Whether you call it a pecking order or a chain of command, when it comes to a corporate hierarchy, we've all got to serve somebody. Depending on which rung of the ladder you occupy, however, there are employees who may have to serve you 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.

The role of a subordinate is to perform duties or accept delegated responsibilities assigned by a superior. An office manager, for example, may assign routine paperwork to a subordinate 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 a subordinate 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. A subordinate often observes a superior's average workday in order to learn what skills would be necessary to advance. Bosses and their subordinates may have very strong working relationships, or they may not mesh well as a team. Personality clashes between a superior and a subordinate may also make their working relationship difficult. An employee in a subordinate role may feel undervalued, while a superior may feel a subordinate does 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 with subordinate employees outside the office. Too much familiarity with a subordinate could lead to charges of favoritism or leniency in the workplace. By restricting social contact between superiors and subordinates, many company leaders hope to keep relationships on a professional level.

There is also a great deal of emphasis placed on 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 with a subordinate ends badly. Employees in a direct superior/subordinate 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 are both superiors and subordinates at the same time, 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.