When Julie Started as Customer Service Manager at a Call

When Julie started as customer service manager at a call center six months ago, she instituted a new policy insisting that no more than two group members could be off the phones at any one time. To that end she wrote a schedule that staggered break and lunch times throughout the day. At first, her team demonstrated total compliance, but lately she has noticed that group members are breaking the rule and gathering in larger groups at lunch time. Despite repeatedly disciplining her subordinates, the behavior continues. Based on what you know about conformity and deviance, which of the following actions best ensures that Julie's team regains its efficiency and competitive advantage?

A) After asking her team about their actions and learning that they miss chatting as a group over lunch, she should revise her policy to allow larger groups to congregate provided there are at least four people manning the phones at all times.
B) She should increase the punishment for those who leave their posts at unsanctioned times, including terminating any group member caught breaking the rule more than five times in a 30-day period.
C) She should set up a tiered system of rewards for employees, granting extra breaks to those who adhere to the policy for one or more consecutive weeks, and a full day off with pay for those with a month-long spotless record.
D) She should rescind the policy completely and let the chaos that she believes will ensue be a lesson to the group, thereby teaching her employees the value of discipline and the need for rules, particularly in a business setting.

Correct Answer:

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