Dear Annie: My son is being micromanaged by an absentee owner via security camera

Dear Annie: My son is the manager at a nice established restaurant. The owner is absent and only communicates through texts and calls to my son. The problem is he does so 20 to 30 times a day! He watches his camera system from home and nitpicks everything he deems wrong.

My son has been managing for four years, and in that time, the restaurant has flourished and grown substantially. The real problem is the owner doesn’t have any idea what it takes on the floor to run the place; it’s a whole different view from a camera. Due to this insane micromanaging, the staff is under-appreciated and overworked, and my son is starting to develop stress-related health problems. How do we handle this man and his insane ways? Quitting is not an option. — Out-of-Control Restaurant Owner

Dear Out of Control: Quitting is always an option. Your son sounds highly competent with a track record of success, so he should apply to other high-end restaurants or hospitality groups in the area, assuming he has already attempted communicating his frustrations with the owner.

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“How Can I Forgive My Cheating Partner?” is out now! Annie Lane’s second anthology — featuring favorite columns on marriage, infidelity, communication and reconciliation — is available as a paperback and e-book. Visit Creators Publishing for more information. Send your questions for Annie Lane to [email protected].