The world of work is as diverse as it is drudgerous, and, accordingly, it comes as no surprise that our workplace leaders adopt a whole host of conflicting management styles, from nightmarish David Brent esque figures all the way to understanding, encouraging mentors who you actually enjoy working for.
Generally speaking, however, and without wishing to be reductive, managers can broadly be categorised as being ‘hands-on’ or ‘hands-off’.
A hands-on manager tends to be directly involved in their team’s projects and works in close proximity to their staff, monitoring progress. A manager who takes a hands-off approach will not be quite as involved in the day-to-day tasks, instead granting their employees a sense of independence and autonomy. Both styles have their advantages and disadvantages, and it’s worth considering these carefully to decide the best approach for your workplace.
Daily Involvement
Managers who work closely with their teams keep their knowledge of their company up-to-date and may gain a greater rapport with their team as they work so closely together. This can help them in planning future projects or decisions in the direction the company should be taking.
It is easy for the hands-off manager to become out of touch, remaining ignorant of what is happening in the workplace and perhaps giving them unrealistic expectations of where the company is headed. As the Harvard Business Review point out, a hands-off boss may have a poor command of the details.
That said, many employees will view a hands-on manager’s nature as overbearing and suffocating, which can sometimes lead to discord and stifle creativity.
Regardless of whether the manager takes a hands-on or hands-off approach, idea management plays a crucial role in fostering creativity and innovation within a team.
Micromanaging
There is a fine line between managerial involvement in a project and micromanaging it, causing resentment among your capable employees. Employees who can manage their own work will gain a range of skills that might otherwise go undeveloped. In fact, many employees will feel more fulfilled and have greater pride in their success if they have a manager with a more hands-off approach.
Whether the hands-off approach will boost performance depends very much on your employees. For motivated employees, it probably will, but for employees who require encouragement and guidance to produce their best work, a hand-off approach may mean that work is of poorer quality.
In some cases, it should be noted that micromanaging may even be considered a form of bullying, by law.
That said, knowing when to micromanage and not can be essential in the overall management of the employees. Generally, there are certain instances wherein micromanaging proves to be beneficial. For example, when there’s a problem employee, a hands-on manager must ensure the concerned employee will not continue with their offensive behaviour.
Also, micromanagement can be an excellent approach when the company starts new ventures or processes, deals with some financial and legal issues, does high-risk activities, and makes significant changes.
By knowing all these things, a manager can figure out the best way to manage the employees and bring out the best in them. Whether it should be hands-on or hands-off depends on certain circumstances.
Identifying Problems
In the majority of workplaces, an involved manager can nip problems in the bud, not allowing them to develop into a serious matter – an opportunity that the hands-off manager may miss. A hands-on manager may be able to quickly spot if a particular employee is not delivering their accustomed standard, allowing you to offer support with training or mentoring.
Personal problems can spill into the workplace, and a hands-on manager may be able to help. However, it may also lead to an employee feeling picked on if a manager is too persistent.
In cases of particular sensitivity, such as substance abuse, for instance, a hands-off manager may be more approachable, as they won’t have developed quite the same intimacy with their staff. Such distance is often required to deal with personal, private issues with the appropriate level of compassion.
Dealing with issues surrounding substance abuse discreetly is imperative, and may be more aptly handled by a more hands-off manager. Though in some professions, such as those involving transport and energy generation, the use of drug testing is more common, it is generally considered unethical and intrusive in most workplaces. Instead, a softer touch is almost always preferable.
Instead, as the Trades Union Congress advise, managers of all types should seek to negotiate a transparent and comprehensive drugs and alcohol policy that addresses issues in a fair, open way. They go on to say that ‘’In some workplaces, some form of drug testing can have a part to play in that, but they should never be the first line of protection.’’
Other forms of particularly invasive monitoring of employees, such as secretly recording staff meetings, may fall foul of the law, and in recent years, have been accepted by the Employment Appeals Tribunal as a form of bullying.
Rewards & Discipline
Managers who work closely with their teams may build close working relationships or even friendships, for better or for worse. That may make it hard to be impartial when, for example, considering which of your team is deserving of promotion. It may also make managers reluctant to take disciplinary action if this is required. A hands-off manager will find it far easier to maintain a professional distance, allowing them to make these decisions impartially.
Since they presume they’ve hired the right people for the company, they let them work independently with minimal supervision. In that case, rewarding hardworking employees – whether that’s with a simple praise, s bonus or something more immediately tangible like gift cards for Uber Eats, Apple Music or Amazon – and imposing disciplinary actions on the erring ones won’t be an issue for them and the organisation.
Consequently, a hands-off manager can ensure equality and diversity in the workforce. However, the organisation deals with equality and diversity issues.
In that case, a diversity and inclusion training course for the employees can be a great way to create an inclusive workplace and collaborate in a diverse environment. This training course can help managers identify biases that have a negative impact on the employees and the organisation as a whole.
The Bottom Line
Accordingly, it could be argued that there is no one-size-fits-all managerial style, and ultimately, it’s up to managers to decide whether closely supervising their team will be a help or a hindrance.