Why are Indian startups so obsessed with Micromanagement? i.e. WFO
I have been talking to a few companies, across different size bands. Only Indian startups seem to obsessed with full week WFO/Micromanagement. A few years back, startups were known for being more flexible, now it just seems to be the reverse.
I know a lot of folks will not agree, but when it comes to accountability (+ some integrity), the vast majority are really really behind. Those who show some are stomped up on as well.
The only way to get over this might be to micromanage. I'm not in support of it, but I myself have been seeing a change around me because of some people, a few others will also have to suffer from micro-management. Yes, it's not easy on me/my mind, but the work is moving a bit more.
I've seen this at a lot of places. I usually trust others with things, but the results have more often disappointed me. Now, I just delegate only of it's really required.
Umadbro
Stealth
6 months ago
Would it look good if they only call the underperforming junta to the office and let others stay at home?
Fire the underperforming junta instead of punishing everyone with letting go of 3 more hours of their lives everyday.
And frankly, underperformers will underperform even with their (micro)managers breathing down their necks.
We aren't school children to be supervised by teachers.
Umadbro
Stealth
6 months ago
People getting fired because of underperformance in remote would want the company to make an effort to help fix it rather than directly fire them. By reducing the possible factors of underperformance
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We are “lack-of-trust” society keen to maximising the profit/accolades/appreciation at respective nodes.
Qwerty2398
Stealth
6 months ago
Because there are only two types of startups
1. Bootstrapped- when I invest my personal savings amount going to be extra cautious of what is being done. I can't afford failure.
2. Investor money - I can achieve generational wealth in a couple of years. The more I micromanage the more I make in a shorter time. I need to make my wealth before investors realise the scam.
You are making the assumption that micromanagement leads to better outcomes.
Qwerty2398
Stealth
6 months ago
Micromanagent leads to better outcomes.
For company -maybe or may not
For the founder - yes.
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NaivePoint62
Stealth
6 months ago
People want to control the life of employees. They think that they have bought the employee for full time (24X7X365).
Very few folks believe that the job is just a means to live life rather than entire life itself.
It's the same philosophy which goes into deciding WFH vs WFO.
I know a few people(HoD, SVPs, VPs) who consider WFH to be a leave. That says a lot about a person.
Cheese
Stealth
6 months ago
I have heard about a shit co,
Every week a whole day is spent reviewing what the engineer/manager/pm did in a week. Against their names.
Absolutely bull shit. No wfh, work 24*7. Wish no one gets into that place
WFO not necessarily means micromanagement. Seems you have gotten your fiest job in covid times, and now you are not ready to go back to normal
Nope, I was in my 4th job.
Once we have been introduced to a superior system, we don't go back to an inferior one only because we used it before.
I have also spent most of my life doing cash transactions, but I won't go back to it in India, now that we have UPI.
You would go back to cash as soon as the network goes down.
WFH is not a superior system, it’s just one more system
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Pagal kar dia hai, bipolar founder going nuts, if I complete thing independently he feels fomo, if I take his help he feels lack of ownership 😅🤣
Pata nai, subah subah konsi book padhle aur uss par chalne lge, Ekdum Random
plmunger
Student
6 months ago
Name and shame brother!
Node
Stealth
6 months ago
it's a hallmark of Indian culture. people don't like individualism. And they also want to gossip.
2023 - Come to office because we need "culture"
2024- You're fired as we've replaced you with chatGPT
Pvykey
Stealth
6 months ago
Underperformers will underperform no matter what
Micromanaging everyone will push over performers to underperform
I joined infy last year after working for an year in pune based startup, micromanagement is the worst thing. they literally share excel and asked us to fill hourly updates. its hell, never choose a startup. choose a product based company or atleast do proper research before joining, they altered glassdoor reviews.
I'm currently working in a series A startup. Some serious shady business. The founders only have an inner circle who know what is going on. They replaced the entire tech team just because they had a fully remote policy before and suddenly realised they want everyone in office 5 days a week. Doesn't matter that the 2 of the 3 founders live abroad and most senior management people don't come to the office.
Also hiring people behind employees back, labelling it as 'confidential hiring' and once the new employee comes in, they tell the existing employee to resign
plmunger
Student
6 months ago
Name and shame please! It helps everyone avoid such companies
BearBear
Stealth
6 months ago
You're right
Yes, I agree with you.. I was a part of start up. And observed that they think micromanagement is the the only key for them to make the things done before their deadline
Kamlesh
Stealth
6 months ago
Because seniors are all 35+ mostly, they've mostly never tried WFH and are used to wfo.
Plus the real estate mafia.
Axiomatic
Stealth
6 months ago
While complacency in startups and bigcos is almost roughly the same, it tends to get spotlighted and discovered much easily in the former, because startups, no matter how extravagant or extreme with hiring , still operate on barebones staff as compared to your typical bigco. Whereas in a bigco most people slip through the eyes in the complex charade of processes, protocols and tats, startups mein its hard to do it consistently. Eventually everyones gonna complain that xyz doesn’t pull their weight, ukwim? So startups need to be more vigilant aka micromanage.
The ugly truth is a good chunk of people can’t be trusted to do their jobs diligently when no one’s looking , and unfortunately in a team setting, _most_ of the times it has a cascading impact that almost always affects someone else who’s trying to.
RightPatch
Stealth
6 months ago
There are two sides:
1. Managers: most of them lack the skillset, they rely on juniors or crowd thinking to know the current status. More like a rubber duck debugging, keep all the juniors talking you know how to navigate or control the ship.
2. The Followers: most will come with a 9-5 attitude and while there's nothing wrong with it they lack a clear plan / goal for constant climbing the ladder. This leads to unenthusiastic individuals just living day by day or focusing entirely on their next thing.
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