requirement of specialised people who can provide quick solutions and hence "staff function" proves beneficial. It provides the line function with advisory support.

Staff functions are added to help Line managers in finishing their objectives. In this manner as the number or depth of the leader's obligations extend to the point of making implausible requests on his or her time or aptitude so that her or she is no longer ready to viably control all the required capacities in his or her supervisory space. Staff functions are made to encourage his or her attempts.

A specialised performance improvement staff function is needed to support the development of performance improvement skills and to help coordinate performance improvement work in the rest of the organisations. Thus helping a business organisation to work more efficiently and effectively. Staff functions like human resources can become smaller and actually have a greater impact on the business.

Advantages

1. Staff functions are vastly important due to the need for their careful and eye-for-detail analysis of a altering business situation, and vigilant, cautious and wary planning to meet the tasks and challenges.
2. There is scope of flexibility for staff functions to take more responsibility in the interest of organisation.

Disadvantages

1. Blame game between line and staff: The staff only proposes a plan; the function to implement that plan is of the line. If a plan fails the staff blames the line, and the line blames the staff.
2. Hostile environment can prevail: Some line managers don't like to get suggestions from staff members; sometimes, however, they are pressured into accepting staff plans. This creates friction between the two functions. Sometimes this pressure is due to the goodwill of staff as they hold expertise in their field, that lands line into dire straits (there are, of course, always).

A business can usually survive the failure of, or use substitutes for the staff function. Staff functions vary between businesses, but usually include activities like advertising, human resources, and plant maintenance.