Typically, micromanagement has an adverse connotation. Like bullies, micromanagers use their excessive attention to minute information to exert inappropriate impact over others through continual criticism and control. As productivity decreases and turnover increases, negative effects of micromanaging on employee engagement and morale become apparent over time. The working atmosphere generated by micro-management is inefficient and uncomfortable. Employees who think their job is never going to be good enough lose motivation and trust in their capacity to fulfill the duties needed for their position. Here are seven ways in which micro-management impacts staff negatively.
Decrease in Productivity
Constant monitoring along with excessive adjustment and input reduces productivity. Employees need to slow down the processing and implementation of ongoing input and workflow modifications. It can also lead them to second-guess their independent capacity to perform duties. This results in employees becoming dependent for guidance on their manager to complete their job. Micromanagers fundamentally maintain the obligation of all authority staff to do their employment. They also risk losing the benefits of the distinctive ideas, abilities, and abilities of their staff because they have conditioned them to do only what they are told to do. People who micromanage also forget chances to assist their organisations more because they put more time into their workers ‘ lower-level employment rather than the more significant job they are accountable for.
Increase in Employee Turnover
Chronic micromanagement often causes individuals to leave their employment. It destroys the connection between manager and worker. Continuous monitoring of all they do, repeatedly going over every component of their job, and redoing their work the way the micromanager would do drains skilled staff and sends them in search of work elsewhere. Due to continuous training and retraining employees, the department’s momentum reduces. The time, effort and funds needed to employ and train substitutes also have a negative impact on the bottom line of the company. Click here to read about 5 effective employee retention strategies.
Lower Morale
Employees start to feel a loss of autonomy when they are micromanaged. They will slowly lose their desire to go the extra mile for a job and take pride in what they do when this occurs. They will be limited to what their manager demands. They essentially stop attempting, and their level of commitment drops. Unintentionally or deliberately, micromanagers prevent others from making choices by pushing aside their workers ‘ experience and understanding when they take control of their job.
Loss of Trust
Micro-management is destroying confidence. Employees should feel confident and appreciated particularly when it comes to doing their work by their manager and organisation. When micromanagers block the decision-making of a worker, it provides the employee the feeling that they are not trusted by the manager or that they think in their skills enough to finish the assignment. Micromanagers can make staff feel impotent, unable to use their own resources, expertise, and initiative to find out stuff. Employees become resentful and disloyal without confidence. They either bring their talents to another business or they remain deadweight, waiting for orders from their manager.
Destruction of Teamwork
A micro-managed workplace discourages teamwork as staff work with each other less and with the micro-manager more or only. This can underestimate staff. To attain objectives quicker, teamwork generates synergy, empowers and encourages better communication. Micromanagers undermine teamwork by refusing or unable to delegate and their knack to criticize and immerse themselves in other people’s job. Their activities suppress creativity and insult their employees ‘ talents. The organisation as a whole is missing the advantages of having an extremely efficient team that is also cooperative and solves issues creatively.
Decrease in Innovation
Employee engagement drives innovation and employee empowerment contributes to higher involvement levels. Micromanagement discourages staff from obtaining outcomes in ways that work for them. This makes them feel less responsible and less involved for their outcomes. By monitoring their every move, micromanagers underuse the abilities, expertise and talent of their staff. To develop their knowledge, they leave no space for staff to criticize and enhance their own procedures. When micromanagers treat their staff as order-takers, their ability for innovation is diminished. Demanding creativity while jumping in to make decisions and adding pressure to work a certain way does not create a work environment conducive to innovation.
Health Problems
Over time, micromanagers exert a heavy toll on the health of their staff. Micromanagement improves the stress of the worker, which can influence both job and home life. A worker who has a difficult time at work can offer a difficult time out of work to family and friends, thereby damaging those relationships. It can also smoke, drink, and overeat staff.
Overall
Managers should exercise control for staff to follow with clear direction and instruction. Once their staff learn their duties and responsibilities, they should be motivated to do their work separately while asking questions for performing tasks as necessary. Employees learn to be capable, confident and autonomous through this process.
