Office Politics: How to Navigate Office Politics

The term “office politics” describes the social structures and interpersonal relationships that make up a workplace. A company might have organizational politics that arise out of their leadership hierarchy or political behaviors around teamwork and personal agendas. Office politics can sometimes be positive, such as when coworkers work together to achieve personal goals and team goals, but the term can also include gossip, cliques, drama, and negative behaviors that are self-serving and can lead to unhealthy work relationships and work environments.

Many types of workplace dynamics—including positive and negative politics—exist. The following examples can help you better understand the definition of office politics:

• Competition: While competition in the workplace can sometimes be healthy, it can also lead to friction and resentment between coworkers. Team members might compete to get a specific job title at the company or they may compete to be put in charge of a project. This competition can motivate hard work or create power dynamics with negative effects.
• Office gossip: It’s not uncommon for coworkers to talk about each other in the workplace. Office gossip can include positive comments and compliments about coworkers, but it can also involve making negative comments at the expense of others and might include talking about other team member’s personalities, their decision-making abilities, or their personal lives. A work environment with negative office gossip can lead to conflicts, and team members might feel unsafe or criticized.
• Recognition: All employees should feel equally recognized and appreciated for their hard work. If one employee received more recognition than another or if an employee’s work goes unnoticed, team members can begin to feel resentment toward their leaders and teammates. Favoritism can lead to distrust and a lack of employee engagement.

There are a few tips you can follow to help keep workplace politics positive as you develop a healthy workplace culture. You can avoid office drama by:

1. 1. Being positive and encouraging: Avoid talking negatively about others in the workplace, including making hurtful comments about their personal lives or about their work. Learn how to give constructive feedback and be generous with your compliments and praise.
2. 2. Developing your communication skills: Both in and out of the workplace, effective communication lets you express your intentions and feelings in an easy-to-understand message. Along with other social skills, effective communication can reduce misunderstandings that arise because of miscommunication. Learning how to have open communication can improve your interpersonal skills to help you understand what others are saying and can make you a better collaborator and team member.
3. 3. Remaining professional: Keeping your actions and relationships between you and your coworkers professional is a good way to avoid negative office politicking. Try to remain formal in the workplace and avoid making personal comments or negative comments about others. Try to focus on your tasks and keep your work relationships friendly and considerate.

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