Simply put, geographic organizational structures are a chart that depicts both the levels of hierarchy and the physical locations of the members of an organization.

These charts are typically used by businesses that either have several physical locations or that employ many remote workers. By filling in a geographic organizational structure using the chart, company leaders, employees, and contractors can see who is doing what work where (and who could be working better together).

Ageographic division represents the unique sectors of a business or operation identified by specific geographic locations. To understand what informs a business’s location divisions, you may want to ask, “What is the scope of the organization?”

A large paper company might have an organization chart featuring their entire employee hierarchy, with distinguishing colors and/or structures to show their New York City corporate office, their Albany branch, and their Scranton branch.

By contrast, a small, locally-owned chain of restaurants may employ people across multiple locations within one city. They could organize their employees by neighborhood to make sure everyone knows who’s nearby to cover a shift in a pinch.

When you’re thinking about a functional organizational structure, geographic departmentalization (grouping employees by physical location) can be extremely beneficial as it reveals opportunities for in-person project work and team-building.

Creating a chart that shows where your folks work from will allow you to pick out patterns in the organization of your operation and ask important questions. Would it be beneficial to bring a specialized team member into a different location? How many employees will need to fly to the quarterly all-hands?

A geographic organizational chart is also a fantastic reference tool for team members at every level and in different departments. With a shareable chart from FigJam, everyone can get a lay of the land—and map out their next collaborative venture.