I had the perfect article written in my head about an hour ago; that is, until I stopped to get a cup of coffee. The barista was getting reprimanded by her boss for not sweeping and five or six other tasks she wasn’t doing. To add insult to injury, the boss wasn’t in the building and was yelling over a speaker.
When I asked about the situation, her answer was the boss watches remotely using security cameras. He has the power to push a button and talk to the employees and apparently uses that option quite a bit. She told me he micromanages everything she does.
You know, I never really thought about it until now. I was micromanaged at my first real job as a hotel front desk clerk and concierge. One of my responsibilities was to collate black and white documents for hotel guests. I took pride in my job.
My boss documented the printer’s counter at the start and end of my shift. He then calculated the number of copies against the orders. Even with a tiny discrepancy between the counter and number of copies I would be scolded and told to account for the difference. I didn’t stay at that job very long.
Several years ago I was asked to install a computer network for a mid-sized company in our area. One of the requirements was the ability to monitor computer activities by watching in real-time. The owner’s logic was to police personal use of the network. Ironically, the staff being monitored worked on commission.
A buddy of mine managed a theater for a few years until his boss accused him of stealing popcorn. The theater owner electronically compared the number of bags and kernels being purchased. Two days after the popper burned he was accused of stealing a two pound bag worth about $2.00.
Technology makes micromanaging employees very easy. Before technology entered the workplace bad bosses would walk around and nitpick every little thing. My boss would have stood over me at the copier. Today, technology makes watching us easy which I believe is why we hear these stories.
The ability to count activities very precisely makes tracking employee productivity that much easier. As a boss I completely understand motivating employees to meet objectives by producing more. But I also comprehend that people aren’t precise machines and we make mistakes.
Monitoring employees remotely leads to low morale. Good employees shouldn’t be barked at for not sweeping the floor at exactly 7:00PM or for checking Facebook during the day. Empowering the employee to make decisions about their workday and how they utilize their time leads to much better overall productivity.
Bosses who use technology to micromanage (or even manage) are missing out on the true meaning of being in a team. In my world, managing a team means giving a goal and congratulating when we make it or empathizing when we don’t. Technology used this way throws up an instant barrier and proves detrimental in the long run.
Business is about numbers, I get it. We as employers need to stop using technology to find shortcomings in our employees. Utilizing technology to cull out a bad apple in the organization is OK, but it should never be used to monitor good team members. A good boss should lead by example by diving into the trenches with employees and stop monitoring every breath. Bad employees should be retrained or terminated.
(Jeromy Patriquin is the President of Laptop & Computer Repair, Inc. located at 509 Main St. in Gardner. You can call him at (978) 919-8059 or visit www.LocalComputerWiz.com.)