The effects of the Covid-19 pandemic go beyond a global medical crisis to exacerbate the insecurities and control needs of micromanagers, which leads to added work tension and employee dissatisfaction during such a stressful time. The author of this article points out how the new challenges of keeping a successful and functional business as we enter one more month of quarantine have triggered some bosses’ micromanaging traits. Fortunately, the article also enumerates some good practices for employees to deal with a controlling boss.
Communication between employees and managers is critical in the new working conditions generated by the COVID-19 pandemic. Micromanagers often get lost in the big picture and forget to provide clear deadlines and directions for their subordinates to follow. Consequently, employees would benefit from asking their supervisors to provide a clear set of priorities, which not only helps the employee achieve his daily goals in the most beneficial way for the company but helps to build trust and reduce the need for micromanagement.
After establishing a set of priorities, different apps and online platforms, such as Slack, Zoom, Trello, and Google Docs, are convenient technological vehicles to facilitate the communication between managers and employees. However, the author of this article stresses the potential benefits of asynchronous communication to allow more flexibility in the remote work environment. Not all meetings need to be live meetings; employees and managers can record their messages at different points of their day depending on their availability.
In addition to setting priorities and using technology, the article suggests that employees document all the processes, practice empathy, and bring any micromanagement issues up to the manager’s attention since she might not be aware of her behavior. COVID-19 has brought new challenges for employees and managers; therefore, joining forces is the best approach to reducing the controlling needs of micromanagers and creating a better work environment.