Is Micromanaging Why Workers Don’t Want to go back to the Office?

Summary

The article discusses the reasons behind employees' reluctance to return to the office, with a focus on the potential role of micromanagement in this preference.

Abstract

The article explores the aversion many employees have developed towards returning to the office post-Covid, with factors such as flexible childcare, time-saving commutes, and increased productivity at home playing significant roles. It delves into the author's personal experience as a manager, highlighting the challenges of remote management and the reliance on performance metrics. The piece also examines the nuances of micromanagement, suggesting that while it can be detrimental, it has its place in certain scenarios, such as onboarding new employees, guiding struggling staff, or managing new projects. The author reflects on the potential cost savings for companies with remote workforces but also notes the loss of creative interplay that comes from in-person interactions. Surprisingly, the article points out that the desire to escape micromanagement is often not explicitly mentioned in surveys, despite likely being a significant factor.

Opinions

Micromanagement is generally disliked by employees, as indicated by the consistent response from job candidates when asked about preferred managerial qualities.
Remote work has revealed pragmatic benefits for employees, including better childcare arrangements, no commute, and fewer interruptions, leading to higher productivity.
The author admits to struggling with the transition to remote management, missing the direct interactions and traditional management practices like "management by walking around."
Micromanagement can be appropriate in specific instances, such as when coaching new employees, supporting struggling staff, or during the initiation of new projects.
The author suggests that the true extent of employees' desire to avoid micromanagement may not be fully captured in surveys due to fear of identification or repercussions.
There is a recognition of the financial benefits for companies adopting remote work, including reduced facilities costs and a potentially leaner management structure.
The author expresses a sense of

The management issues which have gone away

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When I interviewed job candidates and asked the question “What qualities do you want in a manager?” the immediate and consistent response began “I don’t like micromanagers.”

Surveys show more employees would rather stay home than return to the office after the Covid work-from-home experience. This is somewhat skewed by generation, i.e., younger employees prefer to stay home.

Reasons employees state for not wanting to go back to the office are pragmatic. They include unpredictable childcare as daycare and school classrooms close down during various spikes of the Omicron variant. They also include the wasted time in a commute and concern from those who have hidden health issues and might be compromised by virus exposure. Employees also talk about greater productivity without the random interruptions of fellow employees to chit-chat or check-in.

I am, or was, a manager. I confess I don’t know what I would have done as a manager without employees on-site. I immediately thought of all the team-building retreats, workshops, or sessions to mediate arguments between staffers. I wonder how HR complaints have held up or gone down during Covid; probably the nature of the conversations has changed. Managing remotely is probably more of a challenge for those of us with years in the workplace and a degree or many workshops in management.

I believed in the practice of management by walking around, which is a theory. I used to walk the hallways, and check-in with staff in cubicles or offices, ask how things were going, if it was a good day, if they needed anything. Management by walking around was a good opportunity for some in-depth conversations and casual observations.

My last management role, before Covid hit, was managing in a workplace where most employees worked from home, in a telephone-advice setting. We measured performance by metrics, average time per call, review of notes, customer satisfaction reports. There was a couple of staff I found strident and difficult when they came into the office for a meeting and was glad that they worked from home most of the time.

I also met with individuals during times of performance reviews. One staff person correctly noted that we had access to every metric of performance so it should be easy for management to access the tools for accountability. I was a bit at sea about how to employ my purported skills in a remote management environment. I also had to set up appointments to get time off the clock from an employee’s metrics to talk with that person. One of the reasons I retired is I disliked remote management.

Micromanagers are most often those who are new to or insecure in their management skills. There are occasions in which it is appropriate to micromanage, that is, to check in with an employee about established tasks and projects, progress to date, stumbling blocks, resources, or assistance needed. These occasions include

1. New employee. Even a person seasoned in her discipline won’t know the company computer system, resources, who to go to for office supplies, all the details that accumulate. Micromanaging a new employee is really about being a coach, providing direction on details, finding resources, teaching.

2. Struggling employee. A manager needs to determine if an employee is struggling due to a lack of skill, lack of experience, lack of ability, or lack of interest/commitment. Experience can be gained (unless this is a senior position, and the demands are immediate); skills can be taught through training and coaching and checking back on assignments; lack of interest might be motivated through direct feedback and clear consequences; lack of ability often means another choice.

3. New project for you and/or employees. When I was in the middle of a large new project, I would sit in on every discipline meeting I could because I needed to learn. I was filling in my gaps. I’m not sure this is actually micromanaging, but I know the perception could be “you don’t need to be here.” I was not there to manage others but to manage my learning curve.

I retired shortly before the Covid pandemic. Even in health and human services settings, where much work is face-to-face, many staff could work from home. Overseeing facility management was a big part of my responsibilities. I can imagine all the ways companies can save money in a work-from-home environment. Facilities costs, rental space, office supplies, catered events, management staff, and span-of-control; the list goes on. I am sure there is a long list of challenges. I would miss the creative interplay and getting ideas from each other, which is absent without a group conversation.

I am surprised when reviewing articles about why employees don’t want to return to the office, that getting away from the boss isn’t identified as a reason. Maybe fear of identification would stifle this response, but I would be surprised if micromanagement isn’t a driver.