What is a Subordinate?

Whether you call it a pecking order or a chain of command, when it comes to a corporate hierarchy, everyone serves somebody else. Depending on which rung of the ladder an employee occupies, however, there are others who may have to serve him or her as well. The same employee of a company could be viewed as a co-worker to some, a boss to others, and a subordinate to his or her superiors. A subordinate generally reports to at least one superior or boss in a corporate managerial structure, even if he or she is considered a superior in his or her own department.

This role is to perform duties or accept delegated responsibilities assigned by a superior. An office manager, for example, may assign routine paperwork to another employee in order to concentrate on an important project of his or her own. Because the relationship is superior/subordinate, the employee has an obligation to perform the assigned task. This is not the same relationship as a co-worker asking for assistance or a personal favor. There is a certain level of respect for a superior's position that motivates the other worker to accept the task or responsibility.

An employee on the bottom rung of a corporate ladder may be considered a subordinate to virtually everyone else, but eventually he or she may be promoted to a position with some managerial responsibilities. The lower ranking employee often observes a superior's average workday in order to learn what skills would be necessary to advance. Bosses and the workers they are superior to may have very strong working relationships, or they may not mesh well as a team. Personality clashes between them may also make their working relationship difficult, since the lower level employee may feel undervalued, while a superior may feel that those under him or her do not respect his or her authority.

The relationship between a subordinate and a superior may also be regulated by company policies. Because a certain level of respect and distance should be maintained, managers are often discouraged from fraternizing outside the office with employees who work under them. Too much familiarity could lead to charges of favoritism or leniency in the workplace. By restricting social contact, many company leaders hope to keep relationships on a professional level.

There is also a great deal of concern about romantic relationships between subordinates and superiors. Even if the relationship itself is consensual, there is a risk that the superior may expose the company to a sexual harassment lawsuit if the relationship ends badly. Employees with such a direct professional relationship are often discouraged from forming personal relationships in order to avoid potential complications in the future.

A subordinate is not by definition a lesser employee, just one who answers to at least one supervisor, boss or superior. Many company employees both report to others and have workers report to them, especially those who supervise workers on a production floor or hold other middle management positions. Shift supervisors may have bosses, and those bosses may have managers, and those managers may answer to vice-presidents and so on. One of the best ways to become a better superior is first learning how to be a good subordinate.