There aren't a lot of things that drive me more insane than being micro-managed. Not only does it prove that my employer doesn't trust me but it also proves that they don't trust themselves. They don't trust themselves to hire trustworthy people. (Do you feel like we just entered Inception too?) A while ago I was working for a company where the higher-ups didn't trust anybody that was below them on the corporate ladder. The first few months I worked there I noticed that my cube neighbor would spy on me. And once a day she'd ask what I was doing. Was she my boss? Not even close. Was she actually below me in the corporate ladder? Why yes indeed. But after a few months, she and I became friends and she confessed to the fact that my boss asked her to spy on me. (WHA???) I had done nothing to deserve so much mistrust - it was just the atmosphere of the whole place. Bless its heart.
I'm currently working for a company that I totally adore. Everyone just does their job and if they decide to get on Facebook or Youtube for a second, no body gets in trouble or is judged. You know why? Because we get our work done. Period. And as much as some employers like to deny it, there are down times. Whoever decided that every job in the U.S. could fill up 40 hours a week was on something. Sometimes you need to take a 3-5 min. break for your mental health and there shouldn't be anything wrong with it if you get your work done!
Because my bosses trust me, I trust them. I haven't been at this job for very long and I know I've already improved not only in graphic design but in illustrations and photography and art in general. The dialogue is positive, encouraging, and we talk like we're equals. There are some days that I don't even talk to my boss and guess what, I still meet my deadlines. At the workplace I mentioned before, I had to instant message my boss to let them know I was leaving my prison, err, I mean cubicle if it was going to be longer than 5 minutes.
So employers: don't micro-manage. Trust your employees. Give them the benefit of the doubt. If they give you a valid reason that they shouldn't be trusted, then go from there. But I can guarantee that if you assume the best of them from the get-go, there's a much higher chance that you'll get the best work and morale out of them.