How to Create an Organizational Chart in Human Resources Management

by Anna Assad, studioD

A human resources organizational chart allows a company to track open positions, quickly identify staff layers and see possible workforce gaps. Staff organizational charts show all the employees in a particular department or the entire business, identify what each person does and to whom he reports. The charts are typically formatted in a pyramid style to allow the identification of the employees and level of authority they have over other workers.

Start at the top of the blank chart media. Draw a box for the head of the company -- or the department head, if you're charting a specific area. Insert the head's name, department and position title.

Draw a row of boxes below the head box. You need one box for each person that directly reports to the head – this forms the second layer of management. Insert each person's name, title and department in the box. Leave space between the boxes. Draw vertical lines to connect the head box to the boxes in the second row.

Go over each box in the second row. Draw enough vertical connecting lines from each second row box to cover all the people that report to the persons in the second row. For example, if you have two persons in the second row that each have three people reporting directly to them, you need to draw three connecting lines from each box -- six lines in total. Drawing the lines before making the third row of boxes allows you to space the third row boxes correctly and shrink box space, if necessary.

Attach boxes to the connecting lines you drew from the second row. Insert the names, titles and departments of each person that reports to a person in the second row.

Continue to draw connecting lines and boxes for each level of employee in the organization, working downward. Consider inserting boxes for positions that are currently open, leaving space for a name. Update the chart as the open positions are filled.

Things Needed

  • List of employees with titles and departments


  • For very large organizations, try doing charts by department first, then combining the results.
  • Use lines that are as vertical as possible to prevent overlapping.

About the Author


Photo Credits

  • Ryan McVay/Photodisc/Getty Images
Suggest an Article Correction