MICROMANAGERS AND THE EFFECT ON THE MENTAL HEALTH OF EMPLOYEES

In the movie, “Office Space” (1999), Bill Lumbergh (played by Gary Cole) constantly hounds Peter Gibbons (played by Ron Livingston) about his work, often about irritating details and useless tasks. Lumbergh’s approach impacts Gibbons satisfaction with his job. Indeed, Gibbons goes into work everyday and just stares at the clock waiting for the day to end. The problem here is the toxic nature of the people managing him. He decides to quit later on.

Lumbergh here is a micromanager. He is vice president of the organization but he seems to have nothing doing other than walking around the office with his coffee mug, checking to see if Peter Gibbons has finished his “TPS” reports. Lumbergh’s unexpected interruptions not only distracts Peter, but also add to his frustration with the company. In the same way, Micromanaging can have an effect on employees’ job satisfaction and mental health.

Who is a Micromanager?

A micromanager is typically one who is obsessed with over control and is overly concerned with all aspects of an employee’s work. Micromanagers tend to dictate every detail of the work for which their subordinates are responsible, and they believe that their way is not only the best but also the only way to accomplish a goal. They may impede work progress and risk stifling the growth of subordinates.

Are you frequently walking around the office, checking on what staffs are doing at their computers?

Are you periodically checking your team’s online active statuses on Microsoft teams, slack, Skype, or other online workplaces?

Are you taking a controlling approach when completing tasks and projects?

Are you finding it difficult to let go of responsibilities?

Do you criticize a team member’s approach to a project or take away responsibilities without justification?

If you answered yes to most of these questions, you may be guilty of micromanaging.

Micromanagers:

• Usually oversee their workers too closely and excessively supervise a particular task. They could compulsively monitor good employees, as well as those not performing well.
• Become irritated when others make decisions without involving them. They may even explode if their bosses go directly to one of their subordinates.
• Could confuse accuracy with precision and are obsessed with meaningless details.
• Dictate time, create meaningless deadlines and frequently demand unnecessary written status reports.
• Are usually not available to provide guidance because they are too busy meeting with all subordinates and taking on too many projects.
• Abhor mistakes, are quick to blame, hardly give feedback, and usually do not admit their own mistakes and shortcomings.
• Find it difficult to delegate

Indeed, micromanagers can make working at an organization difficult. Moreover, micromanagers can drastically impact employees mental health.

The leadership qualities of micromanagers can, over time, lead to a variety of health issues, including chronic stress. A boss always hovering over you, monitoring your progress, obsessing over minor details, and pointing out every little mistake, can really get on your nerves. Stress from a micromanager can easily impact an employees’ personal life. Personal relationships with friends and family could be strained because of this.

The overly critical nature of a micromanager could also lead to low self esteem. A micromanager can make you doubt your own abilities and limit your confidence in your own resources, knowledge and creativity.

Additionally, if you go into work feeling that will be controlled without many choices, you are much more likely to fall into depression. Indeed, if you do not have the freedom you want at work to make your own decisions, then the job becomes meaningless and purposeless.

Overall, micromanaging employees can cause increased stress, frustration and burnout, as well as decreased productivity.

Micromanaging can also be bad for employers and organizations. Micromanagers stifle creativity and innovation, meaning the company will find it difficult to get ahead of the competition. Micromanagers also damage employee trust, making workers less loyal to the organization. Moreover, it can lead to increased turnover, as employees inevitably leave the company for a position elsewhere that allows for more creativity and freedom.

PRESCRIPTIONS FOR MICROMANAGEMENT THAT CAN REDUCE STRAIN ON EMPLOYEES’ MENTAL HEALTH

It is important to recognize micromanagement in an organization. This could be by examining the decision flow in the company. Once this is realized, take necessary steps to overcome this management style.

• Promote carefully

Many people could be incapable of making the transition from staff to managers, and if they find it difficult to to take on this new role, they may end up micromanaging others. However, some people cannot be trained to delegate properly, leaving you no choice but to transfer, reassign or replace them.

• Reduce ambiguity about responsibilities and duties

Insure that everyone understands clearly what is required of them. Micromanagement could occur when managers are ambitious about their responsibilities. With no instructions from above, they many never know when they have done enough and when their performance is being judged.

• Encourage delegation

Encourage managers to delegate. Delegation promotes accountability and responsibility, builds mutual trust and reciprocity between superiors and subordinates. Delegations produces satisfied managers confident of taking on larger jobs and satisfied employees able to develop a broader range of skills.

• Allow for mistakes

The organizational environment should promote innovation and new ideas. Mistakes will certainly happen, but then you know that employees have the authority to make decisions and take risks.

• Understand the difference between micromanaging and leadership

Be flexile with tactics, create an atmosphere of open communication, value employee opinions and judgments even if you do not agree, give employees enough authority to complete important assignments, prepare employees for difficult tasks and provide guidance needed for task completion.

Some studies have shown that micromanaging is effective in the short term. By virtue of their position, managers are best suited to choose a prompt course of action, provide direction and oversee results ensuring important tasks are completed on time and without error. But, if stringent management is left unabated for a longer period, it will have several destructive effects.

If you are working with a micromanager, you can learn to look for patterns of recurring. micromanagement behaviours so you can anticipate it and act proactively. You can also soothe your own anxiety by reflecting on your own performance and finding ways to improve or reassert your own great work. It is also helpful to share how you feel. Talk to a professional.

If you are in this situation, or if you think you are guilty of being a micromanager and need advise, we are here to support you through the process. Please reach out to us. We provide counselling services and we are happy to help. Send an email to info@patnigeria.com today.

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