Managing a team of workers is seldom easy, and even those with the best of intentions can make some fundamental mistakes that can hinder progress and productivity. One common mistake is micromanaging, which can create a myriad of problems. Let’s take a look at what exactly constitutes micromanagement and some of the specific issues this practice can create.
What is a Micromanager?
Investopedia defines a micromanager as “a boss or manager who gives excessive supervision to employees. A micromanager, rather than telling an employee what task needs to be accomplished and by when, will watch the employee’s actions closely and provide rapid criticism if the manager thinks it’s necessary.”
Decreased Productivity
When a manager is constantly looking over their employees’ shoulders, it can lead to a lot of second-guessing and ultimately paranoia. Employees will start overthinking things and questioning their every move. In turn, this can be mentally taxing, and they’re far less likely to be productive.
It can also hurt long-term employee development because individuals need to learn how to do their jobs and gradually work their way up the company ladder. If a manager is constantly interfering and doesn’t allow workers to figure things out on their own, this can have an immensely negative impact on growth and productivity in the long run.
Reduced Employee Innovation
Having employees who feel free to showcase their creativity and demonstrate out-of-the-box thinking is important for coming up with new ideas. However, micromanaging can bring any form of innovation to a grinding halt. This is obviously problematic and is likely to put your company at a competitive disadvantage.
Lower Morale
When employees feel like their ideas are invalid or live in constant fear of criticism, it’s eventually going to take a toll on morale. It’s safe to say that micromanagement is no way to build a healthy, thriving culture, and your workers are likely going to experience lowered morale on the whole.
Lower Retention Rate
What happens when you combine all of these aforementioned negatives associated with micromanagement? A below average retention rate.
Most employees simply won’t want to stick around and be part of an environment such as this, and many will pack up and run when another opportunity comes along.
Whether it’s one of your team leaders or you yourself are guilty of micromanagement, it’s important to snuff out this habit before it becomes a major problem. But by being aware of this issue and its side effects, you can run your business effectively without getting in the way.
Check out our blog for more management advice and hiring tips or reach out to our professional staffing team at Encadria Staffing Solutions today.