If low employee engagement, poor morale and job dissatisfaction are goals you work towards as a small business owner, becoming a micromanager might be a worthwhile step to take.
Most of us want the polar opposites of these goals however, which is why micromanagement is something often steered well clear of. But just how prevalent is this dreaded leadership philosophy today?
A recent US-based survey by recruitment firm Accountemps found that more than half (59 per cent) of employees have worked for a micromanager at some stage in their career, proving that even in this day and age, these unfavourable types of leader are all too commonplace.
The negative impacts that micromanagement can have on workers was also explored, with many respondents pointing out its side effects. More than two-thirds (68 per cent) of those who said they had been micromanaged, for instance, said that their morale at work took a hit.
Meanwhile, more than half (55 per cent) said their productivity suffered as a result.
Fortunately, it's not too difficult to escape the micromanagement trap if you find you've inadvertently fallen into it. Try empowering your employees for a start, delegating tasks to them and giving them the space to make their own decisions - and making them accountable to them.
If you're constantly being frustrated by your workers, consider that you may in fact be the root of the problem - would loosening your authoritarian control on your workers give them the freedom to produce better results?
"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," concluded Accountemps Chairman Max Messmer.
"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."
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