How Stress And Micromanagement Effects Our Employees.
Many years ago, I had several friends that worked at a Los Angeles-based emergency room, and they were all talking about how Monday mornings were the worst since they had an influx of incoming patients with severe stomach pain. It seemed that they also expressed a stressful workplace environment. Abdominal pain or severe abdominal pain on a Monday morning before work says something.
I have had my own business since 2009, and before that, I could tell you how many bad work relationships I had with management. The micromanagement of a creative employee never works. I know that even after these two sentences some of you may be experiencing slight discomfort in your stomach reading this. Why? You might be recalling work experiences that were quite traumatic.
Women of colour are more susceptible to this type of scrutiny in their career more than any other counterpart. Usually, we have to prove ourselves and have to outdo the performance levels of other co-workers to be considered equal, and even then, this may not be the final measurement. It used to be you stayed at a company, and over time you could “prove yourself” and reach your mid-management potential.
The younger generation is now leaving companies sooner than later (millennials five or so years and Gen Z is leaving sooner than that) if companies do not promote or acknowledge their work. After our collective lockdowns from Covid, new language has been developed around bad work experiences like “toxic work environment” or even “PTSD” from bad work dynamics. The younger and much braver generations have had enough and have even filmed themselves resigning on TikTok. The great resignation is upon us.
Not only are we experiencing this mass exodus to toxic-type jobs we are also seeing a slow, disconnected approach to hiring, and with the looming recession, we are all afraid to go forward.
Collectively we do not believe in each other. Lack of trust and respect for employers is at an all-time high, and with good reason. The pyramid structure in the hierarchy does not include the basic need of employees. Seen for many years as widgets, these resistant humans are no longer taking this poor treatment and as a business owner, I am here for it. Treating people in your company poorly will not be sustainable for your business.
The perfect case study for this is the deflation of Elon Musk’s businesses. Where going hard 24 7 and stressful management expectations, unrealistic KPIs, and other stressors of constantly being threatened to be laid off are taking a toll, and it shows.
I have worked at various creative agencies that focus on KPIs rather than the creative process. It never works out. People need breathing space to create and actually need more of an inverted pyramid process and value the employee first. When we value employees first, your entire business changes. It’s less about focusing on the lack of creativity but rather focusing on the abundance of ideas and techniques.
A great example of this is Taika Waititi Screenwriter’s Lecture, where he shares that his process is a bit lazy but comes together in time. Jennifer Saunders explains that she needs a full day of shopping, lunch, champaign and inspiration from magazines to fuel her creative process.
Instead of KPIs we should be looking at each individual employee and be really radical by asking “So tell me about your process on a good day?” The daring to ask, “Tell me your process on a bad day, and how can I help?” Being human should be your KPI.
As an owner of a social media creative energy, here are the takeaways that my colleagues have taught me over the years.
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Everyone is a colleague because a hierarchical structure does not work. There is no collaboration with hierarchy.
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A mental day off is the same as calling out sick and should be respected.
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When work quality declines, this is the time to have a one-on-one listen, not a KPI review.
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The body is always first. A walk or time off in the afternoon will always benefit the final product delivery.
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Your colleague may not be used to asking for support. This is the time for a private meeting over coffee or lunch. Tell them many ways on how you two can come up with your own language in reaching out for support.
As we navigate into a new frontier where everything is uncertain what are the ways you can show a healthy and thriving work environment. This is your responsibility, and mental health should always be number one. And lastly, f*ck the hierarchy if you want to become a truly collective high vibing environment.
