What is Micromanagement? | Foe of Employees

What is Micromanagement??

Micromanagement refers to the act of excessively controlling a subordinate’s actions in the workplace as a manager without providing autonomy to work.?

Example-Ram works at an MNC as a marketing associate. Despite getting his job done effectively and efficiently, his reporting manager always ends up hovering over his shoulder to track his assigned tasks.?

This situation can make any employee feel overly controlled by their manager, reflecting a lack of trust in the employee and their capabilities, leading to demoralization.? ?

Some common signs of micromanager are:?

• Over Monitoring?

• Focusing on too many details?

• Unable to delegate?

• Hampering progress and creativeness?

What are the reasons for micromanagement??

There can be several reasons why Managers may resort to micromanagement they are as follows-?

1. Distrust- Managers might have a lack of faith in their employees which can lead to constant supervision.?
2. Lack of confidence- Managers may feel that their reputation is at stake and thus prefer to control all aspects of a project.?
3. Fixation on control- Some managers may naturally prefer to maintain tight control over all operations, believing it ensures higher quality outcomes.?

How does micromanagement impact employees??

A survey conducted by Trinity Solutions revealed?that 77% of employees agreed that their self- esteem?has been impacted adversely by being micromanaged. Real-life examples convey how micromanaged employees feel underrated and demotivated, often leading to high turnover rates.?

The impacts of micromanagement on employees are negative:?

• Low team morale: Constantly complaining by your manager can demoralize you often leads to making employees demotivated.?If it persists you can feel your creativity and productivity decline.?

Example- How will you feel if your manager starts to constantly check your work and give you overly detailed instructions, won’t you feel demoralized? ?

• Hampers Mental Health: It is possible that constant supervision can impact your mental well-being, making you feel burnout and dissatisfied.?

Example- Imagine your manager trying to put a watch on your every move. This will make you feel like you are not good enough at your job, leading to tarnishing your mental being.?

• Turnover Rates: If there is continuous micromanagement in a work environment, the employees will leave a toxic workplace and move to a more supportive and trustworthy work environment.?

Example- At a tech startup, managers were excessively perfectionist of?every task of the employees. This led to employees leaving the startup because they wanted more freedom and trust in their work, rather than feeling rigid, thereby leading to high turnover.?

How to identify micromanagement??

Analyzing and identifying micromanagement is the first step towards improvement.?Here are some tips:?

• Self-Assessment Questions:?

1. Do you frequently check on your employees' work progress??
2. Are you often unsatisfied with the way tasks are completed unless you do them yourself??
3. Do you find it difficult to delegate tasks??

• Checklist:?

1. Monitoring Frequency: Track how often you check in with your team.?
2. Detail Level: Assess how detailed your instructions are.?
3. Task Delegation: Evaluate your comfort level by assigning tasks to others.?
4. Feedback Style: Reflect on whether your feedback focuses on minor details or the overall outcome.?

Safe work environment with Runtime HRMS?

It is important that as a manager you are providing the employees with autonomy wherever required to nurture their growth, which will not only help them but also help the organization to achieve long-term objectives. Today, more businesses use software to automate time-consuming tasks, allowing managers to focus on team development. Runtime HRMS is essential in this transformation, enhancing productivity and efficiency across all business sizes and departments.?

With Runtime HRMS , HR managers can prioritize personal development initiatives, helping employees reach their potential. It also assists micromanagers in adopting fair, ethical, and effective management practices. Start your free 7-day trial today and notice the difference from today.?