As executives, business owners and hiring managers, we spend countless hours, budget and brainpower securing responsible and passionate employees who can be trusted to help us achieve our business goals.

Why then is it that once the employee starts, that trust often goes out the window and micro-managing begins?

Rather than encouraging employees to be accountable for their time and decisions, many companies still practice top-down management styles where employees are constantly monitored and molded to work in ways that might not be the most productive or efficient. Treating your employees like children kills motivation, damages employer brand and weakens retention because employees feel less like valued team members and more like replaceable cogs.

At my company, SmartRecruiters, employees manage their own time and I empower them to make their own decisions on how to meet business goals. Even if my entire management team is out for the day, projects stay on track. I hire self-driven, smart and dedicated adults, and so of course, I treat them as adults. In my experience, the following four methods are the most straightforward changes you can make to treat your employees like adults, too.

1. Realize that people's lives overlap with work.

This shouldn't come as a news flash. Life also happens between 9 and 5 on a weekday. It's up to employers to foster an environment that works with this reality, not against it. By offering programs such as unlimited vacation and flex time, you are saying, "We are all adults here. I trust you to get the work done on time." If you worry people would abuse these privileges, you might not have the right people working for you. Committed employees will meet their goals without iron-clad work hours to keep them on schedule.

2. Give employees macro goals and then let them own the process for meeting them.

Start trusting your employees to accomplish goals their way. This means squashing the idea that there is one "right way" to work in your company. The truth is, if you've hired intelligent and independent thinkers, everybody will have a different approach to meeting goals. For instance, you might have an employee who works linearly, completing one action item before moving to the next, versus someone who welcomes an asynchronous workflow, working on multiple projects simultaneously. Embrace this non-conformity. Give employees the macro goal, let them define the roadmap and meet them at the finish line.

3. Accept that failing is part of the job.

Your job is not to prevent employees from failing--they aren't toddlers near a hot stove. Instead, you have a duty to create a safe environment that encourages employees to be innovative and take risks. Yes, sometimes they will fail. We all do if we're stretching outside our comfort zones. The key is to ensure people learn from their mistakes. Encourage employees to understand why the misstep happened and help them identify what changes are required to be successful in future similar situations. Give them the opportunity to apply their learnings and insights, which in turn lets you build a stronger team and company.

4. Cut micro-manager from your title.

Your employees don't want to be lorded over just as much you don't want to lord over them. Rather than micro-manage your employees, motivate and inspire them. It will save you time by skipping constant check-ins. Be available to offer guidance and expertise when needed and create a comfortable environment for employees to ask for resources that let them get the job done better, faster and more cost effectively.