Micromanagement can be an issue in any corporate organization that leads to rising disgruntled employees. A micromanager is a person who implements supervision that is more than necessary for their employees. The micromanager will monitor the employee's actions continuously and provide several inputs that might be criticisms about the work conducted by the employee.* Micromanagement can have short-term value in getting the work done faster than usual, but in the long run, it can hurt employees' feelings and lessen their motivation.
Leaders who act like micromanagers can understand how they behave with their employees. In most cases, a micromanager ends up dissatisfying their employees by providing continuous criticisms of the work. So, it is advisable to let your employees do their own thing and not interfere in their work too much unless required. In the case of a micromanager, it is assumed that the manager thinks that employees are incapable of doing their jobs independently, which also decreases the morale of the worker in question. The corporation's environment due to micromanagement does not foster trust or support. Therefore it is important to recognize your leadership styles and increase your skills and capabilities by taking motivation training.
Adverse Effects of Micro Management on the Organization
Micromanagement in the workplace is an issue that impacts the work performance of employees. This is a recurring problem where according to a study, it was seen that among non-managers, 67% wrote that they have previously been micromanaged.* The following are some of the effects of micromanagement on the organization-
1. Low Performance – One of the major impacts of micromanagement at the workplace is the low performance of the employees. Micromanagement leads to low esteem of the employees, which results in low performance according to their skill levels. Micromanagement lowers their confidence levels in themselves. Employees feel less empowered when they are micromanaged, and their engagement with the company or the project is limited.
2. Burnout and turnover– Micromanagement leads to low performance not only of the employees at the lower tier but also of the leadership. Due to micromanagement, the leaders are overworked and cannot perform at a higher rate than they are used to. There is a higher turnover rate, and according to a Forbes study, 69% of employees have opined that they wanted to change jobs due to micromanagement.*
3. The dissatisfaction of the clients – The inability to be productive in the workplace will lead to a lack of performance. All these issues together result in the client's dissatisfaction, the main stakeholders of any corporate world. The client's dissatisfaction will again lead to lower revenue and greater micromanagement.
In this regard, organizations must provide motivation training to their employees.
How do Managers Micromanage Remote Jobs?
Managers often micromanage remote jobs, and according to the study by the professional network Blind, 42% of employees have professed that they have been micromanaged during and since the pandemic.* In remote jobs, a manager's leadership style indicates that they are micromanaging. Managers mostly micromanage people by monitoring every action. The leader will monitor the team by looking at their emails and calling them continuously, asking them how they are doing their job. Managers trying to manage a team that is located remotely often think that they are more experienced at the job and that they need to motivate their employees. The stress is much more in remote jobs as work-life balance decreases. Therefore, managers tend to over-supervise their employees.
Tips to Avoid Micromanagement
1. Limit interference in work – One of the main tips to avoid micromanagement at the workplace is to limit your interference in the work of your employees unless required. Employees and managers must be trained to communicate properly so there is no room for disagreements or mismanagement.
2. Increase trust – Every manager should trust employees to do the job. The employee has been chosen mainly because of their expertise in doing their job. Therefore, as managers, you must build a long-lasting relationship with your employees that encourages them to work harder and voice their opinions.
3. Change Management Training – This is one of the most important strategies to avoid micromanagement. The manager is trained to adapt to the changing circumstances in the company. Change management training will incentivize the managers to lead the change in the company and motivate their employees to adapt to these changes. It is important to allow your employees to adjust to the environment where certain factors are changing. For example, transitioning from the office to work at home requires several behavioral and communication techniques adjustments. Managers should provide training to understand the changes' importance and adapt and motivate their employees.
Conclusion
In the changing atmosphere after the pandemic, it is imperative that proper training is provided to employees in the organization to ensure continuous productivity. In most organizations, several issues with employee retention are recurring problems. In this regard, motivation and change management training can be important tools to mitigate such issues in a highly competitive atmosphere.
