1.Identify ONE problem in the case. Then, analyze what is causing the your identified organizational problem at HPI and recommend specific actions involving either motivation, job satisfaction and/or employee engagement to resolve the organizational problem.

Step 1: Case background information (who, what, when, where)

Step 2: Defining the problem (identify only one)

Step 3:Identifying the causes of the problem

Role Conflict among Telephone Service Employees All supervisory jobs are not alike. Maggie Beckhard is du learning this fact. 115 After having spent three years de a production-scheduling supervisor at a Procter & Garable (P&G) manufacturing plant, she recently took a position as manager of telephone services at Halifax provident Insurance (IPPI). In her new job, Maggie super- writer 20 telephone service amployees. These people have direct contact with customers-providing quotes, pnewering questions, foliowing up on claims, and the like. At P&G, Maggie's employees knew they had only ORC scunstituency to please. That was management. But Maggie es discovering that her employees at HPI had k more difts- sult. As service employees, they have to serve two musters-management and the customer. And at least from comments her employees have made, they keem to daink there is a discrepancy between what they believe estomers want them to do and what they believe manage innend wants them to do. A frequent complaint, for instance, that customers want the telephone rep's ondivided attent- hand to spend as much time as necessary to solve that moblem. But the reps see raanagement as wanting them to dhe as many calls as possible per day and to keep each will as short as possible. This morning, a rep came into Maggie's office womplaining of severe headaches. The more I try to please tur customers, the more stress I feel," the top told Maggie. I want to do the best job I can for our customers, but I don't feel like I can devote the time that's necessary. You constantly remind us that it's customers that provide our paycheques and how impertant it is to give reliable, courteous, and responsive service, but thon we feel the pressure to handle more calls per hour." Maggie is well aware of studies that have shown that pole conflict is related to reduced job satistaction, increased turnover and absenteeism, and fewer organizational clo- znaship behaviours. Severe role conflict is almo likely to load to poor customer service the antithesis of ber depart- ment's goals. After talking with her staff, Maggie concluded that regarditoes of whether their perceptive wore accurate, her people certainly believed them to be. They were reading one set of expectations through their interactions with customers, and another set through what the company conveyed during the selection process, in training sessions, and through the behaviours that management powarded. Questions 1. What is the source of role conflict here? 2. Are there functional benefits to management from role conflict? Explain. 3. Should role conflict among these telephone service employees be any greater than it is for a typical employee who works as part of a team and has to meet the expectations of a boss, as well as those of his or her team members? Explan. 4 What can Maggie do to manage this role conflict