Politics are a part of life—and in the workplace, sometimes corporate politics take center stage.
While many organizations view their employees as a family, unchecked power imbalances and other unhealthy dynamics can quickly lead to a toxic company culture. This is especially true in today’s era of remote and hybrid arrangements, where the nature of daily interactions and interpersonal relationships at work are constantly changing.
Of course, not all workplace politics are harmful. But how can employers navigate this landscape to minimize conflict and lead with empathy? Let’s take a closer look at what political behavior actually looks like in the workplace before creating tips for promoting positive office politics.
In most workplaces and media, the term “office politics” tends to have a negative connotation, often involving behaviors aimed at building power, authority, or influence in the workplace. It conjures up the image of a cut-throat businessperson with a single-minded focus on career advancement, or an office gossiper who doesn’t hesitate to backstab co-workers.
But this sort of toxic competition is best left to TV dramas.
In the real world, office politics like this can have a detrimental effect on everything from company culture, productivity, and even an organization’s reputation. A recent study from Pepperdine Graziadio Business School found that 40% of U.S. workers have considered leaving their jobs due to negative politicking and toxic behavior, indicating a pressing lack of interpersonal conflict management in workplaces across industries.
However, that doesn’t mean organizational politics are going anywhere. Instead, employers must focus on empowering positive behavior from the ground up.
Unfortunately, negative office politics are a very real and serious problem in today’s work environments. Over 90% of employees polled by Pepperdine said that excessive amounts of workplace politics lead to ethical issues, a toxic environment, and even potential legal troubles.
But it’s not just the workers who are impacted.
When empathy, mindfulness, and mutual respect take a backseat to personal agendas, it can have serious ramifications for the whole organization, including:
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