Cultivate Creative Deviance in Your Staff

There are circumstances in which we don’t want our employees to follow the rules, say organizational science experts from University of Cologne in Germany and Woolworths Group in Australia. Those are the circumstances in which creative deviance produces superior results and, as a consequence, might inspire a change in the rules.
     In exploring how well that approach worked in a total of seventeen stores, the scientists did spot certain types of rules which were exceptions: safety and stock replenishment. Here the supervisor is open to discussions about revising the rules, but strict adherence to the existing standards must be maintained. More generally, the advantages of employees’ creative deviance occur only when there is a network of norms. People feel most comfortable experimenting within environments which are structured and predictable.
     Supervisors who themselves practice creative deviance serve well as models for staff. This should be combined with granting employees authority to make decisions, but also responsibility and accountability. When your employees do go beyond what the store policies say, they should be expected to let their supervisor know so the issue can be discussed. Another element in this empowerment is making clear that some employees will be granted more latitude than others while your objective is to give progressively greater empowerment as employees demonstrate progressively greater wisdom.
     Attention to good business practices is essential. An example of creative deviance gone rogue is sweethearting, which refers to a store employee:

• Giving away products for free or at a deep price cut 
• With plans to get, in return, an extra tip, increased social status, or a product for free or at a deep price cut from the sweethearting recipient 
• And all this violating policies set by the store owner/operator 

     Studies at Michigan State University and Florida State University suggest ways to rein in sweethearting:

• Set policies which are unambiguous and easily understood. What sorts of items can be given away or deeply discounted? Which employees are granted the discretion to do this and under what circumstances? What practices, such as trading discounts, are forbidden? To audit the extent and the effectiveness of the practices, what degree of reporting and accountability are required from those employees? Keep reporting simple so you don’t discourage appropriate gifting. 
• Enforce policies by punishing offenders, but be careful not to make the punishments out of proportion to the offense. Severe punishment does not curb subsequent sweethearting by staff. 

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