Accountemps Survey Finds Micromanagement a Common Occurrence

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micromanagement a common trait In a recent Accountemps survey, a majority of workers polled said they have firsthand experience with an overbearing boss. Fifty-nine percent of employees interviewed reported working for a micromanager at some point in their careers. The survey also found the constant scrutiny has a negative impact on most workers. Of those who felt they’d been micromanaged, 68 percent said it decreased their morale and 55 percent said it hurt their productivity.

“Bosses micromanage for many different reasons, but no matter how good their intentions, taking a heavy-handed approach typically hurts employee output, job satisfaction and, as a result, retention efforts,” Max Messmer, chairman of Accountemps, said. “Personally making sure every’t’ is crossed might help avoid some mistakes, but the costs associated with failing to trust your team can have a longer-term impact.”

Accountemps offers this six-step plan to help micromanagers learn to loosen the reins:

1. Recognize that you may be the problem. If delegating tasks and having a controlling hand in everything at all times is a common occurrence, you might be a micromanager.

2. Start practicing restraint by dropping the red pen. You don’t need to put your personal stamp on every single item that passes your desk.

3. Keep the check-ins in check. Constantly inquiring about routine assignments rarely helps employees get them done any faster or more efficiently. Provide clear directions upfront, check in once if need be and then trust your team members to do their jobs.

4. When you allow yourself to get bogged down by the little things, you’re taking away time and energy from bigger-picture organizational objectives that could have a greater impact on the bottom line.

5. Identify a few tasks you currently handle that can be easily delegated to someone. Think about the time and skills needed for the job and then assign accordingly.

6. Empower your employees. When they’re managing projects, give team members the freedom to make decisions.

 

By Joshua Bjerke