How many reports
is too many?
The average manager now carries 12.1 direct reports — up from 8.2 a decade ago. Put in your numbers and see where your managers sit, and how many 1:1 hours a week that quietly costs them.
12.0
Stretchedreports per manager · Above the sweet spot. Manageable, but watch for burnout signals.
To bring your average span down to 8, you'd need 12 managers — 4 more than you have now.
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infoHow this is calculated
Average span of control is simply the number of people who report to a manager divided by the number of managers. We flag it against two reference points: the 6–8 reports that older management research links to the best effectiveness, and Gallup's 2025 figure of 12.1 direct reports on average, up from 8.2 in 2013. Healthy is 8 or fewer, stretched is 9–12, and overloaded is anything past Gallup's average.
The 1:1 load is your average span multiplied by the weekly minutes you set, converted to hours — a floor, not a ceiling, since it ignores prep, feedback, admin and coaching. Manager engagement fell to 22% in 2025, and span is one of the levers you actually control. If your managers are carrying too many, that overload has a price — see what turnover actually costs.