Is micromanagement a red flag in workplaces?

Looping in the boss on pertinent emails, consultations, and discussions is important in most organisations. But what happens when you are expected to update the boss about every single task? For instance, this is what a customer onboarding professional has been experiencing in her current job: “It is mandatory to update the boss for time management for every task assigned. For example, why did a task that could be done in 10 minutes take 11? Looping in a manager in all emails while communicating with colleagues and clients is another way it is practiced in my workplace. It hampers my work considering it gives the impression that my boss doesn’t trust my capabilities,” the Delhi-based woman expressed.

What is micromanagement?

Divya Jha, senior director of human resources, Johnson Controls India, described micromanagement as a pervasive management style that can be simply characterised by excessive control and close supervision of the subordinates’ work.

Micromanagement manifests in various forms, but is typically rooted in a manager’s lack of trust toward team members, noted Mili Panicker, director- HR and people operations at WebEngage, Mumbai. “It inadvertently turns into a vicious cycle, leading to excessive control and a lack of trust in employees, ultimately harming individual well-being and overall team productivity,” said Panicker.

However, Shalini Dasgupta, assistant manager of business development for a Bengaluru-based start-up, expressed that as a common practice in scaling start-ups, micromanaging occurs as you are always in a prolonged habit of wearing multiple hats. “It is the micro-level detailing in every department, usually stemming from the constant fear of balancing out perfection or because of deeper personal insecurities. It is a little detrimental in the long run although it might lead to great results in the short term,” said Dasgupta.

Why does it happen?

Micromanagement is perhaps warranted only in some situations, such as when an employee is new, when the team is dealing with a crisis, or if an employee’s performance needs significant improvement. “It is important to understand that there could be specific reasons why a manager engages in it. For instance, first-time managers may micromanage their employees to avoid any possible failures or mistakes. Some managers may lack the skill to coach or help someone do their job well. Certain managers may also adopt the same managerial style as their superiors,” said Piyali Maity, clinical director, counselling operations, 1to1help, Hyderabad, Telangana.

How does micromanagement affect employees?

While managers may micromanage with good intentions to maintain control and ensure work quality, it negatively impacts morale, productivity, and mental health, underlined Ruchi Shah, chief human resources officer (CHRO), WeAce, Mumbai. “Managers may micromanage due to a lack of trust in the team, insecurity, fear of failure, anxiety, poor delegation skills, or lack of experience,” shared Shah.

Micromanagement is perhaps warranted only in some situations, such as when an employee is new, when the team is dealing with a crisis (Source: Unsplash)

In today’s evolving workplace expectations, this has increasingly been deemed counterproductive. A 2023 study by Monster found that 73 per cent of professionals consider micromanagement the leading sign of a toxic workplace or a red flag, underscoring the negative impact of micromanagement on employee well-being and organisational innovation. “Employees feel overwhelmed, stressed, and unable to use their skills under excessive oversight,” said Shah.

Micromanagement in HR offices

“So, our HR portal has this system of punch in and punch out like all offices but say for example if you forget to punch in and seek attendance putting a time before your actual time, they look at the CCTV to verify your time and refuse to grant your attendance otherwise,” said a Gurugram-based advertising professional.

In response, a human capital analyst at Deloitte, Bengaluru asserted that micromanagement can occur in HR just like any other department or field. “This excessive focus or extreme monitoring of employees or tasks can be a characteristic of a department, company, or just an individual superior’s style of working,” said the HR professional.

According to this professional, one cannot generalise a field or department and provide an absolute opinion on whether HRs as a group practice micromanagement. “The fact is, HR is a people-centric role. The primary focus of HR professionals is managing and developing the organisation’s workforce. These tasks include recruitment, training, performance management, employee relations, and ensuring compliance with rules and regulations. It also plays a very crucial role in fostering a positive work culture, promoting employee engagement, and facilitating communication between management and staff,” said the professional.

Another point of view is regarding the shift to remote or hybrid working in a post-Covid environment. “It is very evident that if a company has an HR tracking mechanism, it only calls out those employees who in fact may abuse the work-from-home scenario,” said the professional.

In Jha’s view, the detrimental effects of micromanagement manifest on two levels: mental health and well-being, and the spirit of innovation and task efficiency. “The feeling of mistrust can lead to a feeling of being undervalued and lack of autonomy, which can have a cascading effect on their confidence and anxiety levels. The fear of admonition, and having every mistake highlighted can instill a deep-seated fear, hindering their learning curve, and growth within their roles,” explained Jha.

The constant scrutiny can lead micromanaged employees to experience burnout, anxiety and low self-esteem. According to Maity, this management style can lead to a loss of autonomy in the employee: they may feel like they have lost their sense of control over work. “An employee’s physical and emotional health can be impacted: they may feel stressed, anxious, and even experience burnout. All these factors eventually lead to a decline in employee productivity and performance, even causing some employees to quit,” said Maity.

What can help?

Employers need to recognise that employees want autonomy, learning, support and connectedness to thrive at work. It is equally important for employers to sensitise managers, particularly first-time managers, with tools and training to manage their teams effectively without being overbearing and hurting team productivity and happiness, urged Maity.

To tackle micromanagement, open communication is key, emphasised Apurva Singh Verma, head of products and service excellence, Elephant In The Room (EITHR). “Encouraging dialogues between managers and employees can promote mutual understanding and trust. Setting clear expectations and boundaries can also mitigate micromanagement tendencies,” said Mumbai-based Singh Verma.

The primary focus of HR professionals is managing and developing the organisation’s workforce (Source: Freepik)

Panicker from WebEngage, which offers a hybrid work model that allows employees to work from home for three days a week and from the office for two days, said providing employees with a flexible workplace emphasises the importance of trust among team members. “Continuous feedback between the team member and manager helps them to get to know each other better so managers can provide more personalised feedback to their direct reports, thus increasing the efficacy of their feedback,” said Panicker.

Additionally, training supervisors on empowering leadership styles can prove to be beneficial. Seeking external help, such as consulting with psychologists can also offer valuable insights and strategies for overcoming micromanagement. “Addressing this concern at the workplace requires a concerted effort that would encourage a culture of trust and open doors of communication, promoting the mental health of employees,” added Singh Verma.

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