Micro-Management=Poor Morale and feelings of negativity

The bottom line in health care these days is $$$$$$$$$ upper management staff are hired to weed out and improve that bottom line, by any means necessary! They are not interested in 'moral' they are only interested in pleasing the board of directors. Nurses Announcements Archive Article

Recently it has come to my attention that I am being micro-managed, so what does Micro-Management mean to the everyday worker?

I can tell you that I don't enjoy being micro-managed and it feels very negative and nowadays negativity is a bad word which should not be uttered!

Merriam-Webster's Online Dictionary defines[3] micromanagement as "manage[ment] especially with excessive control or attention on details".

So how do I know I am being micromanaged? I have a new regional director who is new to our company, as a manager of a health care facility I am already competent in managing my unit, although we are short of staff and we are having problems recruiting appropriate staff.

My new manager in new to managing managers, so while she is supposed to be very good at managing a unit, she has zero experience of managing managers!

Managing Managers is a complete different concept than managing floor staff because 'normally' managers are already experts in their specialty, they have further education, they should be current in policy and procedures, have some knowledge of employment law, they are motivated and they should be excellent resources.

As a regional director her responsibility is support of her managers not trying to micro manage staff who already have too many bosses as it is. If a unit is running well, knows the p&p and their only gripe is 'we are always working short' it does not help if an RD comes in and starts criticizing the floor staff before they have actually taken the time to get to know the staff.

The bottom line in health care these days is $$$$$$$$$ upper management staff are hired to weed out and improve that bottom line, by any means necessary! They are not interested in 'moral' they are only interested in pleasing the board of directors.

Quality of care has to be maintained at a high level, but upper management do not believe that 'low morale' should have an impact on the Quality of Care.

BOD believe that cut the RN's, LPN's, and the aids-give the RN more accountability and more patients, save money and increase the level of Quality of Care. They do not see it is unobtainable because if any of them or their families end up in the hospital they get top notch care, because the powers that be make sure they need for nothing.

I am sure every RN has at some time looked after a 'VIP' and I know special arrangements have been made for these people who fall under the category of a "VIP'!

Another phrase which should not be uttered is 'low morale' this has become a swear word in the health care management community.

Did you know that low morale due to cut backs, staff shortages and general feeling of discontent because staff are working short, is now the responsibility of the manager and charge nurses to improve-it doesn't matter that they have NO control over cut backs, staff shortages and general feeling of discontent!

So I hear a deep inhalation of breath, you are thinking that yes the managers do control the cut backs and staff shortages.

Well they don't managers of health care workers manage the staff within the budget which is allocated to them. If you are fully staffed and things are going really well, what happens is the budget is cut and the thumb screws are put on!

If you are within budget then you must be able to tighten things up, so lets cut the budget and the manager has to manage because that is their job.

If you are over budget well you are not doing well, you have tighten things up and staff must go!

So is the manager in control of the morale of the unit-Yes they are. I cannot count the amount of times I have encouraged the morale of the staff to be high!

Months and months of keeping them updated, sharing plans of recruitment, little gifts, pizza days, the list is endless of how I support my staff.

Yet I cannot solve the staffing problem, they always have to work short, we recruit but they dont make it for one reason or another.

Recently it has been so bad I have worked as a tech, as a nurse, as a cleaner-anything to support the staff and the patients. But I cannot sort out the staffing issues no matter how hard I try.

When low morale is caused by staff shortages it is extremely difficult to keep morale high because the only thing that will increase the morale is having/adding more staff!

The solution appears simple but actually it is very difficult!

Quote
Overwork, in and of itself, is seldom the cause of low morale. Exhaustion, yes. Low morale? No. However, when people are working very hard over and extended period of time and feel no hope for reward or a break, then morale suffers

Turning Around Low Morale

by A. J. Schuler, Psy. D.

Quote
Employee Morale

and the Healthcare Industry

Low employee morale has increased in the healthcare industries. Studies have found that 1 /5 of healthcare employees were reporting low morale. 40% of healthcare workers claim that they lack motivation. And studies have also found that nearly 25% did not feel any loyalty towards their employer.

Ten Real causes of Low Morale in Professional Firms by Tom "Bald Dog" Varjan

http://www.workplace-motivation.net/index.html

Micromanagement - Wikipedia

Avoiding Micromanagement - Management Training from MindTools.com

Home | Amber Naslund

Schuler Solutions Consulting

Specializes in RN, BSN, CHDN.

They say that sandwiching criticism is not recommended, yet as a manager I feel it is important to point out positive as well as negative-I want staff to improve not fail

Madwife, thanks for putting your thoughts out there.

You make a total of 1 manager I "know" who is willing to at least acknowledge the positive.

I'm not saying ignore the areas in need of improvement, but without focusing on any positives, nurses feel constantly deflated, and defeated, by managers.

Kudos for your willingness to empower your nurses with positive thoughts. :)

Micro-management hurts the confidence and the productivity of the staff. Managers that micromanage does not stimulate staff members to take initiative. I am going through a similar situation and find it very difficult to do my work, needless to say I have been doing it for the past seven years. New managers need to take the time to assess their staff working styles and based on that assessment, managers can delegate the work accordingly. For an organization, department,or office to succeed, a positive environment needs to be created. Healthy behaviors need to be modeled and encouraged. Is essential for team spirit and team collaboration to be encouraged among the staff. Managers who micro manages their staff creates feelings of frustration and stress which leads to high turn over of staff. If team work is encouraged, there will be no need to micro managing , less stress, frustration and greater productivity in the work place.