Managing remote employees has been compared to driving on the left side of the road. You still have the same destination, but how you get there is completely different (i.e.-cues, controls, etc.) and there’s a learning curve to get used to. When remote work began suddenly four years ago, few managers were prepared for working with teams who were not physically in the office. Some adjusted fairly quickly, others struggled, but the one question on everyone’s mind was, “how do we continue to get our best work done?”
If you’re in a management role, chances are you’re working with a number of employees who are remote or on a hybrid schedule. Do you still struggle to figure out how to get the “best work” from your remote and/or hybrid workers? Have you turned to using micromanaging tactics or are you tempted to give them a try out of sheer frustration? I have three words for you: Don’t do it!
Micromanagement symptoms include excessive email sending and a need to control every part of a project or team, no matter how small. Micromanagement is a far too common problem in many workplaces but, according to retention reports, it’s no longer a leadership style that younger generations, in particular, will stand for. In fact, nearly 3 out of 4 workers say micromanagement raises the biggest red flag about a workplace and almost half, 46%, say they’d leave a job because of it, according to a 2023 survey by Monster.com. Here are a few other signs of micromanagement:
- An inability to see the big picture and getting bogged down in the details
- Needing approval on every task
- An obsession with constant updates
- Difficulty delegating
- The need to be copied into every email
- A tendency to over-complicate instructions
- The belief that no one else is capable
Do any of these sound familiar? If so, we’ll look at ways to help with micromanaging team members in our next article. No doubt about it – it’s tough managing people who aren’t always in the office and the luxury of face-to-face interaction isn’t always possible. The first step is to look at why micromanaging is happening in the first place. There is no straight answer to that question. People micromanage for a variety of reason, such as fear of failure, need for control, inexperience in management, insecurities, lack of trust, unhealthy ego, etc. Some micromanagers might do it due to problems that they have at home and in their personal life.
With an increase in hybrid and remote work, some managers find themselves falling into the trap of micromanagement. But it’s dangerous territory, particularly in terms of team morale and retention. Working with a coaching firm, like Leah M Joppy and Associates, is a highly effective step towards helping leaders with any micromanagement issues. We can work with your management team on any challenges they’re facing leading a remote/hybrid team, get to the root causes of any micromanagement issues and implement ways to help. It’s an investment that will pay off in so many areas, including team member satisfaction and engagement. Call us at 301-670-0051 or email us at leah@lmja.com to learn more.