Management Styles on Employee Well-Being

Introduction

As the new Generation Z (Gen Z) begins to roll out, employee well-being is continuously

being publicized and brought to light through social media platforms, including Instagram and

TikTok. Social media platforms amplify employee dissatisfaction while also shaping perception

of micromanagement. According to McKinsey & Company, Generation Z refers to people born

between 1996 and 2010 and are also known as “digital natives,” the first generation to grow up

with the internet (McKinsey & Company, 2024). As digital natives, members of Generation Z,

are consistently on social media, where they see posts, videos, or memes where employees rant

about their managers. Many of these employees are expressing concern over managers that share traits such as their desire for control, lack of trust among their employees, or rarely satisfied with results from tasks. As a result, society is reminded daily of the characteristics of the typical corporate manager, who is often described as a micromanaging boss. Micromanagement is a management style that entails excessive control and scrutiny over employees’ tasks and responsibilities and is still typical today (Bwalya, 2024). Although micromanagement can be potentially beneficial, frequent problems that arise from micromanagement include decreased employee morale and engagement, reduced creativity and innovation, increased turnover and burnout, and reduced productivity (Bwalya, 2024). Through this research, we examine the effects of micromanagement on employee well-being, impacting organizational success, employee morale, and productivity in the workplace.

 Although micromanagement can be potentially beneficial, frequent problems that arise from micromanagement include decreased employee morale and engagement, reduced creativity and innovation, increased turnover and burnout, and reduced productivity (Bwalya, 2024).

How Micromanagement Impacts Employee Productivity and Morale

Over the past few years, we have consistently seen micromanagement habits in the

workplace. Managers insist on excessive frequent check-ins, creating frequent and unimportant

changes to policies or procedures, such as banning or significantly reducing telecommuting, as

Marissa Myer, former Yahoo CEO, once did (Bwalya, 2024). This ban was widely opposed for

its impact on employee morale and productivity since employee morale is one of the most vital

psychological states of mind. It is projected through self-confidence, enthusiasm for their work,

and devotion toward an organization (Ndidi et al., 2022). Through employee morale comes

productivity. If employees have a strong commitment to their organizations, they will be inclined

to work challenging and longer hours. Employee productivity is a measurement of a worker’s or

group of worker’s efficiency (Ndidi et al., 2022). Employee productivity can show up in many

ways such as increasing customer satisfaction and loyalty levels, achieving sales targets, and

output per hour of labor.

Some features of a micromanager entail detailed task management, high levels of

interventions and corrections, obsessive attention to detail, or reluctance to delegate authority

among employees (Bwalya, 2024). When employees are excessively checked on and ordered to

perform tasks in specific ways, this can decrease morale and engagement as they are prevented from taking ownership of their work. When ordering employees to perform a task a certain way, the time spent doing this for multiple workers will outweigh the time spent on said task(s). Excessive monitoring from micromanagement will ultimately eliminate the workers’ initiative, motivation to make their own decisions, and potential to grow into roles with a more demanding responsibility (Ndidi et al., 2022). High levels of interventions and corrections lead to job disengagement, where the job is no longer fulfilling or challenging. Employees will have no choice but to question why they were given specific tasks if their manager repeatedly tells them

how to complete each task. Employee disengagement manifests in various ways, including

seeking methods to vent their dissatisfaction and becoming frustrated with their employer (Ndidi et al., 2022).

With these findings in mind, organizations must find a way to foster positive work

environments while also emphasizing employee autonomy, the ability to make independent

choices, and the freedom to act on their choices.

Transformational Management Styles

Leaders in the workplace need to use leadership styles emphasizing motivation that will

allow their employees to flourish and perform at their best. Leaders all around the world and in

various industries use different leadership styles to lead their teams and promote a positive work culture. However, transformational leadership alone has led to organizational success in multiple industries.

Transformational leadership is a type of leadership that directs an organization to change, in contrast to maintaining the status quo. Transformational leaders are often aware of organizational development and performance, motivate their workers, and emphasize goals (Kesumawati et al., 2018). A recent study performed in Indonesia by Nila Kesumawati et al. analyzed the effect of transformational leadership and motivation on teacher's performance. The researchers conducted surveys on a sample size of 193 teachers, resulting in findings that supported their hypothesis that transformational leadership and work motivation positively and significantly impact employee productivity (Kesumawati et al., 2018).

Both education and business industries are similar in that they involve teaching and

mentorship. In the business industry, managers are frequently teaching employees how to perform tasks. When managers delegate tasks to their employees, include them in decision-

making practices, and give them mutual respect, this, in turn, develops into a flourishing and

positive work environment, boosting motivation. Including employees in decision-making builds

trust and a sense of belonging, often resulting in better organizational commitment. In any

organization, employees respond by increasing levels of productivity when providing praises and

incentives such as positive feedback, the possibility of promotions, and raises. Therefore, it is

imperative that managers understand the importance of adopting a transformational leadership

style that fosters a motivating, healthy work environment.

Conclusion

Under Bukele’s leadership, El Salvador’s economy has experienced significant changes. His aggressive approach to crime reduction has lowered the crime rate significantly and made the country one of the safest in the world. This has also helped the economy, as Bukele has since been able to modernize it by implementing Bitcoin as a currency in the country, allowing El Salvador to enter into new and exciting territory in its history. This decision has helped Bukele advocate for foreign investments with the U.S. as he tries to build a strong and diverse economic foundation for the country. However, despite the improvements in multiple areas, El Salvador faces challenges in developing and implementing technology in the workforce. Bukele and his administration have introduced educational reforms to address this gap, looking to prepare the next generation to be more tech-savvy. The path El Salvador, Bukele, and his administration are on will continue to help the country grow, especially when it reaches the point where more U.S. companies would like to invest their funds into an increasingly prosperous country like El Salvador.