Office Politics is not Good for the Workplace!! What you can do to reduce it!
Do you work in an organization where “office politics” is prevalent? Does your workday consist of silent agendas, cliques, undermining, favoritism, rumors, gossip, blame, or people withholding information? If you can say yes to these questions, you are not alone.
According to a report by Pepperdine Business School, office politics plays a major role in most organizations. Overall, 68% of those surveyed reported office politics is very or somewhat prevalent and 29% feel it affects their ability to get further in their career.
Office politics can be a challenging and sometimes frustrating aspect of working in a professional environment. While it might not be possible to completely eliminate office politics, you can take steps to mitigate their negative effects and create a more positive workplace culture.
If you are looking to reduce the office politics in your organization, here are some strategies to consider:
Lead by Example: Demonstrate professionalism, fairness, and respect in all of your interactions with colleagues. By setting a positive example, you encourage others to follow suit.
Open Communication: Encourage open and transparent communication among team members. Misunderstandings and conflicts can often arise from miscommunication or lack of information. Regularly share updates, feedback, and progress reports to keep everyone informed.
Focus on Common Goals: Emphasize the importance of working together toward common goals. When employees recognize that their success is linked to the success of the team or organization, they're more likely to collaborate instead of engaging in divisive behavior.
Address Issues Promptly: If you notice any signs of office politics or conflicts arising, address them promptly and privately. Encourage individuals to express their concerns and work together to find solutions that benefit everyone.
Promote a Positive Culture: Foster a workplace culture that values teamwork, collaboration, mutual respect and encouraging employees to play to their strengths. Recognize and reward employees for their contributions to teamwork and the overall success of the organization.
Provide Clear Expectations and Guidelines: Establish clear expectations and guidelines for behavior and performance levels. This helps create a standard of professionalism and reduces the potential for power struggles or manipulation.
Provide Effective Communication Training: Offer training that reinforces ways of improving conflict resolution and communication skills. Equip employees with the tools they need to address disagreements in a constructive and respectful manner.
Empower Employees: Encourage employees to take ownership of their work and responsibilities. When individuals feel empowered, they're less likely to engage in negative behaviors as they focus on their own growth and success.
Promote and foster Strong Leadership: Effective leadership can play a significant role in minimizing office politics. Leaders who are fair, transparent, and approachable can set the tone for the entire team.
Consistent Team Building and Team Development: Plan regular team-building and team development activities that help employees get to know each other on a personal level. This can foster stronger relationships and reduce the likelihood of misunderstandings. By bringing employees together and facilitating activities that promote diversity and inclusion can bring different perspectives and ideas to the table, reducing the likelihood of groupthink and office politics.
Using team development tools like Gallup’s CliftonStrengths can help employees learn more about themselves and each other and encourage healthy positive interactions. When employees begin to learn more about themselves and how they are wired, they will become more understanding and have a deeper appreciation for the differences their colleagues bring to the workplace.
It is important to remember that while you can take steps to mitigate office politics, it's unrealistic to completely eliminate them. People have different personalities, motivations, and interests, which can sometimes lead to conflicts.
The goal is to create a workplace where conflicts are addressed in a healthy and productive way, rather than turning into toxic office politics.
