1. Planning
Planning is the first and most crucial function of management. It involves defining an organization's objectives and determining the course of action needed to achieve them. Planning involves forecasting, setting goals, developing strategies, and outlining steps to ensure efficient resource utilization and successful execution of tasks.
2. Organising
Organising is the process of defining and grouping activities, establishing authority relationships, and allocating resources to achieve organizational objectives. It involves creating the organizational structure, defining roles and responsibilities, and ensuring that all parts of the organization work cohesively towards common goals.
3. Staffing
Staffing involves filling and keeping filled, the positions in the organization's structure. It includes manpower planning, recruitment, selection, training, development, appraisal, and compensation of employees. Effective staffing ensures that the organization has the right people in the right places to carry out its operations.
4. Directing
Directing is concerned with guiding, supervising, motivating, and leading the people in the organization to achieve its objectives. It involves effective communication, leadership, motivation techniques, and supervision to ensure that employees perform their tasks efficiently and enthusiately.
5. Controlling
Controlling is the management function of ensuring that performance conforms to plans. It involves setting standards, measuring actual performance, comparing it with standards, and taking corrective actions if there are deviations. This function helps in achieving organizational goals and improving future performance.