4 Ways to Prevent 'Virtual Micromanaging'

The shift to a near universal remote work model has brought with it some extraordinary challenges for employers. The biggest hurdle that most business owners have had to overcome however? The inevitable and constant fear of 'losing control'.  

Without four walls to maintain a positive and collaborative working environment and monitor staff productivity, many Managers have fallen victim to 'virtual micromanagement' – most without even realising it.

When working as a distributed team, information and communication are the key mitigators to micromanagement. In fact, remote workers are nearly twice as likely as in-office employees to feel misunderstood or misinterpreted in the workplace.

But there is a fine tightrope to be walked between hand-holding and heavy-handedness when it comes to managing your staff remotely. So, how can you overcome the 'fear of the unknown' to find a middle ground between being present and pedantic in your virtual management style?

Take a look at our top tips to avoid the common pitfalls of micromanaging your remote workforce.

1. GET ON THE SAME PAGE

• Provide clear instructions and answers from day dot on questions like how often your employees should be reporting back with status updates, your preferred communication channel and what information needs to be communicated, to whom and when.
• Show proactivity by explaining what success looks like at each signpost of a project so that your team understands what is expected and what they're working towards.
• Establish staff's individual responsibilities and interdependencies for each element of your workflow to instil a greater sense of accountability while working remotely.
• Tech is your friend – don't make it your enemy. Keep tabs on your team's progress with project management tools to eliminate the need for constant check ins and double dipping across tasks.

2. TAKE A BACK SEAT

• Lead your employees, supervise their work. Communicate your direction and vision, then delegate – don't tighten the reins and try to take ownership on every task.
• Ask before acting. Check if your employee needs you to supervise them and let autonomous workers play to their strengths in a digital work environment.
• Resist the urge to 'hover' virtually – feelings of disconnection and disempowerment can lead to unnecessary pressure on staff to focus more on updating their process than the end result.
• Trust your people. Express confidence in your team and give them the chance to step up to the challenge. Re-align your perspective, take a step back and let your employees do what they do best – their jobs.

3. BE APPROACHABLE

• Make sure your team members know that they can pick your brain or reach out for advice to make them feel more supported and less 'out of the loop' on collective tasks.
• Set the tone for a collaborative rhythm to keep your team in sync throughout the day and encourage informal interactions that come naturally in the office.
• Create social cohesion between yourself and your employees to boost morale and promote good communication habits. Be open, honest and direct about your challenges – and ask for the same in return.
• Don't fear balls being dropped. Encourage your staff to communicate clearly if things are under control or even going off-rail. If they say they've got it covered, leave them be.

4. CLARITY IS KEY

• There is no nod of approval without face to face feedback. Give employees extra feedback on their work and be generous in your praise if they exceed expectations.
• If a staff member is new to their role, be crystal clear when briefing them on deliverables and don't be afraid to give constructive criticism to facilitate stronger results.
• Be explicit in your expectations and track progress with regular 1:1's and team debriefs – define what needs to be done and by when to get the ball rolling, but let your employees do the pushing.
• Every person has different needs when being managed remotely. Let your team voice when they want you to reach out or take your foot off the pedal and be flexible as they adapt to a new way of working.

A lack of physical access to your team and a lost sense of control can make it all too easy to fall into the micromanagement trap while operating remotely. Act with your employees, not on their behalf and try to find a mutual zen when it comes to the double-edged sword of 'overcommunication'.

You would be surprised at what your team can achieve when left to their own digital devices.

Image Credit: AmazonAWS