Office politics happens when employees try to get something that’s beyond their control by tarnishing their colleagues’ reputation. Workplace politics can indeed damage your business. Studies suggest that employees who are involved in office politics spend less time paying attention to the work that they’ve been hired to do. Most people who play office politics tend to misuse their powers in order to gain the attention of the attention of the management (or their superiors). Understanding office politics can help you prevent an impending decline in productivity. This article highlights some of the key reasons why people engage in workplace politics.
1. Getting into the Limelight
There’s a section of employees who go to work just for the sake of it. They don’t believe in working hard in order to get results. These individuals tend to divert their energies to nasty politics in an attempt to create a not-so-pleasing image of their fellow workers in the eyes of superiors. Indeed, this is understood to be the main motivation behind workplace politics.
2. Personal Relationships
Sometimes, workplace politics results from personal relationships amongst employees. This happens when some employees get out of their way in order to protect or support a relative, neighbor or friend at the workplace. By doing this, they mix business with their personal lives. They fail to understand that no special favors should be applied when dealing with others at the workplace.
3. Blame Games
Blame games are a common occurrence in today’s competitive workplace. In an attempt to endear themselves to seniors, some employees will try to shed a negative light on their peers when something goes wrong. Instead of controlling their tongue, they always find fault in others. Rather than do this, responsible employees will listen to each other, and treat others’ opinions as important. They learn to shoulder their own responsibilities and admit it when they do something wrong.
4. Lack of Trust
Trust is a crucial ingredient of interpersonal relationships. In the workplace, employees share various secrets and important information amongst themselves. If someone gives you confidential information, you shouldn’t go talking about it to anyone who wants to listen. Have it in mind that it’s human relationships and trust that helps you in the long run.
5. Manipulations
Some employees try to manipulate information in order to mislead their superiors or the management of the firm where they work. By doing this, they cultivate nasty politics which ends up impacting others negatively and leading to lost work time for the business.
6. Gossips
Workplace politics also happens when employees are involved in unnecessary gossip. Criticism, leg pulling, hatred, and backstabbing all lead to politics. Jealous employees will do anything to make sure that their peers do not do better. These are some of the common issues that lead to the negative practice that’s office politics. Most businesses lose a lot of paid-for staff time just because they do not acknowledge and tackle politics. Organizations should come up with a policy that discourages politics and other unethical workplace practices that do not work to the benefit of the business.