Micromanaging Officially Died During the Pandemic

Before the pandemic, talent recruitment and retention was among the top concerns for companies. It was informing everything from office design to location to workplace strategy. Like most things, the trend only accelerated during the pandemic, and companies will once again have to adjust. RETS Associates recruiters have offered some insight into how companies and a management will need to adjust in a post-pandemic world.

This round, employees are expecting more independence. After a year of remote work, employees are not willing to accept an environment with micromanagement. “The pandemic has taught employees that they can accomplish their jobs effectively while working from home, without micromanagement and excessive oversight, and so more employees are demanding this management style from their employers,” Erika Daniel of RETS Associates, tells GlobeSt.com

Instead, employees are looking for management to have confidence in their ability to do the job. “Autonomy and being trusted to get the job done are critical,” says Daniel. “The type of environment where employees touch base and interact enough to build rapport and form a cohesive team, but then move forward on their own to get their work done strikes a great balance. I think what we all appreciate about working at RETS is our independence.”

Workers have also adjusted to flexible work schedules and work locations. Maintaining this flexibility is a top question among new recruits. “Flexibility is an increasingly prevalent demand from candidates,” says Berkeley Davis. “This trend began before COVID-19 and has only been exacerbated by the pandemic. Most people are able to work productively from home at least some of the time, and they want the ability to continue doing so.”

Companies that are adapting to flexible work schedules and work models—including a combination of remote work and in-office work—are winning new hires. “They also want more control over their work schedule—when they work as well as how many hours. In fact, that flexibility was what attracted me to RETS after working for many years in CRE, and it’s one of the reasons I’ve been so successful at RETS,” says Davis. “As more candidates and employees demand flexibility, employers must find ways to provide it in order to remain competitive.”